American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-11-25

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Little ! dreamed what surprises en-
suing acts of the play we're to hold
for me, or their astounding contrast
with the farce Of my joyous magma
ton.
| took no part In the storm that
ragged round Mr.. Tubbs. His face
adorned by a seraphic, buttery smile,
he stood unmoved, while Miss Hlggles-
by-Browne uttered cyclonic exhorta-
lions and r~eproaches, while Aunt Jane
sobbed and said, ooh, Mr.. Tubbs /"
while Mr.. Shaw stroye to make him
self heard above the din. He did at
least succeed In extracting from the
traitor n definite statement OF terms.
These were nothing less than Atty per
cent of the treasure, secured to him
by a document, sealed and delivered
into his W hands. To a suggestion
that as he had discovered the all-lm-
portant tombstone, so might some one
else, he replied with tranquility that
he thought not, as he had taken pre-
cautions against ouch an eventually.
In other words, as / was later to dis
cover, the willy Mr.. Tubbs had con-
trived to raise the boulder from its
bed and push IL over the cliff into the
sea, afterward replacing the mass OF
vines upon the grave.
As to the entrance to the tunnel, II
was apparent to me that Mr.. Tubbs
had not yet discovered II. Even IL he
baI u.a anrA.tu xkaa 10 ..a.l4 h~wx.
been no more heroic than myself about
exploring It., though there was no
missing Peter to haunt his magma
ton. But with the grave as a start
ing point, there could be no question
as TO the ultimate discovery Of the
cave.
I was so eager myself to see
the inside of the cave, and to know
whatever 1t had to reveal of the fate
OF Peter, that | was inclined to wish
Mr.. Tubbs success In driving his hard
bargain, especially as 1t would profit
him nothing In the end. But this SEN
timent was exclusively my own. On
oil hands indignation greeted the rig
orous demands OF Mr.. Tubbs. With a
righteous Joy ! saw the fabric of
Aunt James Illusions shaken by the
rude blast of reality. For where was
the Tubbs OF yesterday-the honey
tongued, the suave, the a~nxiously OBJ
sequious Tubbsl Gone, quite gone.
Instead, here was a Tubbs who cooked
his helmet raklshly, and leered round
upon the company, deaf TO the claims
OF loyalty, the piens OF friendship, the
voice OF tenderness-Aunt James.
Manfully Miss Higglesby-B Browne
stormed up and down the beach, She
demanded of Mr.. Shaw, OF Cuthbert
vane, of Captain Magnus, each and
severally, that Mr.. Tubbs be compelled
70 dlsgorge his secret. You saw that
she would not have shrunk from a reg
linen OF racks and thumbscrews. But
there were no racks and thumbscrews
on the island. OF course we could have
invented various instruments of torture
~ felt / could have developed some
ingenuity that way myself-but too ia
tally we'll Mr.. Tubbs knew the civil
lied prejudiees OF those with whom he
had to deal. With perfect lmpunity
he could strut about the camp. sure
that no weapons worse than words
would be brought to bear upon him,
that he would not even be turned
away from the general board to
browse on coconuts in solitude.
Long ago Mr.. Shaw had left the
field to Violet and with a curt shrug
had turned his back and stood look
Ing out over the cove, stroklng his
chin reflectively. Miss Brownies elo-
quence had risen TO amazing flights,