Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1922-02-03

Then 1 found that l was looking, not
at Crusoe, but into a little dim In
closure like a locker, In which some
small object family caught the light.
With a revived hope Of finding relics.
/ got out my knife-a present from
| Cuthbert Vane-and set briskly to
work widening the seam.
/ penetrated finally Into small
locker or cubby-hole, set in the angle
under the roof of the cabin. and, as
subsequent investigation showed, so
placed as to attract no notice from the
casual eye. i ascertained this by
lying down and wriggling my head
and shoulders into the cabin In 9TH
err words, | had happened ON little
private depository, in which the own
er Of the sloop might stow away GER
tain small matters that concerned him
| intimately. Yet the contents Of the
| locker at first seemed trif1ing. They
were an old-fashioned chased silver
| shoe-buckle, and brown-covered man
uscript book
| The book had suffered much from
| dampness, whether of rains or the
! wash of the sea- | seated myself on
the cabin roof, extracted hairpin, and
began carefully separating the close
written pages. The first three or four
were quite illegible, the Ink having
run. Then the writing became clear
er. made out a word here and
there:
"a. directions vague. my grand
father-man a ruffian but. no mo-
tive. police of Havana. . .frightful
den. :. grandfather made sure. reg
istry. .Bonny Lass. -"
And at that l gave a small excited
Shrek which brought Crusoe to me in
writer of this journal, what had he
to do with the Bonny Lass?
Breathlessly l read on:
"a. . thought captain still living but
not sure. :. lost :. .Benito Bon. -"
1 closed the book. Now, while the
coast was clear, l must get back to
camp. 1t would take hours, perhaps
days, to decipher the journal which
had suddenly become of such supreme
importance l must smuggle 1t unob-
served into my own quarters, where
l could read at my leisure. AS l set
out l dropped the silver shoe-buckle
into my pocket, smiling TO think that
1t was / who had discovered the first |
bit of precious metal on the Island |
Yet the book in my hand, l felt In
stinctively, WAS of more value than
many shoe-buckles.
Safely In my hammock, with a pill
low under which 1 could slip the book
in case of interruption, l resumed the
reading. From this point on, although
the writing was somewhat faded, 1t
was all, with little effort, legible.
THE DIARY.
IF Sampson did live to tell his
secret, then any day there may be
sail in the offing. And still l cannot
find it! Oh, II my grandfather had
been more worldly wise If he hadn't
been too intent on the eternal welfare
of the man he rescued from the Ha-
yana tavern brawl to question him
about his story. A cave on Leeward
stone marked with
the letters b. II. and croSs-bones--
L told the captain said the poor dy
ing wretch we wouldn't have no luck
after playing it that low down on Billt'
So l presume Bill lies under the stone
well, all l have is In this venture
The old farm paid for the Island
Queen--or WILL if l don't get back Ia
staid New England relatives think ms
mad. copra gatherer A fine ca
reer for minister's son Well, when
get home with my Spanish doub-
oons there will be another story to
ell. l won't be poor crazy Peter
hen. And Helen-oh, how often 1
wish / had told her everything II
vas too much TO ask her to trust me
'lindly as l did. But from that mo-
nent ! came across the story In grand
ather's old, half-f0rgotten diary-by
he way. the diary habit seems to run
n the famiiy-a very passion Of Sc
recy has possessed me. II had told
ieien, | should have had to dread
nat even in her sweet sleep she
lighf whisper something 10 put that
prret, her sfepmother, on the scent
Va, Helen, trust me, trust me.
December %. | have calendar
'ifb me. so am not reduced 70 notch.
" stick 70 keep track OF the days
mark on each carefully IN the cal
Ddar, II J were 10 forget 10 do this,
ven for a day on two, J believe
lould quite lose track. The days ars
, terribly alike
my predecessor here ~ fhe coDra
ifhering business old Iieinfz. really
n me very snug establishment II
as odd fhai J should have ruD n0oss
m "a Panama ihaf way
Trhrlsmns Day J wonder shat
ey are au doing "a h0me1
$40 ~ roAllNufp)
Cleaning Narble
AL. .I... I..nI.I i U.I. Min u.Ifa.