The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-07-11
A NOVEL A WEEK.
Next Week
>"THE LITTLE GRAY SHOE"
BY Percy j. Brebner.
Continued from our last issue.

louS week.
"Dey done shot at me, Mistah
Williams" The old fellow raised
his stick and pointed northward
to the blue wall of cypress which
was the nearer side of Laure's
isle. "Yes. suh-dey done snuck
out O. John-the-Fool and gibe me
nah wa'nin'."
who did,"
Dem ole pirate folkses. Mex
boat Ah'm goin' out. Reckon ole
Armand's ghost done snuck back
when yo' start to cuttin' up his
island"
Uncle Piney, you go get us
some breakfast" Virgil said, and
smiled at me aside. "I'll send you
out front IL you want to 60" But
when the old fellow had hobbled
away, the land boss face grew
long. Last one | could keep on
the job here-the old yarns about
this place got them clean scared
away"
We walked about the melan-
choly ruin and breakfasted in the
shade of Uncle Piney's shack.
Those New York fel-los don t
know the dredge is runnin'. They
told me to lay her up with the
work on the pumps"
Well" put in, Just how did
you get the money!"
Money!" he smiled benignly.
"Nobody's got any money-much.
Big Jim and the fel-los ON the
dredge-why, they just believe
that's ALL"
| took q stalk of cane and
walked out past the sheds where
eighty thousand dollars worth of
machinery was rusting and two
thousand sacks of cement were
turning to stone, and thrust it
down In the salt swamp ooze out
side the levee. There was no
bottom; the stuff was thinner ev-
cry foot of the way.
Il understand now. the story of
the baby buggy" | said dryly.
Virgil, have you the nerve to say
that some day you'll sell this for
farms?"
Yes, sch. If I have to stand
EN- on end and dry 'em out"
And when We were off again in
the launch. speeding up the canal
the Texan pointed southwark.
They tried plantin' once-cane
and rice-and then the sea came
in on 'em in 50" He looked cur
iously into the forest cove. And
while we're passin' I'll introduce
you to the Baron of John-the-
Fool"
THE baron?"
He smiled with his gentle toll
erance, even at Clell, who would
not greet him. Then swinging
the wheel over, the boat drifted
on into this glade of the sunken
forest. On a platform, hung from
trunk to trunk above the water.
sat slab and PALMETTO hut with
a mud chimney rising at one end.
To the cypress spikes beneath
was moored a flat-bottom john
boat. Virgil lifted the johnboat
paddle and slammed it nightly
upon the boards. And there wad-
died out OF the swamp shack the
most curious figure of a man
had ever seen.
Vast and rotund was he, with a
faded sash of silken brilliance
about his waist, and in his green
nat was stuck rooster feather.
He removed a remarkable pipe
from his mouth, and then bowed
down to us.
All, the gentlemen have ar
rived! Allesjandro-assist the
gentlemen" He pounded on the
platform.
And around that shack came
the manikin Manilaman who had
brought us to Isle Bonnie in his
lugger yesterday.
His master gave us a benign
eye.
my good friend-and bad luck
to him and HIS schemes - has not
introduced us as gracefully as he
might You are Doctor Richard
Rainey, and this is Mr.. Redfield
lis 1t not so? / am Baron John
de Vedrinnes-there is a good
deal more of 1t, but let that be.
Welcomed"
We entered the shack and then
| saw a small and not at all un-
pleasing breakfast table laid, and
at 1t, regarding MS with complete
composure, the lady of Isle Bon
ne.
The baron exploded with his ap-
probation of our surprise. Allies
jandro, with fervent pleasure, was
drawing chairs for us.
Laure, presiding at the coffee,
looked with long, sidewise de-
mureness at Clell's reaching for a
place beside her.
How did you get here?" we
burst out together.
my running pirogue-through
the deep swamp. There were
some honey bees swarming, and
Papa Prosper, he just let them go
whichaway."
Follow a honey bee through
that fantstic swamp | sat down
and regarded her. She was cut
ting bread. Virgil eyed her with
patience. She had not spoken to
him.
The Baron de vedrinnes went
on complacently to tell OF himself.
No one else got in a word. He
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