The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1921-12-09
CHAPTER v.
The Captains legacy.

When In my tender years l was
taken to the matinee, usually the most
thrilling feature OF Me spectacle TO
M was the scene depicted on the
drop-curtain. Directly was seated
lin the body-Gnd had had my hat
taken off and been told not 10 wrig-
gle, vaulted airlly over the uncon-
sciOus audience, over an orchestra en-
gagged in tuning up. and was lost In
III marvellous landscape of The drop
curtain. The adventures which had
there put to shame any which the
raising NJ the curtain permitted to
oe seen upon the stage.
had never hoped TO recover in this
prosaic world my long-lost paradise
of the dropcurtain, but morning re-
svealed Ii 10 me here on Leeward
island. Here was the feathery foil
age. the gushing springs, the gor-
geOus flowers Of that enchanted land.
And here were the soft and intOxicat-
ing perfumes that had imagined N
my curtain landscape.
Leeward island measures roughly
four miles across from east to west
by three from north to south. The
core of the island is the peak, rising
70 height Of nearly three thousand
feet AT lis base on three sides lies
= plateau, its edges gnawed away by
The sea to the underlying rocky skele-
ON. On the southeastern quarter the
peak drops by a series of great precl-
pices straight into the sea.
All the plateau and much Of the
peak. are clothed with woods. IA beau
liful bright green against the sap
Dhire of sea and sag High above all
other growth wave the fedthery tops
Of the cocoapalms. which flourish here
luxuriantly.
The palms were nowhere more
abundant than In the hollow by the
cove where our camp was made, and
their size and the regularity of their
order spoke Of cultivation. Guavas.
oranges and lemons grew here, too,
and many beautiful banana-palms.
AT the side nj the clearing inward
the stream stood hut, built Of cocoa
palm logs. Its roof OF palm-thatch
had been scattered by storms. Near
er the stream on bench were an old
decaying washtub and board. A
broken frying-pan and q rusty ak
head lay In the grass.
In the hut itself were a rude bed
stead, small table and cupboard
made Of boxes. was excited ut first.
and fancied we had come upon the
dwelling of a marooned pirate. With
out taking the trouble TO combat this
opinion. Mr.. Shaw explained to Cuth-
bert yane that copra gatherer had
once lived here. and that the place
must have yielded such a profit that
be was only surprised to find II de-.
serted now. behind this cool. EN-
phatic speech sensed an ironic zest
In the destruction Of my plrate.
After their thrilling experience OF
being ferried from the Rufus Smith
to the island. my aunt and Miss
Browne had been easily persuaded to
dispose themselves For maps.
The boats Of the Rufus Smith had
departed from the island. and our re
IAtions with humanity were severed.
The thought Of our Isolation awed and
fascinated me as sat meiitatlyely
upon a keg Of nails watching the mir
acie OF the troplc dawn The men
were hard OF work with bales and
boxes. except Mr. Tubhs who gave
advice. II must have been valuable
advice. for he assured everybody that
a word frum his lips had Invariably
heen enough to make Wall Street at
Up and take notice. But II Is = far
cry from Wall Street TO Leeward
>fsland. Mr. Tubs ignored. sought
rsflss With me- nj last. and Dolnted