The Ordway new era., 1922-02-03
(cHAPTER Vl-coutinued). .

It was fortunate that Cookie knew
nothing Of the solitary grave some
where on the island, with its stone
marked with 3. n and a cr0ss-b0nes,
nor that the inhabitanc thereof was
supposed to walk. L he had think
the strange spectacle Of q lone negro
In q small boat rowing Justify for the
American continent might soon have
been witnessed on tie Pacific by any
eyes that were there 20 see. And We
could III have spared either boat or
cook.
Yet even though unyexed by this
grewsOme knowledge. after TWO or
three days I noticed that Cookie was
I'll at ease. As the leisure member Of
the party, enjoyed more Of Cookies
society than the rest. On this occa-
sion while the morning was still in its
freshness he was permitting me TO
make fudge. But his usual ioviality
was gone. l saw that he glanced over
his shoulder at intervals, muttering
darkly to himself Also that rabbits
foot was slung conspicuously about
his neck.
Having made my fudge and set the
pan on stone in the stream to cool.
1 was about TO retire with a view 10
conducting a limited exploring expedi-
ton of my own. The assurances of
Mr.. Shaw-not personally directed to
me. of course; the armed truce un-
der which We lived did not permit Of
that-had convinced me that l had
not to dread anything more ferocious
than the pigs, and the widest Of them
would retire before a stick or a stone.
Besides. I boasted & little automatic,
which 1 carried strapped to my waist
in a businesslike. manner. Mr.. vane
had almost got me 10 the point where
1 could shoot it of without shutting
my eyes.
Thus equipped vas about TO set
of into the woods. l had turned nv
back on Cookie and the camp, when
was arrested by an exclamation:
Miss jimmy -
turned TO find Cookie gazing after
me with an expression which. in the
familiar phrase of fiction. I could not
interpret, though among It's ingredl-
ents were doubt and anguish. Cookie.
too. looked pale. I don in the least
know how he managed II, but that
was the impression he conveyed,
dusky as he was.
Miss jimmy. It mos look LAX yo'
'bout TO 90 perambulatln in desc yere
woo1s?~
I nm, Cookie" I admitted.
The whites Of Cookies eyes became
siarmingly conspicuous. Drawing
near in a stealthy manner he whIs-
pered
''Yo' bettah not, Miss Jinnyw
''Oh, nonsense, Cookie," l said i'm
patiently. There's not a thing on the
island but the pigs"
Miss jimmy" he sOlemnly replied,
~'dey's pigs and pigs
Yes. but pigs Is pigs, you know"
answered. laughing
''Dey's pigs and pigs, chiie-live
ones and-dead ones"
Dead ones? OF course-haven't we
been eating them?
"Yo' won't nevah eat dis we're kind
o dead pig, Miss Jimmy. lists
ha'nt.'
The murder was out. Cookie leaned
against a cocoa-palm and wiped his
ebon brow.
Persistently questioned, he told at
last how. today and yesterday, aris-
ing In the dim dawn to build his fire
before the camp was stirring, he had
seen lurking at the edge Of the clear
ing white four-footed shape. 1t was
a pig. yet not pig: its ghostly hue,
its noiseless movements, divided 1t
from all proper mundane porkers by
the dreadful gulf which divides the
living from the dead. The first morn
ing Cookie, doubtful Of his senses,
had flung a stone and the spectral
yhing had vanished like a shadow.
On It's second appearance, having had