Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1909-09-23, Page 7X, THE WM:eliAU TIMES, SEPTEMBER 23 191 v THE MYSTERY BD STEWART EDWARD WHITE. And SAMUEL HOPKINS . ADAMS COPYRIGHT. 1907. BY MCCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. out him he began to rage like a ma- niac. I had to have him carried down by force. In the rumpus the paper disappeared. I •assumed the responsi- bility of giving him an opiate." "Quite right," approved Trendon. "I'll go down. Will you come with me, .sir?" he said to the captain. They found Slade in profound slum- ber. "Won't do to wake him now," growl- ed Trendon. "Hello, what's here?" Ly`'lg in the hollow of the sick man's rig' ':and, where it had been crushed Ito : 11, was a crumpled mass of trac- 3ne ;ter. Trendon smoothed it out, ,pe • . at it and passed it to the cap- tal I. "it's a sketch of an Indian arrow- head," he exclaimed in surprise at the ;first glance. "What are all these marks?" "Map of the island," barked Tren- don. "Look here." The drawing was a fairly careful one, showing such geographical points as had been of concern to the two year inhabitants. There was the Iarge cavern, :indicated as they had found it, .and at a point between it and the head- land the legend, "Seal Cave." "But it's wrong," cried Captain Park- inson, setting finger to the spot. "We ;passedtheretwice. There's no opening." "No guarantee that there may not ,have been," returned the other. "This island has been considerably shaken up lately. Entrance may have been closed by a landslide down the cliff. Noticed signs myself, but didn't think of it in connection with the cave." "That's work for Barnett, then," said the captain, brightening "We'll blow up the whole face of the cliff if neces- sary, but we'll get at that cave." He hurried out. Order followed or- der, and soon the gig, with the cap- tain, Trendon and the torpedo expert, was driving for the point marked "Seal 'Cave" on the map over which they were bent. CHAPTER XXXI. '41' OU say the last entry is June 7?" asked Barnett as the boat entered the light surf. Trendon nodded. "That was the night we saw the .last glow and the big burst from the 'volcano, wasn't it?" "Right." "The island would have been badly ,shaken un.!' "Not so violently but that the tag - pole stood," said the captain. "That's true, sir. But there's been a ;good deal of volcanic gas going. The .man's been penned up for four days." "Give the fellow a chance," growled Trendon. "Air may be all right in the cave. Good water there too. Says so himself. By Slade's account he's a pretty capable citizen when it comes to looking after himself. Wouldn't wonder if we'd find him fit as a fid- dle." "There was no clew to Ives and Mc- •Guire?" asked Barnett presently. "None." It was the captain who an- swered. The gig grated, and, the tide being high, they waded to the base of the clife,'Barnett carrying his precious ex- plosives aloft in his arms. "Here's the spot," said the captain. "See where the water goes in through (those crevices." Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Colic and Cramps Nearly every one is troubled with :bowel complaint during the summer months. But, do they know what to do :go curd it. Thousands do, many don't. :WE CAN TELL YQUI DR. FOWLER'S 'Extract of Wild Strawberry WILL 1)0 IT! It has been on the market 64 year, and is universally used in thousands of families. There are many imitations of tide Sterling remedy, so do not be led into taking something "just as good,► which lame unscrupulous druggisttiles to talk you into taking. Dr. Fowler's is the osrpnal. 1t'*O name just 2 good., It 'Cpm, Cholera }derbies, Chedera fantutn, Scausici.-ness and ail Bowel **Mts. t Brice 35 tenth. Ms allied aired Vii' bf The T. M.ilbua Co., limited, Tor>, .w. "Opening at the top, too," said Tren- don, Ile let out his bellow, roaring bar- row's name. "I doubt if you could project your voice far into a cave thus blocked," said Captain Parkinson, "We'll try, this." He drew his revolver and fired. The men listened at the crevices of the rock. No sound came from within. "Your enterprise, Mr. Barnett," said the commander, with a gesture which turned over the conduct of the affair to the torpedo expert, Barnett examined the rocks with en- thusiasm. "Looks like moderately easy stuff," he observed. "See how the veins run. You could almost blow a design to or- der in that." "Yes, but how about bringing down the whole cave?" "Oh, of course there's always an ele- ment of uncertainty when you're deal- ing with high explosives," admitted the expert. "But unless I'm mistaken we can chop this out as neat as with an a8." Dropping his load of cartridges care- lessly upon a fiat rock which projected from the water, he busied himself in a search along the face of the cliff. Presently, with an "All" of satisfac- tion, he climbed toward a hand's breadth of platform where grew a patch of purple flowers. "Throw me up a knife, somebody," he called. "Take notice," said Trendon good naturedly, "that I'm the