Beadle's Dime Library No. 247 — page 8: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

8 few, very { w, warties of sportsmen come here to fishaud enjcy the duck shooting. Outside of that no one comes | care to see.” ** 4 uo you like the loneliness?’ asked Julian, a little curiously. ‘* Like it? No. But [have toendure it. It ives me opportunity for doing good to my fel- ow-beings. I have saved more than one vessel from going ashore in the storms that come up the edge of the Gulf Stream. But never mind thet. You are here and I am no longer lonely. Joe, is supper ready?” "Yes, rse Cappen.” And they sat down to an excellent supper, to which Julian did ample justice, while the Scbust of the light-house began to talk of the life along the coast and tell fishing and sporting stories. ‘“« After supper,” he said to Julian, *‘ you must come up the tower and enjoy the view from the top. 1t’s very beautiful and it’s full moon ina few nights.” ** How far can one see?” asked Julian. “ About forty milesall round us, Inland one can just discern on a clear day the gleam of Lake Okeechobee, of which we hear so much.” Julian started, and his face lighted up. ** Lake Okeechobee?” he cried. ‘‘Is it possi- ble? In full sight do you say?’ Stevens nodded. ‘** Certainly.” ‘‘ Then one can reach it from here?” “1 did not say that,’ returned the light- keeper. ** But why not?’ ‘* Well, you’ll see to-morrow indaylight. The fact is that between bere and there the country is partly pine barren—but only for a short, a very short distance, After that come the great Everglades that no man has ever thoroughly explored, except the Indians and the—” nd here Stevens stopped, just as suddenly as Joe bad done before, and seemed to be un- willing to say any more, Julian was puzzled. ‘* Mr. Stevens,” be said gravely, ‘‘ is there any mystery about the Everglades that you know and cannot tell me?” ‘‘There is,” responded Stevens as gravely. ‘‘T have known other men come down here and try to find it out, but they have lost their lives in the attempt, and I don’t want you to do the same, Mr. Grey.” Julian's eyes glowed. ‘‘What! a mystery, a real mystery? Just the thing I want to explore. You old soldiers think that we youngsters are good for nothing nowadays, but I’ll show you we're not. Cap- tain Stevens, tell me all about this mystery. Who is it lives in the Everglades that knows all about them, and why can’t I get over forty miles to a lake in plain sight?” ‘Simply because this is Florida, Mr. Grey. No one cares for this end of the Union, inhab- ited by ‘crackers’ and supposed to produce nothivg but oranges and mosquitoes. The Gov- ernment keeps up the light-houses, just as the Confederate Government did during the war, and that’s all it does. Joe and I have Jived here for fifteen years. I come from Massachu- setts; he was a slave who ran away to our army and served in my company. The people keep aloof from us and hate us. At one time we were in danger of our lives. That was during the Ku Klux excitement. Now that’s all over, But even now, Joe and I know that ara is going on in those Evorglades that’s not al right, and it’s no use our reporting it. None would believe us.” ** And what's that?” asked Julian. Stevens looked around him apprehensively, and exchanged glances with Joe. ‘‘No, it won’t do to speak here,” he said. “You don’t know all that goes on here, [ll tell you, but not here, and only on the promise of inviolable secrecy. It’s not my lifeand yours alone that depends on this, There may be Lun- dreds of others also.” ‘* Huudreds of others?” ** Yes, indeed.” * But how?” Stevens looked at him earnestly. ‘**Can’t you see what I mean? This is a light- house. In storm and calm that light must be kept up every night. The sailor looks for it, and if he misses it he is liable to run on the reefs anywhere. His bearings have vanished. He knows not where he is. Half the coasters thet ply along here have no means of knowing where they are, but by watching the light- houses,” * But you don’t mean to say that—” ‘* Hush, I tell you. We must not talk here. Let us go outside and see if any one is near.” Julian, in some excitement, followed bis host out of the little cabin into the open air, and found the scene changed to one of still more . marvelous beauty than when be bad landed. The light-house was built on the highest point to be found in that land of marsh and sand- heap, a bluff of coquina rock some forty or fifty feet above the water’s edge ona little island separated from the mainland by a narrow cbannel. In front of the door to the east lay the broad Atlantic ocean, a sea of silver ripples in the