Evening star., 1939-11-12
lov Beatrice GxilsaShaW
NIystrotsd by A. N. Smpkio

piped Panke little tune Then she in pretty brdlike
voice. the pratca refrain of Stevensons Treasure Island
Fifteen men the dead mans Chest
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle Of num-!
Drink and the deril had done for the rest.
I0-hO-ho and bottle Of rtm
Raeburn who saw white girl about often as he saw
comet eyed her with Of envous delight She had such
gold brown cu she painted in such innocent care
less of way she obviously just little maid fresh
from school, that Jim Raebun magistrate. explorer. hard
and lonely couldn't help feeling ache somewhere
among his ribs when he looked Couldn't help thinking
as think about girl when she is marked off for
another that she might have done well for him.
Because he stared Backwood with keen interest
Backwood was handsome Roman statue; hyacnthine
cu uttng lips sensuay handsome as the lips OF
Hadrians Antinous. Well made too And he looked as
Wnders would have said, Financial Not after the girls
little inheritance anyhow Must allow him to be dsnteested
They were talking again. Corayn was softly piping and
chatterng alternately I'm have those old chests
slowed away somewhere" she told Winders Fifteen men
The You'll show them to won't you: Harry thinks
there might be Of clue them Yohoho and
d You did say didn't you. Hall?
Harry nodded Winders heaved himself ponderousy from
his long chair dved under the net and back by by
with heavy armul. There, he said dumping it down.
That's the last of the lot and it's bare chance it here
good Chinese camphorwood kept off the white ants and cock
reaches Have if you like there's nothing in it and hadn't
been for thirty years before came.
HE chest was brass-coneed locked had been
painted at some time with the initials wv. J. A. which
showed broken and ndstnct upon the lid The lock was
broken The chest when Corayn fell upon it with cries.
yawned blank and empty.
Ever measure it,? Blackwood suddenly asked. Wnders,
taken by SURPRISE said Yes but the bottoms thin
biscuit Backwood leaned forward lifted the chest passed
his sensitive slight hands it, and said briefly Hand
.us chse He applied the lid Of the box splitting the
corners open and disclosing slender space within the lid
itself. Nothing inside.
Corayn looked if she going to cry. Hold on
Harry warned her He continued to split the lid Opened
it showed pencil sketch the lower surface clear if
had but that been completed by the fingers that
half century gone had crumbled into dust
Four heads clustered round the slab of wood Harry
laid it the table There map there lettering.
Bills memorandum, pronounced Winders, who had
known Bill in his youth. Il reckon he took with him
and left here private like Bonzer chap Bill knew
about the Territory than Oh all right all right I'm letting
you it. aren't l? Here's the clear daylight
range and valleys that don't think
the Guv'm 'ment even's been into yet have they?
Raeburn shook his head Nothing to take my patrol
officer he said "Unnhabited district Not native will 60
into it for love money. they reckon it's full of devils
Backwood burst into loud fit of laughter Raeburn said
carefully Never does neglect persistent native rumors
altogether Mostly find there's something other at the
bottom of Them
Winders folding his fat hands his stomach said