THE INDEPENDENCE ENTERPRISE, INDEPENDENCE, OREGON.
PAGE 8IX
CHAPTER XXX Continued.
19
I heard her cry out. and barely
caught the lantern as it fell from her
tand. At first I doubted the evidence
of my own eyes, snatching the bit of
flaring candle from Its tin socket and
holding it where the full glare of
light fell across the grewsonie object.
Ay, it was a woman, with lower limbs
doubled back from lack of space, but
otherwise lying as though she slept, so
perfect in preservation her cheeks ap
peared flushed with health, her lips
half smiling. It was a face of real
beauty an English face, although her
eyes and hair were dark and her man
tilla and long earrings were unques
tionably Spanish. A string of pearls
encircled her throat, and there were
tiumerous rings upon her fingers. The
very contrast added Immeasurably to
the horror.
"She is alive! Surely she is alive!"
The words were sobbed into my ear
from Dorothy's tips.
"Alive! No, thnt is impossible J" I
touched the figure with my hand. "The
flesh is like stone," I said, "thus held
lifelike by some magic of the Indies.
What can it all mean? Who could the
woman be? It Is love or hate?"
"Not love, Geoffry. Love would
ever do this thing. It is hate, the
gloating of revenge; there can be no
other answer this is the end of a
tragedy."
There was nothing, not a scrap of
paper, not even the semblance of a
wound exposed. The smile on those
parted lips had become one of mock
ery; I could bear the sight no longer,
and rose to my feet, clasping Dorothy
close to me, as she still gazed down In
fascination at the ghastly sight.
"We will never know. The man who
could tell is dead."
"Captain Puradilla?"
"Who else could it be? This was
ids schooner, and here he alone could
hide such a secret. There is nothing
more w e can learn, and the horror un
oerves me. Hold the light, dear, while
.1 replace the lid of the chest."
It required my utmost effort to ac
complish this. I was glad to have the
thing hidden, to escape the stare of
those fixed eyes, the death smile of
those red lips. It was no longer a
reality but a dream of delirium; I
dare not think or speculate my only
desire being to get away, to get Dor
othy away. In absolute terror I drew
tier with me to the open door then
stopped, paralyzed ; the half revealed
figure of a man appeared on the cabin
stairs.
"Stop! Who are you?"
"Watkins, sir. I came below to call
you. There's sumthin' bloomln' odd
takln' place out there in the fog, Cap
tain Carlyle. We want yer on deck,
sir, right away."
CHAPTER XXXI.
The Boat Attack.
He waited for us just without the
companion, but my eyes caught noth
ing unusual as I emerged Into the
daylight. I could barely see amidships,
and on either side hung the Impene
trable bank of cloud, leaving sea and
sky invisible.
"What Is It, Watkins,? Where are the
men?"
"Forrard, sir, a-tiangln' over the star
board rail. Thar's soraethln' cursedly
strange a-happenin' in that fog. Ole
was the first ter hear the clatter ov
en oar slippin' In a rowlock. Then,
8lr, while we wus a-llstenin' we both
caught sound ov a Spanish oath,
spoke as plain as if the buck was
aboard."
"A lost boat, likely shipwrecked
sailors adrift In the fog; perhaps our
other quarterboat. No one hailed
them?"
"No, sir ; I told the men ter keep still
till I called you."
The crew were all gathered at the
rail, staring out into the mist, whis
pering to each other. I pressed my
way In among them. We may have
been clinging there a minute of two,
breathlessly listening. Then a voice
spoke directly In front of me out from
the dense fog.
"Try the port oar, Pedro ; we must
have missed the d n ship."
I straightened up as though struck,
my eyes seeking those of Watkins, who
stared back at me, his mouth wide
open in astonishment.
"You heard that?" I whispered. "Do
you know who spoke?"
"Do I? Dead or alive, sir, It was
Manuel Estevan."
"Ay; no other, and alive enough, no
doubt. Lads, come close to me and
listen they must not hear us out
there. By some devil's trick the Na
mur has followed our course, or else
yonder are a part of his crew cast
away. They clearly know of us per
haps had a glimpse through some rift
lu the cloud and are seeking to
board with a boat party. 'Tis not like
ly those devils know who we are ;
becalmed In the fog and liable to be
come an easy prey, If they can only
slip on us unseen. How are you, bul
lies? Ready to battle your old mates?"
