The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1915-11-11
FOURTH lkSTAllMENT
The BATTERED PARCHMENT
CHAPTER XVII
The Return Of Inex Castro.


Out of that holocaust-the useless
confiagration that destroyed the old
Hardin cottage at Seaport-Annette
saved something She saved the links
that bound the present to the past
the identifying objects that made her
one with the little child who had been
saved years before from the ruin OF
st. Pierre.
whatever they mean" she told her
foster mother. they'll help me find my
father; they'll help me find Lost Isle.
And have a strange presentiment
that I'll find him at Lost Isle and not
before
They were seated these two, in
their temporary place OF abode
Who rescued me that night she
queried. How did get out of the
house at all; who did that
Her foster mother shook her head.
Nobody knows, Annette she said.
She lit small alcohol lamp under
meath a tiny tea kettle. Watch it,
Annette" she said, its So small it
may boil over"
Boil over it did later ard with pc
culiar consequences Mrs. Hardin
measured out quantity Of Gevl6n tea.
and then held out her hand
Let me see the map OF Lost Isle
again, Annette she said. 1T seems
a shame we can make nothing of it.
1t was strange, for at first glance the
map seemed quite worth while II
was traced upon an ancient piece of
parchment, old and yellow. At the
top was this inscription.
LOST ISLE OF CINNABAR."
"Cinnabar, repeated Mrs Hardin
Seems to me I've heard of such an
island"
Annette shook her head. I've looked
It up. Cinnabar is not a place, it $
nothing but 3n ore.
The older woman continued her
scrutiny. Here's the mine marked
on the island with a cross-what kind
of a mine-what cinEabar?"
Quicksilver ore, returned the girl.
1T must be a quicksilver mine"
Nothing else upon it, except the
words Stone castle nothing else
The girl sprang to her side. Yes.
said the girl. these two other words
below"
She placed her finger upon them.
They were two small words near the
lower left hand corner of the map:
Latitude
Longitude.
Yes" went on Mrs Hardin, but
what latitude and what longitude ."
Annette smiled. That's the point
u doesn't say That's what I've got
To find out. but III find out. never
fear
Mrs. Hardin lit n lamp, placed the
map fatty upon the table. and exam.
med every nook and corner of It.
Well. she said at length. I've
secured the map and can't make
head nor tail OF it. SO Wen have some
tea.
She placed her hand upon the han
die OF the little tea pot. She drew
II away suddenly. Tor it was unusually
hot. Her hasty movement dislodged
~ rum ANH NtRtA ttt - eAAA tAA' bNAAA'At {,
water spOuted out over the table.
Most OF the boiling water spouted on
the map Mrs Hardin snatched the
map away and wiped 1t win her ker-
chief Then she handed the map to
Annette. Get II out Of my sight be
fore | scour the whole thing of the
face OF the earth" she said Then
she stopped Annette she went on,
sharply. what's the natter"
Annette was pointing To the map
Look look she cried.
Well might she exClaim. for there,
upon the yellow surface Of the parch
ment where only half a dozen words
had appeared before. there now ap
peared a multitude
Latitude Is degrees. 80 minutes
north: longitude 1913 degrees. 40 min
utes west. Granted 10 llngton. Span
tsh.Ameriean explorer, for distin
Kuishes service by Joseph Bouaparte
hing OF Spain in the year 1899: the
original grant being in possession OF
the fathers ~ the Santa Maria mis-
sion In Lower California. 90 be sur.
rendered 10 the heirs OF Ilingtca upon