Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1915-09-17
Wake, senor," he commanded:

Wake, senor, ne commanded; ut
is day"
"Senor," went on Hernandez, 'let
US resume our conversation-our talk
of yesterday. Where is this lost
island?" He thrust his face into the
face of Ilington. And where he de-
manded, lis the oil-silk packet?"
Where, also,; added Ponto, lis the
bag of gold?"
Ilington smiled. 80 you have
searched me, have your he returned
We'll, you're welcome, gentlemen. t
anything you find" He rose to hi
feet, Come on" he commanded
we're marooned. I'm hungry. Let III
see what we can find"
Hernandez caught him by the arm
Where is the packet" he demanded
And where the gold?" persisted
Ponto.
llington smiled. Both travelling
north" he answered, with Annette IL
ington They are confided to her care.
And why?" asked Hernandez.
llington shrugged his shoulders. u
thought you and | and Ponto here
were booked for death, that's why.
Who knows-we may still be booked
for death"
Hernandez glanced significantly at
Ponto. Some Of US may" he said.
Come on" said Ilington, there are
mussels on those rocks yonder. Fol
low me-"
He strobe into the water and waded
toward a patch Of rocky reef beyond
Ponto seized bit Of jagged wood
that lay upon the beach He and Her
nandez waded after Ilington. Once
on the rocks Ilington stopped and tore
huge shell fish from their moorings
with his naked hands AS he did SO
Ponto in sudden frenzy lifted high
the billet in his hand and brought il
with a crashing blow down upon the
head of Ilington.
llington fell like log. Hernandez
sprang at Ponto and shook him as
terrier shakes q rat.
You fool" he cried, what do you
gain by this?'
Wait" exclaimed Ponto, clawing
llington with his clutching talons;
let us search him thoroughly"
The search yielded nothing to them
Fool, repeated Hernandez, you
have done a useless thing There's al
ways time l tell you"
Ponto shook his head "Senor," he
said, this man stood between us and
the packet. There is no one now to
keep us from his child"
Hernandez slowly nodded. True"
he returned perhaps you are right
He was menace-now he is dead He
is removed Let us leave him to the
mercy of the sea. Come on"
ITO the mercy Of the sea- these
adventures had said, and the sea was
strangely merciful With the tender.
ness Of mother 1t laved the limbs OF
the supine victim-it washed his
wound-lt laved his brow.
1t did more--it brought him back to
life. Uttering an inarticulate cry, the
man rose, staggering to his feet. He
put his hand to the back of his head
1t came away covered with blood He
stared at his rudy fingers vacantly.
"Red-red-'" ne babbled.
He stared about him in bewilder
ment.
Babblng and cackling he rose once
more to his feet. Some instinct led
him toward the shore, He waded
across me narrow strip of water
breast high, toward the narrow strir
If beach beyond.
He reached the beach and dalted
.ig-zag hither and thither, always
always cackling
There was reason for this Some.
where in his skull there was dent
deep questionable by the billet
If wood that had struck him down.
ever and anon as he went he stroked
ne wound with the right hand and
lrew the hand away, covered with
Hood
"Red-red-" he babbled and went
N.