Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-06-03

"so your tall. It doth appear, indeed
that 70 have somewhat abnsed our gossi
Arblssier; but what then ? Make IL u
TO him-show him but this chance t,
become wealshy-snd l will go pledge
he will forgive you "
So far Dick hsd spoken pretty much a
random; but It WAS now necessary, unde
the supervision Of six eyes, to invent ant
tell some marvellous story, and, II !
we're possible, get back into his hand
the all-importaus signet. To squandel
time wss the hrst necessity. The looge,
his stay listed, the more would his cap
tors drink, and the surer should he bs
! when he attempted his escape.
Well, Dick was not much OF a inventor
aod what he told WAS pretty much the
tale OF Ali Bsbs, with Shorehy snd Tuu.
stall forest substituted for the east snt
the treasures of the cavern rather exag
gerased than diminished. AS the reader
Is aware, 1t Is Al excellent story and has
but one dIawbsck-that 1t is not true;
and 30 as these three simple shipmen now
heard it for the nrst time theiH eyes stood
| out OF their faces and their mouths CAPPED
like Goldfish At fishmonger's.
Pretty soon second measure Of mulled
ale was called for, and while Dick was
still ertfully spinning out the incidents s
third followed the second.
Here WAS the position Of the parties
towards the end:
Arblsster, three parts drunk aud one
half asleep, hung helpless on his stool.
Even Tom hsd been much delighted with
the tale, and his vigilance had absted 10
proportion. Meanwhile Dick had gradu-
ally wormed his right arm clear OF its
bonds, and WAS resdy to risk all.
"And So" said Pirre., "y' are one of
thesei"
81 was made 3d." replied Dick,
"sgsiDst my will; but an could but get
s sack or TWO of gold coin to my share, I
should be q fool indeed TO continue
dwelling In filthy cave, and standing
shot and buffet like q soldier. Here be
we four; good? Let Us, then go forth
INTO the forest to- morrow ere the sun be
up. Could We come honestly by a
donkey, II were better; bat an we cannot.
we have our four strong backs, and I
wsrrsnt me we shall come home stagger-
irg"
Pirret licked bis lips.
"And this msgic.a he ssid-"shis pass
word whereby the cave is opened-hoW
call We 1t, friend2''
"Nay, none know the word but the
three Chiefs" retained Dick; "hut here
is your great fortune, that on this very
evening should be the besrer of spell
to open 1t. It is thing not trusted twice
year beyond the captains wallet"
"a spell /" said Arblaster. hslf awaken.
ing and squirting upon Dick with one
eve. "Aroint theel no spells be good
Christian. Ask my man Tom, else"
"Nay, but this is white msgic," ssid
Dick. at doth naught with the devil !;
only the powers Of numbers, herbs and
planets"
'Ay. ay," said Plrret; /" tbs but white
magic, gossip. There is no sin therein, I
do assure you. But proceed, good
youth. This spell-in what should it
consist?"
"Nsy, thst will incontineutly show
you," answered Dick. "Rsve re there
the ring ye took from my fageri
Good! Now hold it forth before you by
the extreme fnger-ends, at the arms
length, aud over sgainst the shining OF
these emoers. IT'S so exictly. Thus,
then, is the SPELL"
With haggsrd glance, Dick saw the
coast Was clear between him and the
door. He put up an internal PRAYER
Then whipping forth his arm, he made
but one snatch OF the ring, snd Of the
same instant, leverlng up the table, he
sent it bodily over upon the poor seaman
Tom. He, poor soul, went down ba1l-
ing under the ruins; and before Arblsster
understood thst anything was wroug, or
Pirret could collect his dszz'ed wits, Dick
I'd run to the door and escaped into the
moonlis night.
The moon, which now rode In the mid
heavens, and the tYtreme Wilderness OF
the snow, made the open ground about
the hsYbor as bright as day; and young
Shelton lesping, with killed robe, among
the Lumber, wes 8 conspicuous figure
from afar.
Tom sud Pirret followed him with
shouts; from every drinking shop they
were ,iDed by others whom their cries
aroused, and presently whole fact of
sailors was in full pursuit. But Jack
ashore wss q bad runner, even in the fl
teenth century, and Dick, besides, had a
start, which he rapidly improved until, as
ne drew nesr the entrance OF 8 barrow
lane, he even paused and looked laugh
ingly behind him.
Upon the white foor OF snow all the
shipmen Of Saoreby came clustering IN
an inkv mass, snd trailing GU. resrwsrd
in isolated clumps. Every man was
shouting or screaming; every man was
gesticulsting with both arms IN air;
some one was continually falling, and to
complete the picture, when one fell a
dozen would fsll on top of him.
The confused mass OF sound which
they rolled up IS high IS to the moon
was partly comicsl and partly terrifying
tn the fugitive whom they were hunting.
In itself, 1t WAS impotent, for he made
sure no seaman ia the port could run him
down. But the mere volume Of noise,
in so far IS 1t must awake all the sleepers
ia Shoreby and bring all the skuiking
sentries to the street, cid really threaten
him With danger in the front So, spying
q dark doorway a. 3 corner, he whipped
briskly INTO it, and let the uncoutn hunt
go by him, still shouting and gesticu-
lsting, and all red with hurry and white
with tumbles In the snow.
II was long while, indeed, before this
great Invasion Of the town by the harbour
came to an end, and it was long before
silence was restored. For long, lost
sailors were still to be heard
pounding and shouting through the
streets in s'l directions, and in every
quarter of the town. Q1srrels foIle we'd,
rorSotino n