Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-04

Gus woman and bounded her to your
arms: he made capital out OF your shat
tered nerves; he"
Enough" said Gerard. hoarsely; 81
am satisfied. My God! how cruelty
that fiend has used me! And" his voice
failed-"and my little Mark is in his
bloody hands! Come! not second IS
to be lost"
He flung his clothes upon his lanky
person, and sputtered out his fears.
Dcmetrius. he felt assured, would hast
en- to the island. hold Mark as hostage.
and make what terms he pleased. Isaw
the force of this reasoning. As he said,
not moment was to be wasted.
Mr. Gerard" said I, you must stay
here. Let me act for you. | shall take
Jap with me, and you can rely upon my
mother-wit to rescue Mark and bring
Demetrius to the gallows. You arc
not"
hugo" he reioined, impressively.
You think l am coward. not fit for
such desperate adventure as this viii
prove, Ny lad, fate plays queer tricks
with us. That night at Red Gulch
paralyzed my nerves. This nights work
has undone the mischief. I'm ready,
b. Jupiter. 10 encounter that monster
sfngle-handed. And, Hugo, | mistrust
that hot head of yours. My child's life
is at stake. Demetrius is desperate.
If it comes 10 choosing between Marks
life ara the capture of the Greek, how
could hesitate? You might precipitate
more bloodshed. God knows there has
been enough. Come"
\ few minutes later we were on our
way, Gerard walking with feverish
strides ahead. The nurse was left with
Burlington.
"Je-roosalem." whispered Jap to me,
"ye'll let me have one crack at the son OF
a gun, Mr. Livingston, won't We, nowY'
Il went more than one myself, Jap.
But I'll try and remember YOU"
| had formulated in my own mind
plan which l dared not share with Mark
Gerard. Left 10 himself, 1 foresaav that
he would sacrifice justice to his love for
the boy-that the Greek would go scot
free. 10 enjoy his ill-gotten gains. And
such a thought was eNasperatin9.
Taking advantage, therefore, of my
patrons long strides, L dropped to the
rear and submitted my scheme to the
worthy Jap. lie was good enough to
approve it nightly, and eagerly
proffered his assistance.
''If we don't corral the cuss, Mr.. Liv-
ingston. I swear rll-Tll never be able
ter kiss Danish Mary agatn-and vnj'y
it."
told him to be of good cheer and to
carry out my instructions TO the letter.
Before we crossed the low sand-dunes
which lay between the marshes and the
sea. Jap extinguished the lantern, and
we held a brief council of war. 1t was
decided to treat with the enemy under
friendly cover of the fog, the whitest
and largest of flags of truce.
1T would be wise" said I, ''to advance
in open order The hut is provided with
n large-bore duck-gun, and n charge of
swan-shot might excite a panic"
"Tll take the center" said Gerard,
"and do the talking
"Pn take the left" said Jap, "an' do
the cussin'.''
"And I'll take the right" said I, "and
keep my mouth shut"
The fog was now so thick that an OBJ
iect a dozen yards away could not be
seen at all.
''The first thing to determine is
whether the Greek is here observed
Gerard. "Are you ready? Then
march,"
Our commander-in-chief halted at the
iderticaI spot where l had stood a few
hours before. and ! heard him sigh
heavily as he realized that the boat was
on the wrong side of the channel. The
Greek had returned.
"Demetrius," he yelled, shrilly,
"come out"
Il am here" was the instant reply.
I waited for no more. but ran noise
lessly for some fifty yards to the right.
It was bitterly cold, but I stripped off
coat. waistcoat and boots. Then, hold
ing my gun in my left hand, I pushed
through the tules and entered the icy
water The channel was deep, and, at
the place I had selected, broad. \ swim
was inevitable
When I reached the island removed
my dripping underclothes and stole for
ward, naked as an Indian. I feared
that the swish of wet cloth might be
tray my approach, and, besides, the
clinging garments might impede the
free use of my limbs. Demetrius must
be taken, if possible, alive, and | de-
cided to leave the gun within reach and
to trust to my muscles and knife
which thrust between my teeth.
What passed between master and man.
while I was executing these maneuvers
learned subsequently. Demetrius, as
we had expected. submitted a cut-and-
dried proposition, worthy, 1 must adj
nit, Of his subtle brain.
He denied nothing and conceded
nothing. but his conditions implied adj
mission Of guilt. Briefly. they were as
follows: Gerard and his party were to
return ID the house and stay there. He
and Mark would take the morning train
to the city. There, in san Francisco,
he would leave the boy at some hotel
he naturally did not specify the hotel
and go his way. If-he laid great en-
phazis upon the conjunction-if any
treachery were attempted. by tele-
graphic communication with the po-
lice, or otherwise, he swore solemnly to
kill the boy instantly. lie would use
his own judgment rs to when and where
he would partcompany with Mark, and
he demanded in addition a solemn
pledge from Gerard that he, Demetrius,
should be given plennry absolution for
his misdeeds up to date.
Gerard, knowing the nature of the
man, and trembling with apprehension
for the safety of his darling, was about
70 accede to these imPudent demands as
l crawled within earshot.
let me have the boy now," he
pleaded.
Demctrius laughed. The scourdrel
could twist the famous fiuancier around
his little finger, as q man twists a ring;
and the occupation amused him.
''Mr. Gerard'-he was never more
studiously polite-"Mr. Gerard, 1 am
not a focl. You know that, sir"
"Where is Marll?' painted the father.
asleep. Shall | awake him?"