Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-01-31
CHAPTER NJ.
IN thu Rofk

On the Raft.
was taken from the large room and
led back to the smaller one by my
former guide, and I had not been a
minute alone when D'Orville Joined me.
"Your behavior has impressed me
most favorably," said he. "You know
your destination, and have to tell you
that you will start almost Immediately.
It is too late to raise objections now,
and if you fail to obey orders you for
felt your life, as should mine if in
terfered. You have $50 in notes, and
here is a like sum, for which. if you
please, you will give me your check
When I had complied with his re-
quest, he went on:
"And now, Tremayne, that I have
spoken as your chief, I may speak as a
friend,' and I dare say that England
did not contain at that moment a brace
of more Thoroughbred hypocrites
than we were. Eyes, as friend and q
brother! You must not, of course, be-
tray the secrets of our society, and
your mission is viewed in that light.
Still, know there is some one who will
be anxious about you, and I can see no
harm in your writing to Nora and tell
ing her that you will be away from
England for some time. You will find
writing materials yonder, and I'll act
as postman for you.''
He sat and smoked while I wrote the
letter, and when had finished passed
it over to him, but he waved it aside
with a fine air.
"NIy dear fellow" said he, 'pray
don't stand so much on ceremony.
You are surely free where affairs of
the heart are concerned. I don't say
that any other letters you might write
from here wouldn't be looked at, but I
pledge you my word that this one win
go unopened until fair fingers break
the envelope"
And then, caring little whether he
should read it or not, I dipped my pen
Gin my heart" and added that which
would set another heart beating warm
ly for me.
"And now, Tremayne, if you are
ready, we must start" In a very few
minutes we were being carried swiftly
to Southampton, 3nd, until the steam
err was under way, D'Orville never lost
sight of me for moment. And so, not
a word could I send to Anguish, and
felt that his disappointment would be
keen, for, when we might have secured
three or four of the very worst of the
Ragged Thirteen we had let them go,
and now we had caught none of them,
and they had me fairly in their tolls.
I felt half inclined to send a note by
the pilot when he left the ship; but, in
all probability. if I did so, D'Orville
would hear of it, and, moreover, knew
that I was under observation. The
man watching me was the man whose
features had struck me SO remarkably
ney's house. And so the pilot carried
no missive from me.
MY position was one of great peril.
but, after all, I kenw exactly why l
was being sent abroad, and it was not
at all probable that any attack would
be made upon me until I met my faith
err, about whom I was not so very
greatly concerned, because I imagined
he would be warned by my letter, and
SO be ready for his enemy or enemies,
and their capture in Fiji would be pref
cradle to their being taken at Mr..
Courtney's house.
1t must not be forgotten that when
Nora gave US her help it was on the
distinct understanding that nothing
should be done to compromise her faith
er, and this we could hardly have
avoided had we made any arrests, al
though I believed then, and I know
now, that he was never a member of
the Ragged Thirteen. Still, he was i'm
.plfcated in other ways, and if Nora had
known the nature and depth of the i'm
plication she would not have given us
such useful information as she had
done. &c.,
When I thought matters over came
to the conclusion that for the present
was safe and that no harm would be-