botanist of this expedition." "Oh, you can have the flowers! All I want is what they grow in." Loosening a handful of the dry soil, he brought it down and laid it with the explosives. Next he called one of the sailors to "boost" him -'`and was soon perched on the flat slant of A huge rock which formed, as it were, the keystone to the blockade. "Let's heruminated. "We see," want a slow charge for this, one that will exert a widespread pressure with- out much shattering force; the No. 3, I think." "How is that, Mr. Barnett?" asked the captain, with lively interest "You see, sir," returned the demon- strator, perched high like a sculptor at work on some heroic masterpiece" "what we want is to split ofe this rock." He patted the flank of the huge slab. "There's a lovely vein run- ning at an angle inward from where I sit. Split that through, and the rock should roll of its own weight awa9 from the entrance. It's held only by, the upper projection that runs under the arch here." "Neat programme," commented Tren- don, with sardonic skepticism. "Wait and see," retorted Barnett blithely, for he was in his element now. "I'll appoint you my assistant. Just toss me up that cartridge, the third one on the left." The surgeon recoiled. • "Supposing you don't catch UV "Well, supposing I don't?" "It's dynamite, isn't it?" "Something of the same nature. Joveite, it's called." Still the surgeon stared at him. Bar- nett laughed. "Oh, you've got the high explosives superstition," he said lightly. "Dyna- mite don't go off as easy as people think. You could drop that stuff from the cliff head without danger. Have I got to come down for it?" With a wry face Trendon tossed up the package. It was deftly caught. "Now wet that dirt well. Put it in the canvas bag yonder and send one of the men up with it. I'm going to make a mud pie." Breaking the package open, he spread the yellow powder in a slightly carv- ing line along the rock. With the mud he capped this over, forming a little arched roof. "To keep it from blowing away," surmised Trendon. "No. To make it blow down instead of blowing up." "Oh, rot!" returned the downright surgeon. "That pound of dirt won't make a shadow of a feather's differ- ence." "Won't it!" retorted the other. "Cu- rious thing about high explosives. A mud cap will hold down the force as well as a ton of rock. Wait and see what happens to the rock beneath." fie slid off his perch into the ankle deep water and waded out to the boat. IIere he burrowed for a moment, pres- ently emerging with a box. This he carried gingerly to a convenient reek and opened. hirst he lifted out some soft padding. A small tin box honey- combed inside came to light. With infinite precaution Barnett picked out an object that looked like a 22 caliber short cartridge, wadded some cotton batten in his hand, set the thing in the wadding, laid it on the rock, carefully returned •the small box to the large box and the large box to the boat, took up the cartridge again andWaded back to the ciiit They watched him "This is the little devil," he said, in- dicating his delicate burden. "Ful- minate of mercury. This is the stuff that'll remove your hand with neat- ness and dispatch. It's the quickest tempered little article in the business. Just give It one hard look and it's off." "Ilere," said Trendon, "I resign, From now on I'm a spectator," Barnett swung the fulminate in his handkerchief and gave it to a sailor to hold. The man dandled it like a newborn infant. Back to his rock went Barnett. Producing some cord he let down an end. "Tie the handkerchief on and get out of the way," he directed. With painful slowness the man car- ried out the first part of the order. 7'Ihe latter half lie obeyed with spright- ly alacrity. Very slowly, very delicate- ly. the expert drew in his dangerous burden, Once a current of air puffed it against the face of the rock, and the operator's head was hastily with- drawn. Nothing happened. Another Only Medicine That Did Any Good After Suffering Tortures For Years, This Lady Found Happy Relief In "Fruit-a- tives". Frankville, Ont., June lith, i9o8. "I have received most wonderful benefit from taking " Vreit-a-tives." I suffered for years from headaches and pain in the back, and I consulted doctors and took every remedy obtainable without any relief. Then I began taking "Pruit- a -tines" and this was the only medicine that ever did me any real good. I took several boxes altogether, and now I am entirely well of all my dreadful head- aches and backaches. ' Get out of the way," directed Barnett. minute and he had the tiny shell in hand. A. fuse was fixed to it and it was shoved under the mud cap. Bar- nett stood up. "Will you kindly order the boat ready, Captain Parkinson?" he called. The order was given. "As soon as I light the fuse I will come down and we'll pull out fifty yards. Leave the rest of the Joveite where it is. An ready? Here goes." He touched a match to the fuse. It caught. For a moment he watched it. u" right," hereported as he i all "Going g gn struck