GIVEN TO THE PUBLIC. DEAD MEN'S SHOES. Synopsis—The man who tells this story-call him the hero, for short— is visiting his friend John Saunders, British official in Nassau, Babama Islands, Charlie Webster, a local merchant, completes the trio of friends, Conversation turning upon buried pirate treasure, Saunders produces a written document pur- porting to be the death-bed state- ment of Henry P. Toblas, a success- ful pirate, made by him In 189. It gives two spots where two millions and a half of treasure were buried by him and his companions. The conversation of the three friends is overheard by a stranger, whose face is deeply pitted by small pox. The document disappears. Saun- ders, however, has a copy of it The hero determines to go in search of the pirate treasure and charters the Maggie Darling, a trim two- mabsted schooner. The pock-marked man is taken on board as a pas- senger, bound for Spanish Wells. Old Tom catches a “sucking fish.” of great virtue as a mascot in con. nection with the seeking of buried pirate treasure. CHAPTER V. — in Which We Begin to Understand Our Unwelcome Passenger. As I yawned and looked out of my eabin soon affer dawn, about 4:30 next morning, there was no wind at all, and no hope of wind. As I stood out of the eabin hatch, however, there was enough breeze to flutter a plece of paper that had been | caught in the mainsall halyard: it flut- | tered there lonely in the morning | Nothing else was astir but It and I and I took it up In my hand idly. As I did so George reared his head for'ard. “Morning, George,” I sald; “I guess we've got to run on gasoline today.” “There ain't no gasoline, sir. It's run out in the night.” “The tanks were filled started, weren't they?” I asked. “Yes, sir” “We can't have used them up so soon - “No, sir—-but someone has the cocks . i I stood dazed for a moment, wonder | ing how this could have happened— | then a thought slowly dawned upon | me, “Who has charge of them?" I sald. George looked a little stupid, then defiant. { “I see,” 1 said; and, suddenly, with- | out remembering Charlie Webster's ad- | vice not to lose your temper with a ne- | gro—I realized that this was no acci- | dent, but a deliberate trick, something | indeed in the nature of a miniature mutiny. That fluttering paper I had picked from the halyard lay near my breakfast table. I had only half read | it. Now its import came to me with | full force. I had no firearms with me, | Having a quick temper, I have made it ; a habit all my life never to carry a gun —because they go off so easily. But one most essential part of a gentle man’s education had been mine, so 1 applied it instantly on George, with the result that a well-directed blow under the peak of the jaw sent him sprawling, and for awhile speechless, In the cockpit. “No gasoline?" 1 said. And then my passenger—I must give him credit for the courage—put up his head for'ard, and ealled out: “I protest against that: it's a cow- ardly outrage. You wouldn't dare to do it to a white man.” “Oh, I see,” I rejoined. “So you are the author of this precious paper here, are you? Come over here and talk It over, if you've the courage.” “I've got the courage.” he answered, in a shaking voice. “All right,” I sald; “you're safe for the present—and, George, who is so fond of sleep, will teke quite a nap for a while, 1 think.” “You English brute!” he sald. “You English brute!” he had sald: and the words had impelled me to in- vite him aft; for I cannot deny a cer tain admiration for him that had mys- teriously grown up In me, “Come here!” I sald, “for your life Is safe for the time being. 1 would like to discuss this paper with you." He came and we read it together, fluttering as I had seen it flutter in his fingers as he read it for'ard to the en- gineer and to the deckhand., It began : “Think how many we are! Think what we could do! It isn’t either that we haven't Intelligence—if only we were to use it. We don’t lack leaders ~we don't lack courage—we don't lack martyrs; all are ready" I stopped reading. “Why don't you start then?” I asked. “We're waiting for Jamaich,” he an swered ; “she’s almost ready.” “It sounds a pretty good Idea to me,” 1 remarked, “from your point of view. ‘From your point of view, re member, I sald; but you mustn't think that yours is mine—not for one mo- -ment—O dear no! On the contrary, when we turned ” “wy polat of view is that of the gov- HE CENTRE REPORTER = =. ’ 2 Cc 7 ernor of Nassau, or his representative, quite nearby, at Harbour Island, Isn't it?” My pock-marked friend grew a trifle green as I sald this, “We have sails sill, remember,” I re- sumed. “George and the lost gasoline are not everything. Five hours, with anything of a wind, would bring us to Harbour island, and—with this paper in my hand it would be—what do you think yourself? The gallows? My friend grew grave at that, and seemed to be thinking hard inside, making resolutions the full force of which I didn't understand til! later, but the immediate result of which was a graciousness of manner which did not entirely deceive me, “Oh,” he said, “I don't think you quite mean that. You're impulsive— as when you hit that poor boy down there—" “Well,” I observed, “I'm willing to I'll say nothing about this, If you lke” (pointing to the manuscript), “and if row at Spanish Wells, 1 like you In spite of myself. Is it a bargain?’ On this we parted, and, as I thought, with certain friendliness on both sides, There was no salling wind, so there was nothing to do but stay where we were all day. I spent most of the time | in my cabin, reading a novel, and, soon | after nine, I fell asleep In a frame of | mind unaccountably trustful. I suppose that I had been asleep | about three hours when I was dis | turbed by a tremendous roar. It was | Sallor (who always slept near me) out | on the cockpit with a man under his paws—his jaws at the man's throat. I called him off, and saw that It was | my pock-marked friend, with his right | hand extended In the cockpit and a re- “ far as I knew it was the only firearm | on the ship. “Let's get hold of that | first, Satlor,” I sald, and 1 slipped is | into my hip pocket. i “Wake up, Tom,” I called, and, “wake up, captain!” Meanwhile, I took out | the revolver from my hip pocket, and | gp in all the turmoll, I could not escape a certain thrill as I read the signa- ture—for it was: “Henry P. To bias, Jr.” That night we made Harbour island, and met that welcome that can only be met at the lonely ends of the earth. The commandant and the clergyman took me under their wings on the spot, and, though there was a good hotel, the commandant didn't consider it good enough for me, I liked the attitude they took towsrd my adventure. Their comments on “Henry P. Toblas, Jr.” and the paper I had with me, were specially enlight- ening. “The black men themselves,” they both agreed, “are all right, except, of course, here and there. It's fellows like this precious Toblas, real white trush—the negroes’ name for them Is apt enough-—that are the danger for the friendship of both races. And it's the vein of a sort of a literary ideal- ism In a fellow Ilke Toblas that makes | him the more dangerous, He's not all | to the bad--" “I couldn't help thinking that too,” I Interrupted. “Oh, no,” they sald, “but he's a bit mad, too, That's his trouble. He's got a personal, ns well ag an abstract, grudge against the British govern- ment.” “Treasure? I laughed. “How did you know?" they asked. “Never mind; I somehow got the |! iden.” : “Take a word of gdvice. Have al few guns with you, for you're liable to need them.” i “T agree” I =emarked. *“T'll take | the guns all right, but I'm afraid I'm need some more crew. I mean I'll | want an engineer, and another deck hand.” ! And, just as T said this, there came | up some one post-haste from the vil- lage; some one, too, that wanted the | clergyman, as well as me, for my cap- tain was ill, and at the point of death. “What on earth can be the trouble?” | I sald, but, the three of us, including | the commandant went. We found the captain lying in his | berth, writhing with cramps, i “What on earth have you been doing | with yourself, Cap? I asked. “I did nothing, sir, but est my din : ner, and drink that claret you i Kind enough to give me” “The half-bottle of claret? “Yes, sir, the very same.” “Well, there nothing to hurt! “Did you take it water, as 1 told | were | Wis you? “1 did Indeed, sir” “It's very funny,” I sald. And then | a8 he began to writhe and stiffen, I called out to Tom: “Get some rum, Tom, nnd make It boiling hot, quick— | quick! We must get him into a sweat ™ | Very soon we did. Then [ said to | Tom: i “What do you make out of this smell that's coming from him, Tom?” “Kerosene, sar,” sald Tom. “I thought the very same.” 1 sald, Tom beckoned me to go with him to | the galley, and showed me several “Two of these were kerosene” he) sald “and I suppose Cap made a mis | — it Was Sailor—Hig Jaws at a Man's Throat. held it over the man I seemed to Erow more and more sorry for. “We've not only got a mutiny aboard,” I told the captain, “but we've got treason to the British government. Do you want to #tand for that? Or shall I put you ashore with the rest?” Unruffied as usual, he had nothing to say beyond: “Ay, ay, sir" “Take this cord, then,” I ordered him and Tom, “and bind the hands and feet of this pock-marked gentle man here; also of George, engineer: and also of Theodore, the deckhand. Bind them well. And throw them into the dingy, with a bottle of water apiece, and a loaf of bread, By noon, we'll have some wind, and can make our way to Harbour Island, and there I'll have a little falk with the com- mandant.” And as T ordered, all was done. Tom and I rowed the dingy ashore, with our three captives bound lke three silly fowls, and presently threw them ashore with precious little ceremony. Then we got back to the Maggie Dar ling, with imprecations In our ears and particularly the promises of the pock-marked rebel, who announced the certainty of our