The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1900-04-26

hnaliy struck upon my hidden gold, which
now Icy as plain 20 my eye ~ to bic. For
thiK, and probably for this alone, he had
once attempted 10 bc,rsy me, Threatened my
life, sud wcll.nigh lost his Cwn. He had
guarded the secret as well as /, and nou,
after months Of waiting, hard fare, aud
harder blows, he doubtless felt full meas.
urc OF Sordid pleasure as my little hoard lay
uncovered before him. And not 30 little,
either. Five hundred pounds would make
him passing rich among bic iclloWs.
Though his face was from me. iis cxulta.
tion seemed to strike through him and shine
from his back, could almost sec the dry,
greedy grin and closr set Of his ragged teeth
~ he laid his hand on the bag 20 iudEe its
worth by lifting. With the Unborn suss
picion Of the CvrFicariul thief or miseF, be
threw a cautions look over his shoulder, and
as BE- did 20 his eyes met mine
| once aw laughing iaau shot clean
through iho heart, and the sudden change oi
his expression as death seized him, was ap-
paiiinS; bul II was aothiug 10 the swift al
tcfatlon that came over the fscq Of Louns
bury hs that villain recognized me. Crouched
low q, the top Of the companion wsy, with
one foot on the steps and the other ON deck,
| remained immovahle AZ ] witnessed the
effect ol my sudden appearance. Without
shifting his position. the wretch hrid his
head craurd over his left shoulder. his jaw
dropped, and hi small. pigiike eyes opened
60 their iarlhgst extent, glHring al me aH
though their Owner was in q trance His
face was too blsckcned and weather beaten
to ellow OF a change ui color. bu, pailor and
iTgh, were plain IN his very attitude Not 9
sound or movement was made by either OF
us a. We thus faced each other. and the
surgeon, marking nothing amiss, still made
desperate though ludlcrous bobs toward the
liquor on the floor.
Perhaps for a minute l.ounsbury byld his
position, aud then with slow. suhkclike
motion, he eyes stili fixed on mine, bee
twisted till his back WAS 10 the hulkhead,
where, extending his arms against this ~0od-
work, b. tsttcned himself as though ky.
ing 10 shrink through the Partition, horror
and dread written over h. swollen and re.
pulstyc features
Il hsd never been in my mind TO play
part, bu, % was plain that 90 this ignorant
aud suprfs;tious man ! WAS nothing less
than a yeutsb'c spirit Of the dead Indeed.
the g'NcHing nf my dripping clothes, the
llahlti'N H3ll on NY hfauf NHhhANrnt ana
with the paleness Of long immersion on my
face. these, with the probable glitter Of ex.
oltcmcut in my eyes, al tended to make me
uucauuy IN appearance, especially A. my
figure was backed by the absolute blacknesa
of Che night Lounshury had seen me IN ap
parent desperation plunge overheard. and
douh,css thought ] had been drifting faith
oms deep below 'he rhaniou.s keel, yet IN
the hour Of h,s success bad come to tor
mcut him. Like Bsnquo's ghost ghosi
was Go him would not down
The agony working IN his mind would
soon find am outlet IN some fashion, hut Il
stirred him in a way hardly expected. SIN
piercing me- With his glance. his broad chest
heay,i ,pasmodiyally and his right hand
gradually moved to the hilt Of the cu,lass
hanging on hi left hip. Slowly, like a man
asleep, he drew the blade, and with SLAYER
now running from the corners oi his mouth.
he ltil the bulkhcad aud crtpt toward me-.
Fascination ruled him. The pent,up energy