"Those were no mates o ours, sir,"
said Watkins Indignantly. "They are
half-breed mongrels, and no sailors;
Estevan is a hell-hound, an' so fur as
my voice goes, I'd rather die on this
deck than ever ngln be a bloody pirate.
It that the right words, lads?"
The others grumbled assent, but
their muttered words had in them a
ring of sincerity, and their faces ex
hibited no cowardice. One only asked
a question.
"I'm fer fightln', sir," he said grim
ly, "but what'll we use? Them lads
ain't comin' aboard hure-hauded, but
damn If I've seed a weapon on this
hooker."
"Dar's three knives, an' a meat
cleaver in dor galley, sah," chimed in
Sam.
"We'll do well enough; some of you
have your sheath knives yet, and the
rest can use belaying pins and capstan
bars. The point is to nut let them get
aboard, and, if there Is only one boat,
we will be pretty even-handed. Pick
up what you can, and man this rail
quietly now, hearties, and keep your
eyes open."
It proved a longer wait than I ex
pected. Unable to withstand the In
action any longer I turned and took a
few steps aft, thinking to gauge our
progress by the wake astern. I was
abaft the cabin on the port side when
Dorothy called my name a sudden ac
cent of terror In her voice.
The alarm was soimded none too
soon. Either fortune, or skill, had
served those demons well. They had
succeeded in circling the stern of the
lanta Marie, unseen and unheard by
anyone aboard. Even as she shrieked
the alarm, a hand was at her throut,
and she was struggling desperately in
the merciless grip of a half-naked In
dian. Yet at that they were too late, the
advantage of surprise had failed them.
A half dozen had reached the deck,
leaping from the rail, the others below
clambering after their leaders, when
with a rush we met them. It was a
fierce, mad fight, fist and club pitted
against knife and cutla.-;s, but the de
fenders struck like demons incarnate.
I doubt If the struggle lasted two min
tes. I heard the blows, the oaths, the
cries of pain, the dull thud of wood
against bone, the sharp clang of steel
In contact, the shuffling of feet on the
deck, the splash of bodies hurled over
board. Each man fought for himself.
In his own way. I thought only of her,
and leaped straight for her assailant
with bare hands, smashing recklessly
through the hasty guard of his cutlass
and gripped the copper devil by hair
and throat. I knew she fell to the
deck beneath our feet, but I had my
work cut out for me. He was a hell
hound, slippery as an eel In his half
nakedness, strong as an ox, and fight
ing like a fiend. Yet I had him foul,
my grip unbreakable, as I forced his
neck back against the rail, until It
cracked, the swarthy body sliding Inert
to -the deck. Whirling to assist the
others I found no need. Except for
bodies here and there the deck was
clear; men were struggling in the
chains; two below in the boat were
endeavoring to cast off, and Schmltt,
with Estevan helpless In his arms,
staggered to the side and flung the
shrieking Spanish cur .overboard out
into dark water. I heard the splash as
he fell, the single cry his lips gave, but
he never again appeared above the sur
face. Above the bedlam Watkins
roared out an order.
"That's it, bullies! that's It! Now
let her drop ! We'll send them to hell
where they belong. Good shot; she
landed !"
It was the hank of a spare anchor,
balanced for an 'instant on the rail,
then sent crashing down through the
frail bottom of the boat beneath. The
wreck drifted away Into the fog, the
two miserable occupants clinging des
perately to the gunwales. I lifted
Dorothy to her feet, and she clung to
me unsteadily, her face yet white.
"Watkins, have you figured up re
sults?" "Two of our men are cut rather
badly, and one hasn't come to yet from
a smart rap on the head."
"None got away?"
"Not 'less they swum, thar's six dead
ones aboard. Four took ter the water,
mostly because they hed to. The only
livin" one o' the bunch is thet nigger
'longslde the wheel, an' nuthln' but a
thick skull saved him."
"Then there were eleven In the
party. What do you suppose has be
come of the others aboard the Na
mur?" "I duiino, sir; they might be a waitln'
out there in fog. Perhaps the nigger
cud toll you."