the water. "Plenty of time." Some seventy yards out they rested on their oars. They waited and waited and waited. "It's out," grunted Trendon. From the face of the cliff puffed a cloud of dust. A thudding report boom- ed over the water. Just a wisp of whitish gray smoke arose, and beneath it the great rock with a gaping seam across its top rolled majestically out- ward, sending a shower of spray on all sides and opening to their eager view a black chasm into the heart of the headland. The experiment had worked out with the accuracy of a geometric problem. "That's all, sir," Barnett reported of- ficially. "Magic! Modern magic!" said the captain. He stared at the open door. For the moment the object of the un- dertaking was forgotten in the won- der of its exact accomplishment. "Darrow'll think an earthquake's come after him," remarked Trendon. "Give way," ordered the captain. The boat grated on the sand. Cap- tain Parkinson would have entered, but Barnett restrained him. "It's best to wait a minute or two," he advised. "Occasionally slides follow an explosion tardily, and the gases don't always dissipate quickly." Where they stood they could see but a /short way into the cave. Trendon squatted and funneled his hands to one eye. **There's a fire inside," he said. In a moment they all saw it, a sin- gle pin point glow far back in the blackness. a cyclopean eye that sway- ed as it approached. Alternately it waned and brightened. Suddenly it il- luminated the dim lineaments of a face. The face neared them. It joined Hospital Robbed of its Victim Doctors said a surgical operation was necessa!I'y but tho woman escaped. Many a time the hospitals have been cheated of their victims by the timely use of some medicine of merit. In this ease the trouble was with the liver and kidneys and the doctors could seg no hopo except by a surgical opera- tion. Cure was brought about, how- ever, by Dr. Chase's Kidney -Liver Pills. Read the lady's letter: Mrs. 1?'. 0. Bacon, Baldwin's Mills, Que., writes: "I was very sick last spring. The doctors said I must go to the hospital for an operation because my liver and kidneys would not act. I did not want to go, so I have used Dr. Chase's :Kidney -Liver Pills ever sine.e and nothing else. I am feeling Well now and doing my own work for a family of seven. I believe there is no equal for stomach trouble. I had aeute inrtigestion and these pills and nothing else made me web." This is the kind of cures that has made Dr. Chase's t idney-Liver rifle the standby in thousands of homes for eompliented troubles of the digestive system. One pill a dose, l5 cents a box, et all dealers or Ildmanson, Dater ,i Co., Toronto. MRS FRANK EATON I take " Fruit-a-tives " occasionally still, but I am quite cured of a trouble that was said to be incurable. I give this testimony voluntarily, in order that others who suffer as I suffered may try this wonderful medicine and be cured." (Signed) MRS. FRANK EATON. "Fruit-a-tives" are sold by all dealers at 5oc a box, 6 for $2.5o or trial box, 250 —or sent post-paid on receipt of price by Fruit-a-tives Limited, Ottawa, CHAPTER XXXII. EST and good food quickly' brought Percy Darrow back to his normal poise, One inspec. tion satisfied Dr. Trendon that all was well with him. Ile asked to see the captain, and that gentleman came to Ives' room, which had been assigned to the rescued man. "I hope you have been able to make yourself comfortable," said the com- mander courteously. "It would be strange indeed if I could not," returned Darrow, smiling. "You forget that you have set a sav- age down in the midst of luxury." "Make yourself free of Ives' things," invited Captain Parkinson. "Poor fel- low! IIe will not use them again, I fear," "One of your men lost?" asked Dar- row. 'Ali! The young officer whose body I found on the beach perhaps?" "No. But we have to thank you for that burial," said the captain. Darrow made a swift gesture. "Oh, if thanks are going," he cried, and. paused in hopelessness of adequate ex- pression. "This has been a bitter cruise for us," continued the captain. He sigh- ed and was silent for a moment. "There is much to tell and to be told," he resumed. "Much," agreed the other gravely. "You will want to see Slade first, I presume?" said the captain. "One of your officers whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting?" The captain stared. "Slade," he said. "Ralph Slade." "Apparently there's a missing link. Or—I fear I was not wholly myself yesterday for a time. Possibly some- thing occurred that I did not quite take "Perhaps we'd better wait," said Captain Parkinson, with obvious mis- giving. "You're not quite rested. You will feel more like"— "If you don't mind," said Darrow composedly, "I'd like to get at this thing now. I'm in excellent under- standing, I assure you." "Very well. I am speaking of the man who acted as mate in the Laugh- ing Lass. The journalist who— Good heavens! What arrant stupidity! I have to beg your pardon, Mr. Darrow. It has just occurred to me. He called himself Eagen with you." "Eagen! What is this? Is Hagen alive?" "And on this ship. We picked him up in an open boat." "And you say he calls himself Slade 7' "He is Ralph Slade, adventurer and journalist. Mr. Barnett knows him and vouches for him." "And he was on our island under an assumed name," said Darrow in tones that had the smoothness and the rasp of silk. "Rather annoying. Not good form quite, even for a pirate." "Yet I believe he saved yourlff life," suggested the captain. Darrow looked up sharply. "Why, yes," he admitted, "so he did. I had hoped"— He checked himself. "I had thought that all of the crew went the same way. You didn't find any of the others?" "None." Darrow got to his feet. "I think I'd like to see Eagen—Slade—whatever he calls himself." "I don't know," began the captain. "It might not be"— He hesitated and stopped. Darrow drew back a little, misinter- preting the other's attitude. "Do I un- derstand that I amunder restraint?" he asked stiffly. "Certainly not. Why should you be?" "Well," remarked the other contem- itself to reality by a very solid pair of shoulders, and a man sauntered into the twilit mouth of the cavern, re- moved a cigarette from his lips and gave them greeting. "Sorry not to have met you at the door," he said •courteously. "It was you that knocked, was it not? Yes? It roused me from my siesta." They stared at him in silence. He blinked in the light with unaccustomed eyes. "Ion will' pardon me for not asking m tances once. s you in at c . Past circumstances have rendered me—well—perhaps sus- picious is not too strong a word." They noticed that he held a revolver in his hand. Captain Parkinson came forward n step. The host half raised his weapon. Then he dropped it abruptly. "Navy men!" he said in an altered voice. "I beg your pardon. I could not see at first. My name is Percy Darrow." "I am Captain Parkinson of the United States cruiser Wolverine," said the commander. "This is Mr. Bar- nett, Mr. Darrow. Dr. Trendon, Mr. Darrow." They shook hands all around. "Like some slily afternoon tea," Trendon said later in retailing it to the mess. A pause followed. "Won't you step in, gentlemen?" said Darrow. "May I offer you the 'mak. Ings of a cigarette?" "Wouldn't you be robbing yourself?" inquired the captain, with a twinkle. "Oh, you found the diary, then?" said Darrow easily. "Rather silly of me to complain so. But really in con- ditions like these tobacco becomes a serious problem." "So one might imagine," said Tren- don drily. He looked closely at Dar- row. The man's eyes were light and dancing. From the nostrils two livid lines ran diagonally. Such lines one might make with a hard blue pencil pressed strongly into the flesh. The surgeon moved a little nearer. "Can you give me any news of my friend Thrackles?" asked Darrow light- ly. "Or the esteemed. Pulz? Or the scholarly and urbane Robinson of Ethiopian extraction?" "Dead," said the captain. "Ah, a pity!" said the other. He put his hand to his forehead. "1 had thought It probable." His face twitch- ed. "Dead? Very good. In fact— really—er—amusing." He began to laugh, quite to himself. It was not a pleasant laugh to hear. Trendon caught and shook him by the shoulder. "Drop it!" he said. Darrow seemed not to hear him, "Dead! All dead!" he repeated. "And I've outlasted 'em! I've outlasted'em!" And his mirth broke forth in a strange- ly shocking spasm. Trendon lifted a hand and struck him so powerfully between the shoule der blades that he all but plunged for- ward on his face. "Quit it!" he ordered again. "Get hold of yourself."' Darrow turned and gripped. him. The surgeon winced with the pain of the grasp. "I can't " gasped the mt.+ roan, between paroxysms. "I've been living in hell—a black, shaking, shiv- ering hell, for God knows how long! What do you know? Have you ever been buried alive?" And again the agony of laughter shook hint. "This, then," muttered the doctor, and the hypodermic needle shot home. During the return Darrow lay like a. log In the bottom of the gtg. The opiate had done its work, Conscious+ nese was mercifully dead within him. platively, "It really might be regarded as a subject for investigation. Of course I know only a small part of it. But there have certainly been suspi- cious circumstances. Piracy there has been, no doubt of that; murder, too, if my intuitions are not at fault, or at least a disappearance to be accounted for. Robbery can't be denied. And there's a dead body or two to be prop- erly accredited." He looked the cap- tain in the eye. "Well?" "You'll find my story highly unsatis- factory in detail, I fancy. I merely want to know whether I'm to present it as a defense or only an explana- tion." "We shall be glad to hear your story when you are ready to tell it—after you have seen Mr. Slade." "Thank you," said Darrow simply. "You have heard his?" "Yes. It needs filling in." "When may I see him?" "That's for Dr. Trendon to say. He came to as almost dead. I'll find out." The surgeon reported Slade much better, but all a -quiver with excite- ment. "Hate to put the strain on him," said he. "But he'll be in a fever till he gets this thing off his mind. Send Mr. Dar- row to him." After a moment's consideration Dar- row said, "I should like to have you and Dr. Trendon present, Captain Parkinson, while I ask Hagen one or two questions." "Understand one thing, Mr. Darrow," said Trendon briefly, "this is not to be an inquisition." "Ah!" said Darrow, unmoved. "I'm to bo neither defendant nor prosecn- tor." "You are to respect the condition of Dr. Trondon's patient, sir," said Cap- tain Parkinson, with emphasis. "Out- side of that your attitude toward it Ivan who has twice thought of your life before his own is for you to de- termine." No little cynicism lurked in harrow's tones as he said: "You have confidence in Mr. Slade,. alias Eagen?" "Yes," replied Captain Parkinson in a tone that closed that topic. (To b3 Continued), 7 `+),A\V>%V'' :�� vlass., .. . ..:`..�i^.\\°'�'1.�7.`ti.:1.\........... The Kind You Rave Always Bought, and which has been in use for over 30 years, bas borne the signature of /�/� and has been made under his per: izty, sonal supervision since its infancy. i Allow no one to deceive youth, this,. , All Counterfeits, Imitations and “Just -as -good" are but: Experiments that trifle with and endanger the health of Infants and Children—Experience against Experiments What is OA STO R IA Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare- gorie, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep. •g The Children's Panacea—The Mother's Friend. CE UINE C STORM ALWAYS Bears the Signature of The Kind You Have Always Bought in Use For Over 30 Years. THC CENTAUR CVMPANY. CITY. a VI; Magic riper. This curious incident of travel in Africa is told by A. Henry Savage Landor: "I wished to buy a bag of grain, but the woman who owned it would on no account accept silver money for it nor any article which she saw in my camp. My Somali servant had a bright idea—the only one he had during the entire journey across Af- rica. frica. He went to one of the boxes of provisions and tore off a highly colored label from a corned beef tin. Having licked it copiously, he stuck it in the middle of his forehead. Inquisitive, like a woman, the Carayu asked him what he did it for. The Somali said he had been seized with a violent headache and the colored paper r was a certain cure. The Carayu at once of- fered the grain if the Somali would part with the magic paper. Her wish was satisfied without delay, and the woman departed happy" Newspaper Bargains. The TIMES and The Weekly Globe to Jan , 1911, for $1 60 The TIMES and The Weekly Mail and Empire to Jan., 1911, for $1 CO. The TIMES and The Weekly Globe to Jan., 1910, for 25o. The TIMES and The Weekly Mail and Empire to Jan., 1910, for 25o. The Trues and The Family Herald and Weekly Star to January, 1910, for 25o. These Special Offers are Made to New Subscribers THE MAN WHO WAS ALWAYS JUST GOING TO. He meant to insure his house, but it burned before he got around to it. He was just going to pay a note when he went to protest. . He was just going to help his neigh- bor when he died. He was just going to send some flow- ers to a sink friend when it proved too late. He was jnet going to rednoe his debt when the storekeepers "shut down" on He was just going to stop drinking and dissipating when his health became wrecked. He was just going to provide proper protection for his wife and family when his fortune was swept away from him . He was just going to introduce a better system into his business when it went to smash. He was just going to call on a cus- tomer to Close a deal when he found his Competitor had preceded him and soma - ed the order. He was just going to quit work awhile and take a vacation when nervous pros- tration oame. He was just going to repair his sides walk when a neighbor fell on it and broke his leg. He was just going to provide his wife with more help when she took to her bed and required a nurse, a doctor and a maid. • A Newspaper Nit An "Organ" The man who wants an open-minded discussion of politics, the steady support of right, justice, and decency, without cant or bitterness, and an unpre- judiced, common-sense treatment of public affairs, will thoroughly enjoy the Toronlo Daily SIar The Star is not tied to any party or any "interest." It has definite opinions of its own on political, social, and moral questions—but it recogniz"• tin right of others to hold exactly opposite opinions without necessarily being scoundrels or fit subjects for abuse. The Star's editorials are broad-minded, honest, as keen and clever as some of the best writers in Canada can make tliem, and always Fair. The Star is published for fair-minded, intelligent people who take an active interest in Canada and the world. Consequently It Has More Readers Than Any Other Paper In Ontario. $1.50 A Year This paper and the TORONTO DAILY STAl7 together for one year, 0.20. Guaranteed Fountain Pen liven for, 0c. added fo above subscription prices.