Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-07-28

work. right alongside O me- II old
Farmer Snider. that owns this land.
hadn't gone TO town ia nave the law
on ve Ne payin' my money in and
getting 10 protection Fisbin's rotten
toor
now perceived that we had en-
countered one of those half nomad
characters. "a fresh water pearl fisher
man. such as those who. for some
years. with varying fortune. have
combed the sand bars Of our inland
river for the fresh water musseis
which sometimes. like oysters, secrete
valuable pearls or nacreous bits known
as slugs.
u know the law" said I. Farmer
Snider can not lease the highway of
yOnder river where the Sea Rover
passes. But I know also the law Of
the wilderness one trapper does not
futrude on another who has first locaC-
ed his country We will pass on to
morrow. Meantime. il you don't mind.
we win 20 with you TO your camp
and see how you do your work. Please
forget that we have had any trouble
He looked at me oddly, evidently
thinking my mind touched.
We found that we were upon a little
island between two shallow arms OF
the stream. The camp Of the pearl
fisher lay at the lower end. and never
have I seen or smeued so foul place
fer human habitaion. The one large
tent served as shelter, and q rude avn
4E,- emilia in cha
open air. But directly about the tent
and all around it in every direction lay
heaps Of clam shells, most Of them
opened. some not yet ready for open
Ing. I had smelIed the same odor-and
had not learned to like tin faroff
Ceylou, at the great pearl fisheries Of
the orient The 'cIammer' seemed i'm
mune.
Presently he introduced to US wo-
man. very. old. extraordinarily forbid
ding Of visage and unspeakably pro-
fame Of speech. who emerged from the
tent; his mother, he said It seemed
that they made their living in this
way, claiming, as they called it, all
the way from Arkansas to the upper
waters Of the Mississippi.
I explained 70 LATTE and LfOlonnois
that we were now come into the neigh
b0rho01 Of possible treasure. and the
sight Of a few pearls. none Of very
great worth, which the old cTone pro-
dueed from cracker box was enough
to set of Jimmy L'Olonnois. who was
an for raiding the place.
What ne Kissed to me in an aside.
did we not spare his Hfe2 Then the
treasure should be ours"
wait, brother" said l. We shall
see what we shall see" And / Quieted
Latte also. who was wariike at the
very sound Of the word pearl. "Them's
what they take from the Spanish
ships" said be. Pearls is Gtt,n for
ladies fair And here is pearls"
Wait. BROTHER demanded Of him.
For was revolving something ia my
mind presently accosted the clam
uers.
Listen" said L; ''yon say business is
bad"
1T certainly aud sHoCeIy as" assented
the old dame. dsmn@ a black pipe ont
or her pocket and proceeding to feed
tt from another pocket
We'll now. let me make you
proposition" said Z, taking Al glance at
rhs. heap Of fresh shells which lay be
yoad tile racks of trolling lines ana
their twisted wire hooks by means
Of which dragging apparatus the mus
sells are misunderstanding hard on the
wire when it touches them aS they lie
feeding with open mOuJus-"you We
quite I'll lot of shell there. now"
Yes, bat what's IN il? Button fac
tories all shut down with "a strike. and
no market and as for pearls. they
amt none Blame me for carryin
groucht"
Not in the least But what viii
son take for your shells and agree to
open them for US. at wages of IS a
day?'
Both Of us?" he demanded shrewd-
ly J smiled and nodded rs more
than you average, twice over" said /.
and you say the stream is no good
Now I. too, am student of the great
law Of averag yes. because / am or was
2 director in great life insurance
company. You say the tuck is bad
Like other adve6turers. I sag that m
der the law Of averages it is time for
the luck TO change
The luck's with you" growIed the
clamueT; its agin me" Unconscious
iy he put a finger to his swollen nose.
"What'lI you gimmeE' be demanded.
One hundred dollars bonus and SO
a day.. said I promptly, and he seemed
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