Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-02-13


the thought of that detestabe blind
beggar lowering near at hand and
ready to return, there We're moments
when. as the saying goes, jumped in
my skin for terror. Something must
speedily be resolved upon; and it oc-
CURED to us at last to go forth to-
gether and seek help in the neighbour
ing hamlet. No sooner said than done.
Bareheaded as we We're, we ran out
at once in the gathering evening and
the frosty fog.
The hamlet lay not many hundred
yards away, though out of view, OH the
other side of the next cove; and, what
but that, as it proved. was the best
of the help we We're likely to get in
that quarter. For-you would have
greatly encouraged me, 1T was in an cp-
posite direction from that whence the
blind man had made his appearance.
and whittier he had presumably re-
turned. We were not many minutes on
the road, though we sometimes stopped
to lay hold of each other and hearken.
But there was no unusual sound-noth-
Ing but the low wash of the ripple and
the croaking of the crows in the wood.
1t was already candle-light when we
reached the hamlet. and ! shall never
forget how much l was cherred to see
the yellow shine in doors and windows;
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 chung to the shelter of their
houses. The name of Captain Flint.
though 1T was strange to me, was We'll
enough known to some there, and car
ried a great weight of terror. Some of
the men who had been to field-worlS
on the far side of the Admiral Ben
bow remembered. besides. to have seen
| several strangers on the road, and,
taking them To he smugglers, To have
bolted away: and one n least had seen
little lugger in what we called Kits
Hole. For the matter. anyone who was
n comrade of the captains was enough
to brighten them to death. And the
short and the long of the matter was,
that while we could get several who
We're willing enough to ride to Or.
iivesey's, which lay in another direc-
ton not one would help us to defend
the inn.
They say cowardice is infectious: but
then argument IS. on the other hand,
a great emboldener: and so when each
had his say, my mother made them a
speech. She would not. she declared,
lose money that belonged to her faith
erless boy; "if none of the rest of you
dare she said, Jim n | dare. Back
we will go, the way we came and small
hearted men. Well have that chest
open. if we die for it. And I'll thank
lou 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 at our foolhardiness; but even then
not man would go along with us. All
they would do was to give me a loaded
pistol. lest we We're attacked; and to
promise to have horses ready saddled
In case we Were pursued on our re-
turn: while one lad was to ride for
ward to the doctors I'm search of armed
assistance
My heart was beating fiercely when
we two set forth In tho cold night up
OH this dangerous venture. A full moon
was beginning To rise and peered rcd
ly through the upper edges of the fog,
and this increased our haste, for 1T
vas 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
terors, till. to our huge relief. the door
of the Admiral I3enbow had closed be-
hind us.
slipped the bolt at once and we
stood and painted Cor n moment In the
dark. alone in the house with the dead
captains body. Then my mother got a
candle in thu. 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-
rerod my mother; they might come
and watch outside. And now" said
Oh, .1,.,, 4 H.. \.
get the key off that. and who's to tonch
1t, ! 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 here was
q little round of paper, blackened on
the one side. could not doubt that
this was the black spot; and taking 1t
up, found written on the other side.
in i. Very good, clcal hand. this short
message You have till Ten tonight .
HE had It'll ten, mot her" said H.
and, just as / said it, our old clock
began striking This sudden noise
startled us shoe kingly. but the news
was good for 1t was only six.
'No.v, Jim" she said, THAT key"
/ felt in his pockets, one after an
other a few small coins, n thimble
and some thread ard big needles. n
piece of pigtail tobacco bitten away at
the end, his gully with the crooked
handle. a pocket compass and a tinder-
box. We're All that they contained. and I
began to despair.
perhaps it's round his neck" sny-
gested my mother.
Overcoming a strong repug,lance. /
tore open his shirt at the neck. and
there. sure enough. hanging to a bit
of larry string, which cut with his
own gully, we found the key. AT this
triumph we were flied with hone and
hurried upstairs. without delay, to the
little room where he had slept so long