Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-09-30
CHAPTER xIy-tContinued.)

voice.
1t was TO save his life; but though
Humphrey recognized the voice, he could
not speak, for his tongue and throat We're
dry.
Are yon here? Hold onr' cried the
voice again; and then there was the
sound of someone feeling about, but dis
lodging stones, which kept rafting down
and splashing below.
Where are your cried the voice above
Humphrey: but still he could not reply.
His hands were giving way, and he felt
that nis whole energy must be devoted
to the one effort Of clineing 10 the last
ere he was plunged down into that awful
gulf.
But the man who chung to him heard
the hoarsely whispered question, and
broke out into a wild series Of appeals
for help-for mercy-for pity.
For heavens sake, captainl" he yelled,
Save me-saEe me! 1t was Black MAJ
zardl He made me come! Do you hear?
Help / can't hold no longer! I'm fall
ing! Help. Curse you-help"
As these cries thrilled him through and
through, Humphrey was conscious in the
darkness that the hands he heard rust
ling above him and disiodging stones, ev-
cry fall of which brought forth a shrek
from the wretch below. suddenly touch
ed his, and then, as if spasmodically, leap
ed to his wrists, round which they fast
ened with grip like steel.
To Humphrey Armstrong it was all
now like one hideous nightmare, during
which he suffered, but could do nothing
to free himself. The wretch's shrieks
were growing fainter and he chung in an
inert way now, while someone seemed TO
be muttering above:
Il can do nothing more! | can do notii-
ing more" but the grip about Hum
phrey's wrists frightened, and two arms
rested upon his hands and seemed to press
them close to the stones to which they
chung.
Captain-eaptain! Are you there?"
Yes CAME from close TO Humphrey
face.
Forgive me, skipper, and help me up!
I'll be faithful to you! I'll kill Black
Mazzardw
Il can do nothing" said the buccaneer
hoarsely. You are beyond my reach"
"Then go and fetch the lads and a
rope. Don't let me fall into this cursed,
watery grave"
IF | quit my hold here, man, you will
both go down; unless help comes, moth
ing can be DONE"
Then call help! Call help now, cap
tain, and I'll be your slave! Curse him
for leaving me herel Where's Joe
Thorpe?"
HE was killed by Mazzard with a
blow meant for me-" said the buccaneer,
slowly.
Course him! Curse him. shrieked the
man. "Oh, captain, save me, and I'll
kin him for you. He wants to be skip
per, and I'll kill him for you if you'll
only AIR
He uttered a despairing shrek, for as
he spoke a sharp, tearing sound was
heard; the cloth he chung to gave way,
and before he could get fresh hold he
was hanging suspended by the half-torn-
off garb. He swung to and fro as he
uttered one cry, and then there was an
awfu. silence, followed by plunge far
below.
Again silence and the whispering and
tapping against the sides more faint; then
a gurgling sound, the water beat once
or twice. fainter echo or two, and then
what sounded like sigh of relief, and a
silence that was indeed the silence of
death
Suddenly the silence in that darkness
was broken, for a hoarse voice said:
"Climb upP'
Climb exclaimed Humphrey, who
seemed to have recovered his voice, while
his frozen energies appeared to expand.
Yes, climb. i can hold you thus, but
NJ mara Try opd ohtain foothnId -
Humphrey o6eyed as one obeys who
feels a stronger will acting upon him.
"Can you keep my hands fast" he
said. They are numbed."
Yes. You shall not slip now. Climb"
Humphrey obeyed, and placed his feet
upon a projection, strove and strained,
and how he knew not, found foothold,
drew himself up, and half crawling, half
dragged by the buccaneer as he backed
up the slope, reached the level part OF the
passage between the entrance and the
doorway OF the inner temple, where he
subsidized on the stones, painting. exhaust
ed. and with an icy feeling running
through his nerves.
Commodore junk" he whispered,
hoarsely, as he lay in the semi-darkness,
you have saved my life."
'As you saved mine"
Those two lay there in the gloomy pas
sage listening to the solemn whisperings
and lappings Of the water. By degrees.
though. as the heavy labored painting of
their breasts ceased, and their hearts
ceased beating so unanimously, a more
matter-of-fact way Of looking at their
position came over them.
Try Il you can walk now" said the
buccaneer in a low voice. you will be
better in your own place."
''Yes-lsoon" replied Humphrey, alb
ruptly; and once more there was silence.
silence broken al last by the bucea-
neer.
captain Armstrong; Re said. softly.
8. last, surely we can now be friends"
Friends? no. Why can weT' cried
Humphrey, angrily.
Because l claim your life. the life
that l So ed. as mine-beeause | owe
you Miner
''No. no, I tell you it is impossible!
Enemies. sir. enemies 70 the bitter end.
l You forget why came out here
Ne" said the buccaneer. sadly. You
came 10 take my life-to destroy my peo-
pIe-but Fate said otherwise. and you
+ tCtuAAAt LIZ kAtcHASA 9tu2 A4AC
4 70 me-
a life you dare not taker' cried Hum
phrey. sternly. Il am one of the kings
oficers-your kings men,"
Il have no king"
Nonsense, mani You are a subject Of
bis majesty King George"
NO." cried the buccaneer. When that
monarch ceased to give his people the
/ protection they asked. and cruelty and
unjustly banished them across the seas
/ for no greater crime than defending a
sister, that king deserved no more obedi-
ence from those be wronged."
The king-did thisgF said Humphrey.
wonderingly, as he gazed full in the
speakers face. struggling the while TO
grasp the eiews Of something misty in
/ lis mind.
The king, Wei. no; but the people
whom he iutrasts with the care of his
1 laws"
Stop cried Humphrey. raising him.
sesE upon one arm and gazing eagerly in
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