Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-02-24

| lHc lOluDSlUllt Vi Ollt w lllull I1dill-
well, deceased"
OF course. Not once had | thought
Of 1t. Bare. stark, glazing up at the
sun, lay the stone carved with the let
tiers and the cross-bones. Forgetting
In the haste of my departure to re-
place the vines upon the grave, I had
left the stone to shout It's secret to
the first conner. And that happened to
be Mr. Tubbs. Happened, l say, for
I knew that he had not had the Slight
est notion where to look for the grave
of Bill Halliwell. This running to
earth Of clues was purely an affair of
his own picturesque Imagination.
/ wondered uneasily what he had
made of the uprooted vines-but he
would lay them to the pigs, no doubt.
In the countenance of Mr.. Tubbs,
flushed and exultant, there was no
suspicion that the secret was not all
his own.
Miss Higgesby- Browne had a closed
umbrella beneath her arm, and she
drew and brandshed it like a saber
as she took a long stride forward.
'Mr. Tubbs," she commanded, lead
onp'
But Mr. Tubbs did not lead on. ''Oh,
no indeed" he said. "Old Ii. II.
wasn't born yesterday. 1t may have
struck you that to possess the sole and
exclusive knowledge Of the where
about q million or two-ratln' 1t
lows some considerable of an asset.
And it's one amt got the least idee
of partin with unless for inducements
held OUT
Aunt Jane gave a faint Shrek. l
had been silently debating what my
own course should be in the face Of
this unexpected development. Sud-
denly l saw my way quite clear.
would say nothing. Dir. Tubbs should
reveal his own perfdy. And the cur
tain should ring down upon the play,
leaving Mr. Tubbs foiled all around,
bereft both of the treasure and Of
Aunt Jane.
Little l dreamed what surprises en-
suing acts of the play were to hold
for me, or their astounding contrast
with the farce of my joyous magma
ton.
| took mo part in the storm that
ragged round Mr. Tubbs. His face
adorned by a seraphic, buttery smile.
he stood unmoved, while Miss Higgles-
hy-Browne uttered cyclonic exhorta-
lions and reproaches, while Aunt Jane
sobbed and said, "Oh, Mr.. Tubbs!"
while Mr.. Shaw strove to make him
self heard above the din. He did at
least succeed in extracting from the
traitor definite statement of terms.
These were nothing less than fifty per
cent of the treasure, secured to him
by q document, sealed and delivered
into his own hands. To 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 such an eventuality.
In other words, as | was later to dis
cover. the willy Mr.. Tubbs had con-
trlyed TO raise the boulder from its
bed and push ii over the cliff into the
sea, afterward replacing the mass OF
vines upon the grave.
AS TO the entrance to the tunnel. It
was apparent to me that Mr.. Tubs
had not vet discovered it. Even If he
had. | am certain that he would have
been no more heroic than myself about
exploring II. though there was no
missing Peter to haunt bis magma
ton. But with the grave as start
ing point, there could be no question
as TO the ultimate discovery Of the
cave.
was so eager myself to see
the inside of the cave, and TO know
whatever II had to reveal OF the fate
of Peter. that | was inclined 10 wish
Mr. Trbbs success In driving his hard
bargain. especially as II would prort
him nothing in the end. But this sen
tlment was exclusively my own. On
all hands Indignation greeted the rig
orous demands OF Mr. THbbs. WIN
righteous Toy saw the fabric OF
/ Aunt James llluS'oDS Sii"NNI ~
rude blast OF reality For where was
fhe Tlibbs OF yesterday-the money
tongued. the suaye. the anxlously OBJ
seollious Tubbs? Gone, quite gone.
instead, here was Iubbs who cooked
his helmet rakishiy, and leered round
mon the company, deaf 10 The claims
of LOYALTY, the plens Of friendship me
voice Of teuderness Aunt james
Manfully Hiss H'gglesby Browne
stormed Cd and down tle beach. she
demanded Of Nr shaw of cuihnen
vane ~ Capfain Nagnus, enep nio
.s,eraliy. ihal Mr Tubs De compelled
hi d.sgorge ms secret you sass inpi
IN, would noi nay3 shrunk from lrf
f.en of aeks ADD ibumhsveNf fNi
tf.re nee no meks pnd thpNnsqeRf
.s fho Island ~ course Nf enllH NN''
m..aisd pur0us Instruments NJ tolinf
fei colld haYf developed f'lN
...,nnlig ihai Na} myself hw iN9 ll
XIX p6ll Nr luNDs hnfN lne Ni''
U..N..s nf IINHN NIlN NNNN W.