Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-03-09

Ike the island god. Every day hf
grew more brown and brawny. more
superb In hfs physical yigor.
The cliffs on the north shore Of the
cove were considerably higher than
on the other side 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 a white
winding-sheef. Surprisingly. the yes
sci was a very small one. 4 little
sloop. indeed, much Ike the fragile
pleasure-boats that cluster under the
Sausalito shore AT home. The single
mast had been broken on short. and
the stump Of the bowsprit was visl-
BILE. like a finger reckoning for rescue
from the crawling sand,
Poor forlorn little boat" ! said.
what In the world do you suppose
brought such a mite OF a thing TO his
%unheard-of spot7"
Perhaps she belonged TO the copra
chap. me man could handle her"
what would he want with herr 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 OF taking hack a very bulky
cargo
Then why leave her strewn about
ON the rocks? And besides"-here the
puzzle OF Crusoe required 10 me and
seemed TO link itself with thls-"then
how did he get way himself?"
We rowed In close under the port
bow of the sloop, and on the rail III
made out a string OF faded letters.
began exeitedly TO spell them out.
'I-s-l-oh. Island Queen! You
see she did belong here. Probably she
brought the original poreine Adam
and Eve 10 the island"
Luckily forgot the snake, though ="
remarked the Honorable BERTHE with
unlooked-for vivacity. For so far Aunt
James trembling anticipations had
been unfulfilled by the sight OF a sin
gle snakes a fact laid hy- me to the
credit of st. Patrick and by Cookie to
that OF the pigs.
SAAAcc u Jt~ ne oeSttfH on ne HdI /
shell TO dem pigs" declared Cookie. :
As we rowed away from the melan-
choly little derelIct | saw that near '
by a narrow gully gave access 10 the
top of the cliff. and | resolved that
/ would avail myself OF this path to {
visit the Island Queen again. My mind
continued 10 dwell upon the unknown a
figure of the copra gatherer. Perhaps <
the loss Of his sloop had condemned :
him TO weary months or years of soil a
tude upon The island. before the rare
gTiInmer OF a sail or The trail OF a
steamers smoke upon the horizon n
yladdened his longing eyes. a
Suddenly | turned TO Cuthbert Vane. v
How do you know. really, that he I,
ever did leave the island?" / demand IL
ID. ~
"Mho5the copra chap Nell why
wa the cabin cleared out 50 care 81
'ully-no clothes left about or any "a,
hing?' n
That's true" / acknowledged. The al
occupant OF the hut had evident OF
y made a very deliberate and order "
y buNfhNcc VI ButhAbS ~ ~ ~
We drifted about the cove for a "
While. then steered into the dim muir 81
nurlng shadow OF the reasure-cayern an
fr@Nane indebted tfTe=FsiHt at which M
hey had arrived in their exploration 3,
mong the assures opening from the IS
edge.
The place held me with It's fascina mn
lon htsf s.sa .raa t.1t Ifn.u- fo,@ Fn~
5 the tide turned ont man would have
luch ado TO manage the boat. So we In
lid through the archway into the XII
right sunshine Of the cove, and
eaded for the camp. co
AS we neared the beach we saw a
CURE pacing II. II was Dugald Shaw. M
nd quite Unexpectedly my heart be X
an 10 beat with staccato ~quickness. N
iugald Shaw. who didn't like me and Af
no never looked at me-except Just
)metlmes, when he was perfectly sure "
didn't know it-there he was. walt VI
" for us. and splashing into the ~
'am TO help Cuthbert beach the boat I
he for whom a thousand years & I
lie skalds would have made a saga l
hc u. y. 4 Hdttb HlH tilcttiuiS -
) we sprang out upon the sand. But
Scotchman was unsmiling. n
MAKE haste after your tools. lad" IA
!, ordered. Wen have fine work now IA
get inside the ave before the turn" WI
Those were his words his tone and kl
s grim look meant. $50 In spite OF "
| my care you are being beguIled by
mink !
1t was his tone that I answered. y
oh. don't scold Mfr. Yane. - l inn
ored. Every paradise has its ser
and as there are no others here -
suppose | am 1t. or course all lady "a
rpents who know their business have W,
d hair. Don't blame Mr.. yane for q
was naturally all my fault" H
Not a line Of his face changed. In
ed, before my most vicious stabs 81
never did change. =
ITO be sure 1t seems unreasonable az.
blame the lad" he agreed soberly,
mi fhan ha hannene IN ho unaar my ft