Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1912-10-11
SweeneyS
Ghost
dead Men Tell No
Tales"
By cLARISSA MACKIE

After three days and nights OF bat.
thing with troubled winds and Wild
gray seas the shabby little steamer
Marygold fell upon the white reefs OF
Sugar island and pounded out her fee
| BILE life.
Early dawn found Captain shaleb
Bains and his FIRST mate digging Q
shallow trench I'm the snowy sand Of
the islands curvfng beach. Beside
the trench there lay a dripping form
roughly dashed to the Marygold's for
ward hatch.
The mate paused in his digging and
flung aside the empty turtle shell that
had served as a spade. He pulled out
a knife. cut the lashings and hurriedly
rolled the inert form into the shallow
grave.
"'Twas Sweeney" he announced
briefly to the captain. and the big fat
man nodded carelessly,
"what's that stuff out there7" asked
Bains, pointing a heavy foreinger.
Broken spars and scraps OF the wa
terlogged tubs you called lifebOats,"
growled the mate.
"You ought to be thankful, Peter.
You ought to get down on your knees.
man, because this is all the hest luck
you ever had" Bains' fshy eyes al
most glowed with excitement.
Thankful for what7 Because the
expedition has failed7 We can never
get to Sugar island now"
Balus smiled triumphantly. Were
on Sugar island this minute" he an
nounced.
The mate stared. Nor he yelled.
eyes" assured the captain, drawing
a water tight metal case from his
pocket. "Just look at the map. All
we got to do is to locate the palm UNI
der which the pearls are buried and
wait until somebody ome and takes
Us off. Wen be rich. Peter, much
richer than If the pearls had to be d.
vided into eight parts. It's half and
half now"
That evening they sat in the shelter
Of a huge rock aud watched the moon
rising out Of a quiet bosomed ocean
Both were smoking furiously and say
ing little. 1t had been a hard day in
| ulduy Wye. lnty uuO ANhhA AaAhC
unpalatable shellish and plenty Of co
coanuts to eat and a tinkling rill of
sweet water. They had not found the
pearls, although they had dug feverish
Iy all around the roots of the giant
palm.
"The map says under the largest
palm," insisted Captain Bains in re
spouse to Peters skeptical mood.
at wasn't there Peter was begin.
ming when all at once he stopped short
and pointed at something dark and
shadowy that approached them out OF
the white beauty Of the night
whats that7" he gasped.
"Ahoy, there!' plped a feeble voice
from the shadow.
"Who is it," doomed the deep voice
Of Bains.
"'TIs Sweeney" came from the near
ing shadow.
The two men under the rock leaped
forth and scrambled around to safety
Little thrills Of superstitious horror
chilled their blood.
You Her quavered Peter barrow
~"Sweeney's dead"
1--WE buried him." chimed in Bains.
Then I'm riz from tn lead ant
thankful so to be whin tn waves wash
ed over me there / was tucked away
as snug as We place In a grave. Twas
rayther PREMATURE. ] may sny." Ant
the words were mingled with Dennis
Sweeney's u~nmistakable chuckle.
The two men conferred in grumbllnl
tones.
"rm thankful for tn warrum wei
come extended to me. seem I've re
turned from tn grave. It's been a lonl
day to lay dryin' in tn sun wishln
+. for a bite or a sup" 1t was Sweeney
+, sarcasm that convinced his shipmatei
that he had indeed escaped death, bu
the greed OF gain overcame any scru
, Piles they might otherwise have had.
~"Sweeney's dead" insisted Pete
, barrow obstinately. all the terror gon,
, from his voice. 'If you're his ghos
you can keep TO yourself We dom
, want you around hereF'
| mo more we don'tP' emphasizes
!. Balns roughly.
'Indader" purred Sweeney's voice
/ "And might l ask If US three are I'll
r only ones saved from TIL poor MARY
y godT'
"only two was saved-Captain Balm
b and me-" returned barrow signif
eantly.
a "How about NEEDN'T I cOuntT'
You're deadP Darrow's voice wa
Q hnaL.
g "'Twas a legal burial-I can swea
70 It." added Balns ponderOusly.
aye" said the voice Of Sweeney
o "yez can swear till yea black in Il
n face. yes blasphemln' ould pirate. bu
3 worruds won't kill Dinnis Sweeney
d And the form Of Sweeney recede
down the beach, accompanied by yer
; audible footsteps.
"YOu should have dug It deeper,
Q complained Captain Bains q%uerulousl
. as ne Joined barrow In a walk aroun
% to the opposite side OF the island.
% "How did I know be wasn't dead
J. demanded Peter impatiently. Then
( worried tones he went on: 81 suppos
e he'll he watching M all the time Mel