I crossed over to where the fellow
sat on a grating, his head in his hands,
the girl still clinging to my sleeve, as
man wns n repulsive brute, his fac
stained with blood, dripping from a
cut across his low forehead, lie looked
up sullenly at our approach, but made
no effort to rise.
"Look yore, you black villain,"
roared Wutklns, driving the lesson
homo with his foot, "don't bo a plnyln
possum yer. Slaml up an' answer Mia
ter Curljle, or yer'll git a worse clip
than I give yer afore. Whur Is the
bloody bark?"
"Pounding her heart out on the
rocks yonder," he said civilly, "unless
she's slid off an' gone down. To the
west, maybe a mile er so."
"What about the crew?"
"They got away In the boats, nn'
likely mostly arc ashore. We were In
the last boat launched, and headed
out so far tor get 'round a ledge o'
rocks we got lost lu the fog. Then the
mist sorter opened an' give us a
glimpse o' yer topsails. We didn't ex
pect no fight, once we got nboard."
"Expected to find something easy, of
course? Perhaps It would have been
If what Is It you Bee out there,
Slmms?"
The seaman, who was standing with
hollowed hands shading his eyes, star
Ing forth Into the swirling drapery of
fog, turned at my call aud pointed ex
citedly. "There's a bark aground yonder, sir;
and it looks like the Kamurl"
Even as I crossed the deck to bis
side the wreaths of obscuring mist
seemed to divide, as though swept
apart by some mighty hand, and there
in the full glow of the sun, n picture
In a frame, lay the wrecked vessel.
Others saw It as I did. and gave' veut
to recognition.
"Damned If it ain't the old hooker!"
"She got what was coming to her all
right mates."
"And she's lousy with treasure!"
"Come here. Sum! That's the last
of the Natuur."
CHAPTER XXXII.
The Last of the Namur.
The vessel wus plainly a total wreck,
rapidly pounding to death on a sharp
ledge of rock, lioth musts were down,
and, lifted as the bow was, It wus easy
to perceive the deck was In t-pllnters
where falling spars and topmasts had
crushed their way through. The bows
had caught, seemingly Jammed In be
tween rocks, the stern sunk deep, with
cabin port holes barely above reach of
the waves. Not a living thing appeared
on bourd, and, as the fog slowly drifted
away, my eyes could discern no sign
of any boat, no evidence of the crew,
along the wide sweep of water. A
voice aroused me.
"What was It you said, Juck, 'bout
treasure on the old hooker? Why not
get it afore it's too late?"
"It's thar, all right, Ole," aud I knew
the speaker to be Haines. "Ain't It,
Mr. Carlyle?"
"Yes, lads, there must be money on
board, unless those fellows took It
with them In the boats. I know of
fifty thousand pounds (stolen in Vir
ginia, and no doubt there Is more than
that. The bark Is liable to slide off
that rock any minute and go down like
a stone. What do you say, bullies?
Here i3 a risky Job, but a pocket full
of gold pieces, If we can get aboard
and safely off again. Who'll go across
with me?"
There was a babel of voices, the men
crowding about me, all else forgotten
as greed gripped their Imaginations.
"Stand back, lads! I cannot use all
of you. Four will be enough. You'll
not lose anything of what we bring
back; it'll he share and share alike, so
fall, to, hearties."
I paused an instant to speak to
Dorothy, seated on the flag locker, ex
plaining to her swiftly my object In
exploring the wreck aud pledging my
self not to be reckless In attempting
to board. I read fear In her eyes, yet
she said nothing to dissuade me.
I slipped down a rope and dropped
into the boat, taking my place with a
steering our at the stern, and we shot
away through the green water. The
Namur proved to be a more complete
wreck than our distant view had re
vealed, and lying In a more precarious
position. It was no pleasant job get
ting aboard, but ordering Haines to ac
company me, and the others to lie by,
I made use of a dangling backstay, and
thus hauled myself up to a reasonably
secure footing. The fellow Joined me
breathless, and together we perched
on the rail to gain view of the deck.
It was a distressing, hopeless sight,
the vessel rising before us like the
roof of a house, the deck planks stove
In, a horrible jumble of running rig
ging, booms and spars, blocking the
way forward. There were three bodies
tangled in the wreckage within our
sight, crushed out of all human re
semblance, and the face of a negro,
caught beneath the ruins of the galley,
seemed to grin back at me In death.
