The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1912-03-01

and regarding that little box as the
sealed-up casket of the murder he had
done upon the owner Of 1t. The crime
was there inside.
To overcome that feeling, he had
worked all the harder trying to solve
Its secret.
His interest, now, however, in ma
king sure that the box had really been
brought aboard the Aurora was not
superstitious, but wholly practical.
They were leaving most of their stores
behind them, as there was no time
either to transport them to the Au-
rora or to destroy them. With these
stores and with the shelter afforded
by the hut and the little clump of sur
rounding out-buildings, it was prob
able that some members of the Au-
rora's party, at least would survive
the winter If a relief ship should
arrive the next summer, or even the
summer thereafter, il would probably
find some one on this desolate shore
who could tell the story of the disap-
pearance of the Aurora and form a
more or less definite surmise as to
the cause of Il. That rosewood box
had Captain Fielding's journal in it-a
journal that had been written up to
the very morning when Roscoe had
murdered him Its discovery would
20 a long way toward bridging the
gap which Roscoe meant to leave in
their departing trail. In short, If that
rosewood box were left behind, Ros-
coe would always feel that he was in
more or less danger OF detection. And
he didn't mean to have a thing like
that hanging over him.
Consequently, when he discovered
that the box was not on board, and
that his particular injunctions con-
corning 1t had been either neglected
or disobeyed he came raging up on
deck again, a most formidable figure.
which caused his companions, harden
ed ruffians though they were, to cover
and shrink away from him.
In a torrent of furious blasphemy,
he demanded to know why that box
had not been brought aboard; and the
concentrated lees of his rage ne
emptied at last upon the two men
whom he had ordered to do it.
Now" he concluded, when the tor
rent had spent itself. you go ashore,
you two. Yes, you, Carlson mean
you-and you. Rose; go ashore now
and get it."
Then, after & momentary silence
he ragged out the command again,
amid a foul food of abuse.
| But still they made no move tc
obey. and the big Swede, in evident
terror. answered him II won't get
it. Roscoe. If you want that box, you
can get it yourself"
! What in hell do you mean" the
leader stormed But his voice, even
as he spoke, lost it's confident tang OF
authority.
{ You tell him. said Carlson, nod
ding to his companion, Rose. Evident
ly it was Rose who had told the story
to the other members Of the party. He
was a squatly built man with stub
born jaw, and Planck. in the days OF
his command, had always disliked him
as that most undesirable pest that can
be found in a forecastle-a sea law
yer
What did you leave the box in the
hut for?" he demanded. HE might
not have come back If you had left
n IN tho cave"
Come back!" echoed Roscoe, With
a growl.
That's what / said. We went tc
the hut to get it, and there was 9
light inside, and there he sat, just like
he used to. And he had the boz
open"
HE! Who do you mean" There
was no trace of turbulence in Roscoe's
voice now. He spoke as though his
throat was dry.
1T was Captain Fielding; him te
the life. And, yet, it was different
from the way he used to be. We
I couldn't see 1t very well. Its face waa
sideways and the light was behind It