Daily camera., 1901-08-22

The hamlet lay NOT many hundred
yards away, though out Of view, on the
other side Of the next cove; and, what
greatly encouraged me, 1t was in an
opposite direction from that whence
the blind man had made his appear
ance, and whittier he had presumably
returned. We were not many minutes
Gil the road, though we sometimes
stopped to lay hold Of each other and
hearken. But there was no unusual
sound-nothing but the low wash OF
the ripple and the croaking OF the
rows in the wood.
1t was already candle-light when we
reached the hamlet, and shall never
'orget how much l was cheered to see
he yellow shine in doors and windows;
but that, as it proved, was the best
of the help we were likely to get in
that quarter. For-you would have
thought men would have been ashamed
| of themselves-no soul would consent
to return with us to the Admiral Ben
| bow. The more we told of our trou-
bles, the more-man, woman and child
they clung to the shelter of their
houses. The name of Capt. Flint,
though it was strange to me. was well
enough known to some there, and car
ried n great weight of terror. Some
Of the men who had been to tield-work
on the far side of the Admiral Ben
bow remembered, besides, to have seen
several strangers on the road, and, TAX
ing them to be smugglers, to have bolt
ed away; and one at least had seen
little lugger in what we called Kits
Hole. For that matter, anyone who
was comrade of the captains was
enough to frighten them to death. And
the short and the long of the matter
was, that while we could get several
who were willing enough to ride to
DIR. Livesey's, which lay in another di-
rection. not one would help US to de-
fend the inn.
They say cowarlice is infectious; but
then argument is, on the other hand,
a great emboldener; and so when each
had his say, my mother made them
speech. She would not, she declared.
lose money that belonged to her father
less boy; IF none of the rest of You
dare" she said, Jim and dare Back
we will go, the way we came, and small
thanks to you big. hulking, chicken
hearted men. Wen have that chest
open, if we die for it. And I'll thank
you for that bag, Mrs. Crossley, to bring
back our lawful money in"
OF course, said would go with my
mother; and Of course they all cried
out a. our foolhardiness; but even then
not man would go along with us. All
they would do was to give me u loaded
pistol, lest we were attacked; and to
promise TO have horses ready saddled.
irf case we were pursued on our re-
ward to the doctors in search Of armed
assistance.
My heart was beating fiercely when
we two set forth in the cold night upon
this dangerous venture. A full moon
was beginning to rise and peered red
ly through the upper edges Of the fog,
and this increased our haste, for il
was plain, before we came forth again,
that all would be bright as day, and
our departure exposed to the eyes of
any watchers. We slipped along the
hedges, noiseless and swift, nor did we
see or hear anything to increase our
terrors, till. to our huge relief, the door
Of the Admiral Benbow had closed be-
hind US.
I slipped the bolt at once, and we
stood and painted for moment in the
dark. alone in the house with the dead
captains body. Then my mother got a
candle in the bar, and, holding each
others hands, we advanced into the
parlor. He lay as we had left him, on
his back, with his eyes open, and one
arm stretched out.
Draw down the blind. Jim." whis-
pered my mother; they nigh; come
and watch outside. And now" said
she, when / had done so. 1--WE have 10
ge, the key off that; and who's to touch
il, l should like to know ?" and she gave
a kind of sob as she said the words
/ went down on my knees at once. |
On the floor close to his hand there was
a little round Of paper. blackened on
the one side. could not doubt that |
this was the black spot; and. taking it
up, found written on the other side,
in very good, clear hand, this short
message: You have till ten tonight"
"He had till ten, mother" said I: and,
just as / said it. our old clock began |
striking. This sudden noise startled US
shockingly; but the news was good,
for it was only six. M
WOW, JIM" she said. that key" Z
/ felt in his pockets. one after an
other. A few small coins. thimble
and some thread and big needles. |
piece Of pigtail tobacco bitten away at
the end. his gully with the crooked
handle, pocket compass and a tinder-
box, were all that they contained, and
began to despair.
perhaps it's round his neck" sug-
gested my mother.
Overcoming strong repugnanee, ] |
tore open his shirt at the neck, and |
-,