Every timber groaned as the waves
struck and rocked the sodden mass,
and I had no doubt but that the vessel
had alrcudy broken In two.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Bigger and Heavier Hen Fruit.
It Is thought by naturalists that the
eggs of domestic hens of the present
day are larger and heavier by nearly a
third than those of the hens of the
ancients. Eggs differ a good deal In
weight, the average weight being about
two ounces. A good egg is made up
of ten parts shell, CO parts white
and 30 parts yolk. The white of an
egg contains 80 per cent water. The
shell contains about 2 per cent animal
matter and 1 per cent of the phos
phates of lime and magneaiu, the rest
consisting of carbonate of lime. Half
the various specimens of snakes lay
eggs. Instead of shell the covering of
the egg Is a tough, white, leathern sub
stance. The largest egg of any bird to-
REARRANGE PERCHES
IN CHICKEN HOUSES
See That Roosts Meet Require
ments of Various Fowls.
Birds of Heavy, Large Dreeda Should
Not Be Compelled to Jump Too
Far Danaerou to Permit Hena
to Crowd at Night.
When making readjustments In the
poultry houses It In ahvay well to
look over tho perches and noe If they
meet tho requirement of tho bird. If
fowls are of the heavy, large breeds the
perches should not bo a high, ror
ninny ill effects are tho result of.Jump
lug from high perches. The lighter
weight fowl are usually better flyers
and can assist themselves In getting
up and down much better than can the
heavy ones. Tho two kind should
never be kept lu the same house at
night If for no other reason than the
above, says a writer In nn exchange
The height of the perches also brings
trouble If every one Is not on the same
level. In endeavoring to secure the
safest place In the house all fowls will
try to reach the highest perch and the
lower ones are practically useless ex
cept to the ones that could uot fight
their way higher.
Always aim to have the porches at
the same height and have room enough
on them to avoid crowding. There are
dangers In crowding the hens at night,
to say nothing of this discomfort. No
hen likes to he uncomfortable, nor docs
any animal. In fact, and If we make
domestic fowls of the lien we must
give thetu the privilege and liberties,
as nearly as we can. resembling that
of their natural state.
High Jumping from the roosts Is
likely to Injure the leg of the hens,
and if the birds have not attained
their grow th they will be more liable
to deformities. It Is tho natural in
stinct of the fowls to want to roost
high, away, as they suppose, from
their enemies, as they do in the wild
state; and while rats should not be
permitted to infest the house there Is
less danger from them when the fowls
are high up. Then, too, the little
streams of air (that should not be al
lowed to flow la on the hens) will do
less damage If the roosts are not too
low. While very high roosts are disap
proved of It Is, nevertheless, advan
tageous to have them high enough so
that the bird may feel safe and at
the same time have them on the level
for the whole flock that Inhabits the
one house.
GOOD SHED FOR IMPLEMENTS
Drainage Should Be Sufficient to Keep
Different Machine From Stand
ing in Wet Place.
A serviceable Implement shed should
be thoroughly drained so that the Im
plements do not stand In a wet place.
It must protect articles from sun,
wind and moisture. It must not be
too expensive. It should be situated
In a convenient spot and so arranged
as to be easily used.
The material from which the shed
Is made will depend upon the cost and
the locality. Very good shed are
tf S S -
1 " 't ,,.
til''?
r:f;m. mamma
1LI
ijywZ i - a
An Inexpensive Shed for Various
Farm Implements.
made of wood-frame construction, cov
ered with sheet Iron. Other good
ones can be made of wood-frame con
struction and closed in with barn sid
ing, drop siding, or with ship-lap.
Shingles, corrugated Iron or patent
roofing make good roofs for machine
sheds.
EYES OF ANIMALS RELIEVED
Ten Per Cent Boric Ac;d and Ninety
Per Cent Pure Water Is Most
Excellent Remedy.
Sore and watery eyes of animals
may be relieved by a solution of 10
per cent boric acid and 00 per cent
pure wafer. Apply It on absorbent
cotton and use a fresh piece every
time the eyes are treated.
USE OF QUICKLIME FAVORED
Superior to Put In Graves of Animals
Dying From Different Con
taglou8 Diseases.
Quicklime Is good to put In the
graves of animals that die from con
tagious diseases. In using It the car
cass should be surrounded and cov
ered with twice Its weight of tho
quicklime.
How Competition
Helps You
The competition that exists
among tho hundreds of meat dis
tributors, largo and small, means
Rivalry in Prices
Rivalry in Service
Rivalry in Economy
Rivalry in Quality
Swift & Company sells meat
at the lowest possible price, con
sistent with quality and service.
Our profit of only a fraction of a
cent a pound on all products is
evidence of keen competition.
Swift & Company must provide the
best service to your dealer or he will
buy from our competitors. This means
a supply of fine fresh meat always
on hand for you nt your dealer's.
Swift & Company must keep down
manufacturing and selling costs, and
use all by-products to avoid waste, or
else lose money meeting the prices of
competitors who do.
Swift & Company must make its
products of the highest quality, or sec
you turn to others. This means bet
ter meat for you and a greater variety
of appetizing, wholesome food.
Wa are as glad for this competition
as you should be. It heJps to keep us
on our mettle.
Swift & Company, U.S.A.
i
i
It WorksMTry It
Telia how to loosen a sore,
tender corn to It lifts
out without pain.
No humbug! Any corn, whether
hard, soft or between the tooa, will
loosen right up and lift out without
a particle of pain or soreness.
This drug Is called freezone and la
a compound of ether discovered by
Cincinnati man.
Ask at any drug store for a small
bottle of freezono, which will coBt but
a trifle, but Is sufficient to rid one's
feet of every corn or callous.
Put a few drops directly upon any
tender, aching corn or callous. In
stantly the soreness disappears and
shortly the corn or callous will Ioobcd
and can be lifted off with the fingers.
This drug freezone doesn't eat out
the corns or callouses but shrivels
them without even Irritating the sur
rounding skin.
Just thinkl No pain at all; no sore
ness or smarting when applying it or
afterwards. If your druggist don't
have freezone have him order It for
you. Adv.
Remarkable Tattooing,
Perhaps the most extraordinary tat
tooing idea ever carrlod out was that
of a French coachman, who, at tho
time of the celebratod DreyfuB trial,
had his body covered with no fowor
than 120 illustrations of the case, In
cluding portraits of the leading person
ages. Tho work occupied nearly two
years.
LetCuticural
YourBeautyDocI
Afl drtwlcte; Bw.p , Ofnmnt M, Nr
(Jurflcld Tea was your Grandm
Itcmmly for every stomnch and
tlnal ill. This pood old fashlone
homo roinndy for constipation,
a h Ills and other derangement!
system bo prevalent thoso diiji
even greater favor as a family
clno than In your granilinoflur'
Adv.
One of the Family.
Wo had a beautiful outdoor
for our sister on a September mi
(elaborate floral arches, altar, et
been arranged. Our guests !
sornblod. From out tho house
tho procession, the minister I
tho bride and bridegroom will
attendants, when to the morris
all, our family dog Joined In tl
cession, walking along slowly
rest, and he laid down by tin
during the ceremony.
Don't Forget Cuticura Talcu
When milling t vrinr toilet refl
An exquisitely scented face, hIsIi
ana dusting powder nna ponuu
dcrlng other perfumes Biipd
You nmy rely on It becnuwe oue
Culleurn Trio (Soup, Olnte'
Talcum). '25o. cuch ovorywliorf.
Naturally Road Is Crooked.
For tho benefit of autoinobiliHtH
who have wondered why tho road from
Kxeter to Hampton, N. II., Is bo
crooked, it is explained that when the
first settlements were being made in
New Hampshire, a bear made a night
raid on that part of tho Hampton set
tlement known as Wigwam row, and
men in pursuit the next morning fol
lowed Its tracks In tho light snow to
its watering place at Squamscott
11 1 L.. -j '"rttiW-3
WDfNR Resls, Refreshes,!
U!lliir Heals Keep yo
StronR and Ilea
71)
LAP theyTirOman,
tOlJR EVtS MamlSl orG'rai
use Murine often. Safe for Infant 01
At all Druggists. Write for Free Ey
Murine Eye Remedy Company, Cblcaq
New Houston He
Birth and Everett SU.. Portland.
Poof bloeka from Union Droot. T
from New Foatoffle. Modarnind "
Gtt 100 ontaid roomt. Rata. 76fl to
p r. MnoriNMenK