meeting again. Of course we laughed at such threats, but I confess that, ns .T went down to my cabin and nicked up the Then I took one of them back to the | captain, { “Was it a bottle like this you mixed ! “Sure it was, sir,” he answered, writhing hard with the cramps. “But man!” I said. “Couldn't you | tell the difference between that and | water? “I theught it tasted funny, boss, but I wasn't used to claret.” And then we had to laugh again, and | I thought old Tom would die. “A nigger's stomach and his head,” | sald the commandant, “are about the | same. 1 really don't know which is the ktronger.” The captain didn't die, though he came pretty near to it. In fact, he took so long getting on his feet, that we couldn't walt for him: so we had practically to look out for a new crew, with the exception of Tom, and Sailor. The commandant proved a good friend to us in this, choosing three somewhat characteriess men, with good “char acters.” As we sald goodby, with a spanking southwest breeze blowing, I could see that he was a little anxious about me. “Take care of yourself,” he sald, “for you must remember none of us can take care of you. There's no set- tlement where you're going-—no tele- graph or wireless; you could be mur dered, and none of us hear of it for a month, or forever. And the fellows you're after are a dangerous lot, take my word for it. Keep a good watch on your guns, and we'll be on the lookout for the first news of you, and anything we can do we'll be there, you bet.” CHAPTER VL. In Which the Sucking Fish Has a Chance to Show Its Virtue, The breeze was so strong that we didn’t use our engine that day. Re sides, I wanted to take a little time thinking over my plans. I spent most of the time studying the charts and pondering John P. Toblas' narrative, which threw very little light on the ] situation. There was little definite to #0 by but his mark of the compass en: graven on a certain rock In a wilder. ness of rocks; end such rocks as they were at that, I looked well to my guns. The com- mandant had male me accept the loan of a particularly expert revolver that was, I could see, as the apple of his eye. He must have cared for me a . CENTRE HALL. Pa. A ———— i ——_—— RA Sov ———— great desl to have lent it me, and it was right as the things we love, Then I ealled Tom to me: “How about that sucking fish, Tom?” I asked. “It's Just cured, sar,” he sald, *1 wis going to offer it to you this lunch time, It's dried out fine: couldn't be better, I'll bring it to you this min- ute,” And he went and was back again in a moment. “You must wear It right over your heart,” he sald, “and you'll see there's not a bullet can get near it, It's never been known for a bullet to go through a sucking fish, It's God's truth.” “But, you?” “I've worn one here, sar, for twenty years, and you ean see for yourself” — and he bared the brown chest beneath which beat the heart that like nothing else In the world has made me belleve in God.” We awoke to a dawn that was a rose planted In the sky by the mys- terlous hand that seems to love to give the fairest thing the loneliest setting. ut there was no wind, so that day we ran on gasoline, We had some fifty miles to go to where the narra- Tom,” 1 sald, “how about “Give Me Dat!” He Said. pointed, a sm the known in old days but since iler cay. “Dead as i { 3 i were running About twilight ® another quiet bay, 20 much like that of the night before, as all the bays and cays are along that coast, that you need to have sailed them from boy to know one from another, we Were looking the cheery name of Shoes, proved farther T™ ' fave for Men's to it till toward the an ut gold that has ever thrown its soft radiance over an earth inhabited for most part by ruffians scoundrels. We soon found that were not alone in the cave, “She's changed her paint,” » fat my elbow. And afternoon inno the and iid Tom looking round. 1 black hull was now white as a dove: and, in that soft golden water, hardly f foot and a half deep, five shadows young sharks floated, with outstretehed fins like huge bats, Our engineer, who was already wading fearlessly in the water, beautifully naked, “shooed™ them off like chickens. But It was ous foes walted for us on the shore, Yet there was seemingly nothing there but a pile of sponges, and a few black men. The Susan B. had changed her color, it was true, but she was a well-known sponger, and I noticed no one that I recognized. There was one foolish fellow that reminded me of my shackly deckhand, whom I had always thought out ¢? his mind, standing there on his head on the rocks, and waving his legs to at tract attention. “Why! There's Silly Theodore” called out the captain, “I'm going ashore.” 