The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1919-07-17
or the flesh. And the ghost of John p.
Tobias still kept his secret.
CHAPTER viii.
An Unfinished Game Of Cards. :


ened 1 asked Tom how the stores were
holding out. He answered cheerfully
that they would last another week and
leave us enough to get home
well, shall we stick out the other
week or not. Tom? I don't want to
Kill you. and confess Pm nearly all
in myself"
May as well stick 1t out, sar, now
we've gone so far. Then wen have
done all we can, and there's certain
satisfaction in doing that, sar."
So next morning we went at II
again. and the next. and the next
again, and then on the fourth day
when our week was drawing to its
close. something at last happened tc
change the grim monotony Of our days
1t was shortly after the lunch hour
rom ana |, who were now working toe
FAR apart to hear each others halloos
had fired our revOlvers once or twice
TO show that all was right with us
But, for no reason / can give, sud.
denly got feeling that all was moi
right with the old man, so I fired my
revolver and gave him time for re-
ply. But there was no answer. Agair
| fired. Still no answer. was on the
point of firing again when l heart
something coming through the brush
nehind me. 1t was Sailor racing
toward me over the jagged rocks
Evidently there was something wrong
Something wrong with old Tom
Sailor" | asked, as though he could
answer me. And indeed he did answer
as plainly as dog could do, waggina
his tail and whining and turning to &C
back with me in the direction whence
he had come.
"Off we go, then, old chap" and az
he ran ahead. I followed him as fast
as / could.
1t took me the best part of an hour
to get to where Tom had been work.
ing. Sailor brushed his way ahead.
pushing through the scrub with canine
Importance. Presently, ut the top of
n slight elevation, l came among the
bushes to softer spot where the soil
had given way, and saw that it was
the mouth of q shaft like wide CHM
ney flue, the earth of which had evil
IDENTITY fallen in. Here Sailor stopped
and whined, paving the earth. and at
the same time l heard n moaning un-
dcrneath.
"Is that you, Tom?" called. Thank
God, the old chap was not dead Mt all
events.
"Thank the Lord, It's you, sar," he
cried. I'm all right, but I've had a
bad fall-and I can't seem able to
move"
"Hold on and keep up your heart
I'll be with you in a minute" l called
down to him.
mind yourself. sar," he called cheer
lily, and indeed IT was n problem to get
down to him without precipitating the
loose earth and rock that were ready
to make landslide down the hole, and
perhaps bury him forever.
But, looking about, found another
natural tunnel I'm the side Of the hill.
Into this l was able to worm myself,
and in the dim light found the old man
and put my flask to his lips.
"Anything broken, do you think?"
Tom didn't think so. He had evil
IDENTIFY been stunned by his fall, and
another pull at my flask set him on
his feet But as helped him up, and
striking n light, we bcHan to look
around the hole he had tumbled into,
he gave n piercing shrek and fell on
his knees, jabbering with fear.
"Thc ghosts the ghosts" he
screamed.
And the sight that met our eyes was
certainly one to try the nerves. Two
flSures sat ut table-One with his
hat tilted slightly and one leaning side
ways In his chair in n careless sort of
attitude. They seeemed to be playing
cards, and they were strangely white
for they were skeletons.
l stood hushed, while Toms teeth
ratified at my side. The fantastic awe
Of the thing was beyond telling. And
then, not without qualm or two,
which | would be II liar to deny, went
and stood nearer 10 them. Nearly all
their clothes had fallen away. hanging
but In shrcds here and there. That
the hat had so jauntily kept its place
was one Of those grim touches Death
that terrible hnnOriSt, loves to add to
his jestS. The cards which had an
parently just been dealt had suffered
scarcely from dccay-Only little dirt
had Sifted down upon them, aS il had
into the rum glasses that stood, too
at each mans side. And as | looked
at the skeleton jauntily facing me. !
noticed that a bullet hole had been
made as clean as if by drill in his
forehead Of bone-whilc, turning to
examine more closely his silent part
ner, | noticed rusty sailors kuif,
hanging from the ribs where the lungs
had been. Then / looked on the floor
and found the key to the whole story
For there. within few yards, stood
heavy sailors chest, strongly b.s!nd
around with iron. It's lid was thrown
back and II few coins lay scattered at
the bottom, while q few lay about on