light of the moon, while the low, yellow sand- _ Alligator Ike. pits to the north and south marked the entrance to the inlet directly in front of the light. Everything was quite still, and the soft rip- pling of the waves on the sandy beach with the low sigh of the wind round the cabin only served to make the loneliness more impressive. Julian looked toward the shore over the little channel. Nothing could be seen there but a bluff of white coquina rock, crowded with dark woods of palm and cypress, shutting out further view of the interior. ‘* Tt seems to me,” said the young man, “ that one might talk as much as one pleased. Who's to hear us? That channel’s a good hundred yards wide, and I’ve seen nothing but deer and bears in the woods along the shore.” Stevens pressed his arm softly. ‘‘ How do you know there’s no one there?” he said in a low tone. ‘* Remember this isa light- house. Look yonder.” He pointed to a white patch of light, brighter | | judge, but then P've never seen much of crazy than the moonlight, which was moving over the dark face of the woods in front. ‘‘That’s the glow from the lantern,” be said. ‘“‘Té can be seen forty miles away. The Indians at Okeechobee know it, the bears and panthers come down to stare at it; every one sees it, Come inside up the tower aid then I'll tell you bh I’m averse to speaking down here.” ulian saw that there was something in his host’s mind not to be lightly shaken off, and he followed him into the cabin once more. As they went in Stevens said to Joe: “Put up the bars, Joe. There’s no telling when we may have to stand a siege again.” Joe made a military salute and went to the door of the cabin, where he began to put up some bars of iron, as heavy as if he were barri- eading a fortress, and Stevens beckoned Julian on to the inner door, leading to the interior of the light-tower, when they began to ascenda winding staircase toward the revolving lantern of Jupiter Inlet Light. CHAPTER XI. IN THE LANTERN. ARRIVED at the top, Stevens said: ‘“‘Come out on the balcony and see the view.” Julian followed him and gazed on a scene of wonderful beauty. It seemed as if Labrador and Jamaica had joined hands in the landscape, for the northern pine and the southern palm flourished side by side on the sand, the oak and the orange grew together, while the maple waved on the coquina bluffs above the dark mangrove of the tropics in the mud below. The course of Indian river could be traced for many a mile in the moonlight, and Jupiter Inlet stretched away on the other side to Lake Worth, while behind the light-house, from the land side, came in a narrow winding river, that widened here and there into broad, shallow lakes, revealed in silver among the dark trees. Julian looked out in all directions from the lofty balcony, and then asked: ** Where’s the nearest house?” Stevens pointed down over the railing. ‘‘Under your feet, just fifty yards,” he said. Old Joe and I live there.” ‘Yes, yes, I know that, but I mean besides that?” Stevens pointed to the north. ‘Forty miles off, that way,” he said. ‘¢ And the other way?” Stevens turned and looked south, ‘* About a hundred miles, by old Fort Dallas, at Miami.” ‘¢ And behind us, to the west?” Stevens shook his head. ‘‘ Nobody knows but the Seminoles, and there are not many of them left.” ‘* And those other people ?” 2 Yes,” ‘‘ Who are these other people.” asked Julian. * Come inside and I'll tell you,” said Stevens. Full of curiosity Julian complied, and they entered the light room where the flash light was slowly revolving behind the prismatic re- flectors, throwing all sorts of rainbow hues over the little chamber. The air was cool and pleasant; for all the ven- tilators were open and tbe soft sea breeze came through the open door. ‘‘ Now tell me why you would not speak out- side?” said Julian curiously. ‘‘ Because,” said Stevens, in a low tone, “‘some one might hear us. You don’t know how far sounds are carried in these still solitudes.” “But suppose they did hear us, what of it?” asked the young man, surprised. ‘‘ You’re not afraid of the Indians, are you?” ** Hush!” said Stevens impressively. ‘‘ Young man, you don’t know the danger as well as I do. } | | real to ry min ees ae finds out what they’re doing, there will e trenhie,” “Do you know what they are doing?” **T do to my cost,” “Then why don’t you inform the Govern- ment?” Stevens sighed. ‘‘ Because it would be useless. They would not believe me, and might remove me.” ‘* How do you know?’ ‘Listen to what I tell you, and then think what they said when I wrote to them all about it. I must promise, however, that at the time when I lost my arm, I received a shell wound on the side of the head, which frequently causes me the most painful headaches, but bas not in an way impaired my mind. You don’t think I loo like a crazy man, do you?” He looked earnestly at Julian, and Julian, on his part. returned as earnest a gaze, ** No,” he said, ‘you don’t, as far as I can men, you know;so I’m no judge.” Stevens smiled. ‘*Cautiously answered. Well, now, I’m go- ing to tell youa ss that you may believe or not,as you please, may have dreamed it all, as the Washington people suggest, but it’s as fas the battle when I lost m: arm. Furst, remember this. I came to th light-house in the days soon after the war, when white and black were struggling fiercely for the mastery, when the Ku Klux were riding all over the South, and when Joe and I were all | alone, with the loneliness for our only protection. | eRe ermmngmeniien encima ee ooo EO NN EEE You have not lived here as I have for fifteen | years, with the knowledge that you are in the | : 4 power of a band of men who can destroy, not | distant lightning, and Julian noticed it. only you, but other innocent persons, at any time they please. Did you ever hear of the Florida Wreckers?’ “Well, I’ve heard the name, but never knew any particulars about them.” “Then I can tell you. The Florida Wreckers are just nothing more nor less than Florda pi- rates; and if ever the time comes when the Gov- ; | ght ever hear of a man called Alligator e ‘ Julian started and asked in turn: ‘‘ Alligator Ike? What? Do you know him?” ‘To my cost. Have you seen him lately?’ ‘Why, yes. He saved my life, and guided us to Indian river, then left my family in the lurch and took bis departure without a word of warning.” Stevens listened attentively and replied: ‘*Please tell me how you met him, and what passed.” Julian went on and told the whole story, When he had finished, Stevens observed: “It is the same man. You say he refused to guide you to Okeechobee?” ‘“-Yes, He said no one had been there,” ‘“‘He was wrong. Men have been there, but notthis way. They have run down the Kissi- mee river and come out by the Caloosahatchee on the west coast. But the mystery does not lie that way. It lies between Okeechobee, Jupiter Inlet and Hillsboro Inlet. But you shall hear it all.” So saying, Stevens took a last look outside the balcony, then came back and began his story. ‘* For two years, Joe and I were not molested, No one came near us, but no one hurt us. We kept the light burning, and attended to our business. 1 shot and fished in all directions, and saw no one to disturb me. I never was very fond of society, on account of some trou- ble I bad in former years, of which it is not necessery to speak, but I had my surfeit of soli- tude. I grew to relish Joe’s quaint remarks, and to find time hang a little heavy on my hands, till I took up natural bistory for a hobby, and collected a lot of stuffed birds and animals that Vilshow you some day. “The light is very little trouble when one knows how to manage it, and Joe was competent to do all that was to be done about it, as much soasI myself. Sol fell into the habit of mak- ing my trips longer every day, till once or twice I stayed out all night in the Everglades. ‘Tt was one night when I was out there that I made up my mind to find out the cause of the Hidden Smoke,” ‘‘The Hidden Smoke! What’s that?” asked Julian. : ‘‘ Ab, you’ve not seen it yet, I'll show it to you in the morning, or perbaps you might see the glow to-night, though it’s almost too clear, Come outside and look to the west, They went out on the balcony and waited till the flash of the lantern was out at sea and the land side dark, when Stevens pointed out over the dark landscape, all dotted with gleaming pools of water, toa point in the southwest. ‘Look yonder,” he said, ‘‘under the bright star. Do you see nothing?” ‘‘ No,” said Julian. ‘Look again while I describe it. There is a cloud of black smoke there in the daytime. Every now and then you can catch its outlines, even now, against that. star. See. It has van- ished. Now it comes ao By watching closely, Julian could see what he meant; the paling of the bright star, to reap- pear a little later as if some mist had blown away. Every now and then a faint glow would be seen in the mist, like the glimmer of very ‘* What's that glow?” he asked. Stevens went into the lantern and brought out a very long sbip’s glass. ‘Look at it surouge that,” he said, “‘and you'll see as well as I. That glass is a very good one, like everything the Government gives us in the light-house.” Julian adjusted the telescope, which was o(ofe) ¢om Cc SEO) tikes # 6) eae