1 said. “I'm going with you too.” sald the captain. “But look after your guns. There's going to be something doing quiet as it looks” 80 we rowed ashore, and there was Theodore capering In front of a pile of sponges, but no other face that 1 knew. But there were seven or eight negroes whose looks I took no great liking to. “Like some fancy sponges to send home?" sald one of these, coming up to me. “Cost you five times as much in Nassau.” “Certainly I'd like a few sponges,” 1 sald. And then Theodore came up to me, looking as though he had lost his mind over the rather fancy silk tie I hap pened to be wearing. “Give me dat!” he said, touching it, {ike a crazy man, 7 i » John (Stuffy) Melnnls, first baseman | of the world's champion Boston Red Sox, has been for Many years now past one of the striking wonders the game. If one looking for 3 first baseman among a crowd of uni- | formed men on the bench Mclnnis is ibout the very last man he would sus- ret of class for the position. Phys- cally he is a living refutat in ap- warance, of everything a good first sacker {8 supposed be in times of highly developed specialities, To begin with he is a chunky look- who belies his five feet ten He is somewhat deliberate of | off the His are | hort and he does not appear poskessed of the reach or which has i to be associated th the first | od throw- | are in | of Were on, to these | Held. arms - Aly streteh le Is a rig) er in a day mand for Class of First Mclnnls comes when southpaws the position, Basemen, very near first bas a circuit of to be of the which rare profes. merit, Walls Sigler amor them, Yet f the class of American Leng boasts of a men f sionals of exceptional entioned of the of with Pipp and Ge ¥ ry wy the Inst tw are z Oo mm ’ Paw variety To beg » urse, Melanie is one of the | infielders of the is any way in phys more than makes in he f he foorles a wild throw and then that a bigger man—a Chase or a Pipp now might get he more than makes ! at bat. 300 hitter in every For Mclanis accepted sens is a} e of | In the last nine campaigns, since he gained recognition ax a regular player in fast company, Mel failed but twice to bat better than 300, His successful campaign Season with the world's champions witnessed He be Inst “yey wie | only, he {3 charmed Was in 1 £2, He clubbed for that year as a member of the Athletics. But it was only a resonant of old ne in fled to qualify in t That nye Re batted only f fore, wston. Once he circle. 1916 the mach n four cham- the time was Nustrious infield.” Best Hitting Year. In 1012, the year Jake Stahl's Rox nosed out the Athletics championships and three world Melnnis gurvivor plonships, the aut sole of the ie thousand dollar Red McInnis 27. and the most bases, Qua nA i Bs a ir, te next that yea a, he stole year, when the kers the Glants for the seron f Melnnis hit He hit of 1914 his ne last can be seen, then, tha consistent as well as a brilliant hit iant by re. of MceGraw's MelInnis was one of many brill phenoms i ! Mack for construction after his great team 1905 which ten by Giants in the world's series The luded illustrious personages as “Home Run’ Baker, Jack Barry and Eddie Collins # 1 3 £1 - yoy oy - g all of them still in the game nd EO unearthed Connie was bea had gone to seed, list in such other a 1 ¥ — / { oi Sl TO PLAY INITIAL BAG “Pitching came natural to me: batting, too; but I was positive that first base would not be =o easy. 1 didn’t ask many ques tions: simply watched the other fellows In the league. I thought if I could eatch them with one hand like Stuffy Meclnnis I'd be satisfied, I saw how Walter Pipp shifted his feet and i stretched for yards, and 1 saw /) | how Chic Gandi! went in the dirt X\ | for the low throws. Mcinnis, Pipp and Gandil taught me how to play first base, /) I studied them and used them for my teachers, a, ee “i IN le “ a “os? po, § ! a a 5 {/ i EAE IAA AAA SASS | OS AA SEN BIG ED SWEENEY RELEASED Pirate Catcher Who Was Thought to Be Most Capable Backstop Is Let Go by Pirates. “wu OO Sa Big Ed Sweeney, former New York Yankee catcher, who was purchased 3y the Pirates last winter, and who SPORTING ORL Louisville finally gave Southpaw Ad Thomas his unconditional release. - - - 3ll Brennan has consented to stay as an umpire ia the Southern league. » B Caruso Fred Beck, lately back from rance, has signed to play with the Peoria club. - LE * Freshwater Is the name of an um- pire who has been calling them in the Three 1 league, -* LJ Art Ewoldt, former Des Moines third baseman, has arrived from overseas, and the management plans to use him in the outfield. » Lefty Bill James, as a pitcher for Galveston, shows signs of coming back to something like his old form. . * - - C. E. Btevens, former Coast, West. ern, Northwestern and Texas back. stop, has been signed by Evansville. - . - Pete Adams, the Fort Smith first baseman, is playing great ball for Okla- homa City and seems to be a real find. . » . The western league is not the bat ters’ paradise this season it used to be. There are frequent games with low scores, ® =» The Oakland club has taken on Pitcher Harry Weaver from the Chi- Danny Murphy, who is handling the Hartford team this year, says that the Eastern league is going to play faster ball than ever before.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers