Patr-2
There was of a to Kemper to Sting-ray Key; but he got out his when I him and came in at a clip, alongside of our and with that and which pleasing.
Glancing at my through my spectacles, I her looking into a small hand and her with one and hand.
When Professor Kemper on the he a look at Grue, and then came across the to me.
"Hello, Smithy!" he said, out his hand. "Here I am, you see! Now what's up—"
Just then Evelyn Grey got up from her seat the fire; and Kemper and at her with every of approbation.
I him. Evelyn Grey a indifferent. A good-looking man doesn't last long with a woman. I to myself, my gleefully. Yet, I had no idea why I was smiling.
We three people and walked toward the of the reef. A the island's vegetation, except, of course, for the water-growing mangroves.
I asked Miss Grey to us and wait for us under the palm; and she in that light-footed way of hers which, to any non-scientific man, might have been a disturbing. It had no upon me. Besides, I was looking at Grue, who had gone to the fire and was preparing to our of fish and rice. I didn't like to have him cook, but I wasn't going to do it myself; and my didn't know how to cook anything more than beans. We had no beans.
Kemper said to me:
"Why on earth did you a waitress?"
"Not to wait on table," I replied, amused. "I'll her later. Meanwhile, I want to say that you need not with this if you don't want to. It's with you."
"That's a thing to say!"
"No, not funny; sad. The truth is that if I fail I'll be into by the of my scientists the world over. I had to tell them at the Bronx what I was going after. Every man with the to me, saying that the whole thing was and that my would if I in such a quest. So when you what that girl and I are after out here in the semi-tropics, and when you are in of the only I have to my credulity, if you want to go home, go. Because I don't wish to your as a scientist unless you choose to it yourself."
He me curiously, then his toward the palm-tree which Evelyn Grey was now approaching.
"All right," he said briefly, "let's what's up."
So we moved to the girl, who had already seated herself under the tree.
She looked very in her cuffs, cap, and pink print gown, as we approached her.
"Why she dress that way?" asked Kemper, uneasily.
"Economy. She to use up the of a service which there will be no for her to reënter if this proves successful."
"Oh. But Smithy—"
"What?"
"Was it—moral—to a waitress?"
"Perfectly," I sharply. "Science no sex!"
"I don't how a can be scientific," he muttered, "and there to be no question about her of sex—"
"If that girl's are warranted," I coldly, "she is a most and person. I think they are warranted. If you don't, you may go home as soon as you like."
I at him; he was at her with that which the natural of men in the of a with a new and woman.
I often wonder what particular of are into play when that the normal and into a simper.
When Kemper and I had seated ourselves, I cut the small talk in which he was already indulging, and to which, I am sorry to say, my was to respond. I had it of her—but that's neither here there—and I her to the which had resulted in our present here on this of in the Atlantic Ocean.
She did so very and without embarrassment, the case and the so and so that I see how every word she was not only but also Kemper.
When she had ended he asked a questions very seriously:
"Granted," he said, "that the what we assume it represents, how much is to be in the of a Seminole Indian?"
"A Seminole Indian," she replied, "has or been to lie. And where a whole the truth of what they can not be questioned."
"How did you make them talk? They are a sullen, people, haughty, uncommunicative, to an ordinary question from a white man."
"They me one of them."
"Why?" he asked in surprise.
"I'll tell you why. It came about through a accident. I was at the hotel; it to be my off; so I to the to study. I study in my moments, I wish to fit myself for a college examination."
Her serious; she up the of her and to it slowly and with as she talked:
"There was a Seminole named Tiger-tail there, his above his canoe, waiting for the to turn he out to crayfish. I noticed he was there in the sunshine, that's all. And then I opened my book and to the of Argus, on which I was reading up.
"And this is what happened: there was a picture of the death of Argus, the printed page which I was reading—the well-known picture where Juno is the of the monster—and I had read a dozen in the book the Seminole me over and his upon the of Argus.
"'Who?' he demanded.
"I looked around good-humoredly and was at the of the Indian. They're not excitable, you know.
"'That,' said I, 'is a Greek named Argus.' I he I meant a Minorcan, for he nodded. Then, without comment, he his on Juno.
"'Who?' he emphatically.
"I said flippantly: 'Oh, that's only my aunt, Juno.'
"'Aunty of you?'
"'Yes.'
"'She kill 'um Three-eye?'
"Argus had been with three eyes.
"'Yes,' I said, 'my Aunt Juno had Argus killed.'
"'Why kill 'um?'
"'Well, Aunty needed his to set in the of the which her automobile. So when they cut off the of Argus my aunt had the taken out; and that's a picture of how she set them into the peacock.'
"'Aunty of you?' he repeated.
"'Certainly,' I said gravely; 'I am a direct of the Goddess of Wisdom. That's why I'm always studying when you see me on the here.'
"'You Seminole!' he said emphatically.
"'Seminole,' I repeated, puzzled.
"'You Seminole! Aunty Seminole—you Seminole!'
"'Why, Tiger-tail?'
"'Seminole Three-eye long time—hundred, hundred year—hunt 'um Three-eye, kill 'um Three-eye.'
"'You say that for hundreds of years the Seminoles have a with three eyes?'
"'Sure! Hunt 'um now!'
"'Now?'
"'Sure!'
"'But, Tiger-tail, if the of your people tell you that the Seminoles a with three hundreds of years ago, no such three-eyed today?'
"'Some.'
"'What! Where?'
"'Black Bayou.'
"'Do you to tell me that a with three still the of Black Bayou?'
"'Sure. Me see 'um. Me kill 'um three-eye man.'
"'You have killed a man who had three eyes?'
"'Sure!'
"'A man? With three eyes?'
"'Sure.'"
The waitress, in her story, was acting out the of her with the Indian, his voice and gestures. And Kemper and I and her breathlessly, by her and as well as by the she was so with the of a natural actress.
She her to us:
"I up my mind," she said, "that Tiger-tail's was investigating. It was perfectly easy for me to secure corroboration, that Seminole to his Everglade and told every one of his people that I was a white Seminole my also the three-eyed man and nobody a Seminole know that such a thing as a three-eyed man existed.
"So, the next off, I in Tiger-tail's and he took me to his camp. And there I talked to his people, men and women, questioning, listening, this and that together, trying to some for their men, still in the of Black Bayou, who had three of two.
"All told the same story; all that since the time their records ran the Seminoles had and every three-eyed man they catch; and that as long as the Seminoles had in the Everglades the three-eyed men had in the Black Bayou."
She paused, dramatically, her in her and looking from Kemper to me with by excitement.
"And what do you think!" she continued, under her breath. "To prove what they said they for my a skull. And then two more like the one.
"Every had been painted with Spanish red; the black still to the scalps. And, behind, just over where the is situated, was a hollow, orbit—unmistakably the of a third eye!"
"W-where are those skulls?" Kemper, in a voice not under control.
"They wouldn't part with one of them. I every possible persuasion. On my own responsibility, and I with Mr. Smith—" toward me, "—I offered them twenty thousand for a single skull, my word of that the Bronx Museum would pay that sum.
"It was useless. Not only do the Seminoles to part with one of those skulls, but I have also learned that I am the person with a white skin who has of their existence—so have these red men of the Everglades their through centuries."
After a Kemper, pale, remarked:
"This is a most business, Miss Grey."
"What do you think about it?" I demanded. "Is it not while for us to Black Bayou?"
He in a of way, but his on the girl. Presently he said:
"Why Miss Grey go?"
She in surprise:
"Why am I going? But it is my discovery—my to science, isn't it?"
"Certainly!" we and in unison. And Kemper added: "I was only of the and hardships. Smith and I do the work—"
"Oh!" she in quick protest, "I wouldn't miss one moment of the excitement, one pain, one pang! I love it! It would my not to every chance, hazard, of this expedition—every of hope, excitement, despair, uncertainty—and the success—the of in the final of triumph!"
She to her in a of enthusiasm, and there, with and resolution, making a picture in her and cuffs, the sea wind the of her under her cap.
We got to our much impressed; and now that there did exist, somewhere, of men in the third eye—placed in the of the for purposes of observation—had not and to the which we know only as the or gland.
Kemper and I were, of course, aware that in the world the the same purpose that the once in the of man.
