Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-11-23

! like movement. Suddenly Hernandez
spoke.
Careful, senor." he commanded.
Behold the surf"
He was quite right. They were
crossing some bar we'll off the shore.
Before they knew 1t they were in the
midst of a tumult of %wind.driven angry
waves Ponto shrieked. A wave tow
cred high above them and fell with
thunderousN thud upon the bottom OF
their boat. She went under.
Come on" cried llington; "a hand
on each Of my shoulders-In take you
safe ashore"
Half an hour later the three men
staggered out OF the battered surf and
sank down exhausted upon q strip OF
beach.
Dawn broke with Ilington still sleep
ing heavily. Ponto was the first to
wake. He shook Hernandez. placing
his finger on his lips. Hernandez
sprang up with the agility Of a PAN
ther. He collected his faculties in an
instant. He placed his hand upon the
shoulder of the sleeping man and
shook him.
Wake, s%enor," he 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 you?" he returned.
well, you're welcome, gentlemen. to
anything you find."' He rose to his.
feet. Come on" he commanded.
we're maNooned. I'm hungry. Let us
see what we can find"
Hernandez caught him by the arm.
Where is the packet?" he demanded.
And where the gold?" persisted
Ponto.
Ilington smiled. Both travelling
north,'' he answered. with Annette IL
ington. They are confided to her care"
And why?" asked Hernandez.
Ilington shrugged his shoulders. II
thought you and I 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 a 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 a sudden frenzy lifted high
the billet in his hand and brought 1t
with a crashing blow down upon the
head Of Ilington.
Ilington fell Ikea log. Hernandez
sprang at Ponto and shook him as a
terrier shakes a rat.
you fool" he cried. what do you
gain by this?"
wait" exclaimed Ponto, clawing
Ilington 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 I 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 vas a 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
adventurers had said, and the sea was
strangely merciful. With the tender
ness of a mother 1t laved the limbs OF
the supine victim-it washed his
wound-it laved his brow.
It 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 ruddy fingers vacantly.
"Red-red-" he babbled.
He stared about him In bewilder
ment.
Babbling and cackling he rose once
more to his feet. Some instinct led
him toward the shore. He waded
across the narrow strip of water
breast high, toward the narrow striT
! OF beach beyond.