Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1921-09-29

superb in his physical vigor.
The cliffs on the north shore Of the
cove were considerably higher than
on the other side. The wreck lay
close in, driven high upon the mar.
row shelf Of rocks and sand at the
base of the sheer ascent. Sand had
heaped up around her hull and flung
itself across her deck like white
winding-sheet. Surprisingly, the YES
sci was a very small one, a little
sloop. indeed. much like the fragile
y pjeasure-boats that cluster under the
Sausalito shore at home. The single
mast had been broken of short, and
the stump Of the bowsprit was visl-
bic, like finger reckoning for rescue
from the crawling sand.
Poor fOrlOrn little bOatm ] said.
what in the world do you suppose
brought such mite Of a thing to this
unheard-of spot?"
Perhaps she belonged to the copra
chap. One man could handle her."
what would he want with her? A
small boat like this is better for fish.
ing and rowing about the cove"
Perhaps she brought him here from
Panama, though he couldn't have
counted on taking back a very bulky
CARGO"
.'Then why leave her strewn about
on the rocks? And besides'-here the
puzzle of Crusoe required to me and
seemed to link itself with this-"tllen
how did he get away himself?"
We rowed in close under the port
bow Of the sloop, and on the rail 1
made ont a string of faded letters. I
began excitedly to spell them out.
'x-s-l-oh, Island Queen! You
see she did belong here. Probably she
brought the original porcine Adam
and Eve to the island"
Luckily forgot the snake, though rs
remarked the Honorable BERTHE with
unlooked-for vivacity. For so far Aunt
James trembling anticipations had
been unfulfilled by the sight of sin
gle snake, a fact laid by me to the
credit of st. Patrick and by Cookie to
thnt of the pigs.
Snakes d jes' be oysters onde half
she'll to dem pigs" declared Cookie.
1 AS we rowed away from the melan-
choly little derelict. I saw that near
by narrow gully gave access to the
top of the cliff. and resolved that
would avail myself of this path to
visit the Island Queen again. My mind
continued to dwell upon the unknown
figure Of the copra gatherer. Perhaps
the loss of his sloop had condemned
him to weary months or years of soli-
tude upon the island, before the rare
! glimmer of sail or the trail of a
steamers smoke upon the horizon
gladdened his longing eyes.
Suddenly turned to Cuthbert vane.
How do you know, really, that he
ever did leave the island?" demand
ed.
"Who-the copra chap7 Well, why
else was the cabin cleared out so care
fully-no clothes left about or any
thing?"
THAT'S true" l acknowledged. The
last occupant Of the hut had evident
~ made very deliberate and order
" business Of packing up to go.
We drifted about the cove for a
while, then steered into the dim muir
muring shadow OF the treasure-cavern.
MIR. Vane Indicated the point at which
they had arrived In their exploration
among the assures opening from the
ledge. 9
The place held me with it's fascina-
ton, but we dared not linger long, for
as the tide turned one man would have
much ado to manage the boat. So we
slid through the archway into the
bright sunshine Of the cove, and
headed for the camp.
AS we neared the beach we saw a
figure pacing 1t. It was Dugald Shaw.
And quite unexpectedly my heart be-
gan to beat with staccat0 quickness.
Dugald Shaw, who didn't like me and
who never looked at me-except just
sometimes, when he was perfectly sure
didn't know it-there he was, watt
ing for us, and splashing into the
foam to help Cuthbert beach the boat
| he for whom thousand years ago
the skalds would have made saga
The b. y. hailed him cheerfully
US we sprang out upon the sand. But
the Scotchman was unsmiling.
make haste after your tools, lad
he ordered. "We'll have fine work. now
to get inside the cave before the turn"
| Those were his words; his tone and
his grim look meant, $50 in spite Of
all my care you are being begdiled by
a mipS-"
It was his tone that ] answered.
:Oh, don't scold Mr.. vane!" inn
plored Every paradise has. its ser,
pent, and as there are no others here
suppose ] am 1t. OF course all lady
serpents who know their business have
red hair. Don't blame Mr.. vane for
what was naturally all my fault"
Not line Of his face changed. In
deed, before my most vicious stabs
1t never did change. III
10 be sure it seems unreasonable