The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1915-11-11
FOURTH INSTALLMENT
THE TATTERED PARCHMENT
CHAPTER XVII
The Return OF inex Castro.

confagration that destroyed the old
Hardin cottage at Seaport-Annette
saved something She saved the links
that bound the present 70 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 ind my
father; they'll help me fnd Lost Isle.
And ! have strange presentiment
that I'll fnd him at Lost Isle and not
before"
They were seated. these tive. in
their temporary place OF abode.
who rescued me that nightf" she
Queried. How did ! GOT out OF the
house at all; who did thatf"
Her foster mother shook her head.
Nobody knows. Annette" she said.
She lit q small alcohol lamp under
ceath o tiny tea kettle. "Wstch II.
Annette" she said. ITS 90 small II
may boil over.'
Boil over II did later. and with pc
culisr consequences. Mrs. Hardin
measured out quantity OF Ceylon tee,
and then held out her hand.
Let me sec the map Of Lost Isle
again. Annette" she said. 1T seems
q shame We can make nothing OF IT,"
Il was strange. for st FIRST glance the
map seemed quite worth while. II
was traced upon an ancient piece OF
parchment. old and yellow. Al the
top was this inscription:
LOST ISLE OF CINNABAR."
"Cinnabar." repeated Mrs. Hardin.
Seems TO mo I've heard OF such an
island"
Annette shook her head. i've looked
II up. Cinnabar is not place. ito
nothing but an ore"
The older woman continued her
scrutiny. Here's the mine marked
on the island with cross--what kind
OF q mine-what's cinnabarf"
Quicksilver ore" returned the girl.
"It must be quicksilver mine"
Nothing else upon II. 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.
II doesn't say. That's what I've got
10 find out. but Ill find out. never
fear"
Mrs. Hardin lit q lamp. placed the
map hatly upon the table. and eram-
ined every nook and corner OF II.
WELL" she said Mt length. I've
secured the map and ! can't make
head nor tail OF It. 30 we'll have some
tea"
She placed her hand upon the han
die OF the little tea pot. She drew
Il away suddenly. for II was unusually
hot. Her hasty movement dislodged
II from it's moorings and the boiling
water spouted out over the table.
Most OF the boiling water spouted on
the map. Mrs. Hardin snatched the
map away and wiped It with her ker'
chief. Then she handed the map 70
Annette. Get Il out OF my sight be-
fore ! scour the whole thing on the
face OF the earth" she said. Then
she stopped. Annette" she went on.
sharply, whats the matter,"
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 q dozen words |
had appeared before. there now ap- |
peared a multitude.
Latitude IL degrees. so minutes
north; longitude 12S degrees. 40 min
utes west. Granted to Ilington. Span
ish-American explorer. for distin'
guished service by Joseph Bonaparte.
king OF Spain. In the year 1909; the
original grant being In possession OF
the fathers OF the Santa Maria mis-
sion In Lower California. to be sur