The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-28

my door. Amt you glad Rupert Gaunt
and Mary have goneT'
But Dorothy was too anxious to waste
any time over her recreant lover. She
knew Vandeleur to be brave to the verge
OF rashness:
Capt vandeleur is not even in the
house," she said.
II know" Nora responded sleepily.
Hes gone down to the village to see one
of the fishermen who has been ILL., Nor
gan sent for him. But Charles will not be
long, you may be sure Of that"
Then Nora literally bundled her friend
out of the room and locked the door. Dor
othy retired like Macbeth. and, like him,
but not to Sleep" With her door just
open she listened. An hour passed. two
hours, and there came no sound. Then
from the park arose soft whistle, fol-
lowed by steps in the corridor. Unable to
bear it any longer. Dorothy peeped out.
Along the dimly-lghtcd corridor Will
liam, fully dressed, was creeping. He
object and grinned. Instantly Dorothy
was alive to what had happened. Actu-
ally whilst she was waiting there. the
plate chest had been rified, and the whistle
was sign to William that his ally had
got clear away.
Then came a more disturbing thought
still. Where was Capt. Vandeleur? Moth
tanned him. Had the thieves discovered
anything, and had there been any foul
play?
The mere idea was quite enough for
Dorothy. 1t came to her like flash of
light that II anything happened to Van
deleur, life would be worthless to her.
The discovery seemed to anneal her cour-
age. without delay she followed Will
liam. She was fully dressed save for her
hat, which mattered little on SO mild a
night
The hall door stood open. On table
there lay q case which Dorothy recog-
nized She pressed the spring, and pair
of revolvers stood disclosed on a velvet
bed. Dorothy was no stranger to the
weapon. She saw they were both loaded,
and she carried one in her hand. Then
she started out to stalk her quarry.
William doomed on 100 yards ahead until
the road was reached Here he paused
till another figure Joined him. As Dor
othy crept closer she made out not only
Baxter but horse and trap pulled up
by the side of the road.
"Got the swag?" William asked,
hoarsely.
"Ay. and got the captain. too.' Baxter
chuckled. II don't think as 'e's likely to
give any further trouble. So come along
with me and see a spree"
Don't be an ass" william retorted-
Lets get away"
And miss my vengeance? Not me.
amt going for good hour yet. And the
moons getting up proper. You come
along with me down to the Blackjack
Bay, and you'll see sight, I promise
you You've got to come"
William departed gloomily and full Of
fear. What was Dorothy to do? The
lodge was kept by a solitay old woman,
the village was two miles away in an
other direction, and help might be ur-
gently needed.
Dorothy's mind was made up. She knew
quite well how to unharness a horse, and
she proceeded to put her knowledge into
practice as soon as the rascals were out
Of earshot. And this was done. The
animal was turned into the park and a
vigorous slash with a briar sent 1t madly
across the yielding turf
'I've cut Off their retreat, anyway"
Dorothy said between her teeth.
Then she turned and followed quickly
in the direction of Blackjack Bay, a lit
tie sandy cave, with far-stretching sands
and shut in by high cliffs. BY this time
the laggard moon was creeping up out
Of the deep.
The pallid light served to throw up two
figures in high relief. They were those
of william and Baxter standing on the
LID of the sea. The tide was creeping in
slowly up to the white post on the sands
which served to mark the spot beyond
which the drift nets might not be shot.
Suddenly Dorothy gave a little gasping
cry. Surely there was another figure at
the base of the white post, something that
looked horribly human, and at the same
time as still as II death had overtaken 1t.
A coarse word OF two and sounds of mock
ing laughter Dorothy could understand.
Needless OF danger, she began to scram-
BILE down the cliffs By miracle she
reached the sands without accident. Then
she cautiously made her way toward the
white post, covered and screened by the
rocks here and there. She paused at
length under shelter, some thirty feet
away from the two. And now the incoming
tide rose to the watchers ankles.
What she had dreaded to find she saw.
Capt Vandeleur, an ugly wound on his
forehead, but otherwise calm and contemp-
tuous-looking, was bound to the post. He
evidently intended to meet his fate with
resignation.
This is murder! he said. "And you are
certain to be found cut"
"I'll risk that" Baxter chuckled. 'You
little thought what was going to happen to
you when you got that bogus message.
And 1t was a pretty little smack of mine
that laid you out. And when you came
to yourself, why. here you was. All. my
gallant captain, it's my turn now"
49," said the captain. you are that
scoundrel Baxter?"
1.-THE same, noble gamecock. I want to
hear you scream and cry for mercy. I
want to see you kick and struggle till the
water fills your throat and you drown. I'd
have given ten years of my life for this"
you are going to murder me, then?'
That's about the size of it, One good
turn deserves another, captain. You are
going to die and I'm going to get off with
the plumber You've got lot Of friends
here, captain. Why don't you call for
themT
vandeleur shut his teeth hard.
I'm not going to call at all You will be
denied that luxury"
Baxter grinned savagely.
you WILL he said, when the water
begins to rise. I shall stay here and see
you drown. 1 shall watch you helpless
quite helpless"
Bang! There was a flash of light,
laundering report echoing amongst the
the rocks, at the first sound OF which Will
lam turned tail and fled without further
ado. Baxter faced round savagely. The