The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1905-04-13
CHATTER XXI


ers. But now seeing the glow Of the
burning charcoal on my face, he fell To
speaking calmly.
Good sirs. the game IL yours. with
care. Slid. but you hold a pretty hand
III only you know how TO play it,
Where Is shcY' ] again asked.
For answer. he looked seward. where
the sioop's lantern lay like n floating
star on the black waters
What" cried !. Mistress Della In
that sloop. And who Is with her. pray =
why. Black Dick. to begin with--and
Reuben Gcdrcs--and Jeremy Toy"
"All the knaves left in the pack
heaven help herr" I muttered. rs l looked
toward the light. and my heart beat hcav.
lily. Heaven help herr said again,
and. turning. spicd a grin on the cap
tain's face.
"Undcr Providence" answered he,
"your unworthy servant may suffice. But
what Is my reward 10 bc!'
'Your neck" said I. ''if ! can save II
when you are led before the Cornish cap
tainS."
That's fair enough. so listen. These
few months the lady has been shut IN
Bristol keep. whittier. by the advice Of
our employer. We conveyed her back safe
and sound. This same employer
"A dirty rogue. whom you may as well
call by his name-IIannibal Tingcomb.
Right. young sir: very dirty rogue
and a niggarlly-l hate n mean rascal.
Well. fearing her second escape from that
prison. and being hand in glove with the
Parliament men. he gets her on board n
sloop bound for the virginias just ut the
time when he knows the Earl of STAN
ford Is to march and crush the Cornish
men. For escort she has the three com
radcs of mine that l named, and the
captain Of the sloop has orders TO cruise
along the coast hcrcabouts till he gets
news OF the battle"
which you were just about TO give
him." cried /, suddenly enlightened.
Right again. Twas a pretty scheme;
for. dye see. IL all wevt well with the
Earl OF Stamford. the Kings law would
be wiped out In Cornwall. and Master
Tingcomb might snap his thumb thcreat.
So. In that case. Mistress Della was to he
brought ashore here and taken TO him TO
serve as he fancied. But. IL the day
should 20 against us--as IL has-she was
TO sail TO the Virginias with the sloop,
and there be sold ms slave"
was scarce able TO refrain from blow
ing his brains out. 80 you were 10 fol-
low the Earls army and work the sig
mails. Which are they!" For a quick
resolve had come into my head, and i
was casting about TO put IL into cxecu-
ton.
"a green light IL we won: 10 not, n red
light. TO warn the sloop away"
l picked up the packet that had drop
ped from his hand when first sprang nj
him. IL was burst abroad. and n brown
powder trickling from II about the ledge.
This was the red light-to be sprin-
killed. on tho burning charcoal. l supposey'
The fellow nodded. At the same mo-
ment Billy (who rs yet had not spoken a
word. and. OF course. understood moth
ing) thrust into my hand another packet
that he had found stuck in n corner
against the rock.
Now tell me--in case the rebels won,
where vas the landing 20 he madcy'
I'm the cove below here-whers the
road leads down."
AYE. the road where the wagon
stood"
Captain Luke Settle blink'd his eyes at
this: but nodded after n moment.
And how many would escort herr'
He caught my drift aud laughed softly.
II begin 10 love you. for you play the
game very proper and soundly. Reuben.
Jeremy and Black Dick alone are In the
plot: so why should more escort herr"
Before I could get my sentence out.
Billy Pottery broke In with a voice like
q trumpet
"As folks 20. Jack. be humorous
man. But sittin' here. an pondcrin' this
way an that, says. in my deaf an af-
ficted style, why not shoot the ugly
rogue. IL mirth, indeed. be your objccty
For to wait till nm uglicr comes TO this
untravcl'd spot is superhuity."
How 20 explain matters to Billy was
more than could tell; but in a moment
he himself supplied the means. For the
rocks here were OF some kind OF slate.
very hard. but scaly: and finding two
pieces. n large and a small. he handed
them TO me, bawling that was TO write
Herewith. SO giving him my pistol.
made shift TO scribble n few words. See
Ing his eyes twinkle as he read. stood
up.
The charcoal by this time was a glow.
Ing mass OF red: md threw 80 clear n
light on US that feared the crew on
board the sloop might see our forms and
suspect their disadventure. But the Ian.
tern still hung steadily: so signing 10
Billy TO drag our prisoner behind a tam
srisk bush, I open'd the second packet.
and poured some OF the powder into my
hand. Ii was composed OF tiny crystals,
yellow and Haky. tore the packet wide
open and shook out the powder on the
Goals.
Instantly there came dense. choking
vapor and vivid green fare that turned
the rocks. the sky and our faces To a
CHASTITY brillinncc. For two minHtcs. at
least, this unnatural light lasted. As
soon rs IL died away and the fumes clear
Cd looked seward.
The lantern on the sloop was moving
In answer TO the signal. Three times Il
was lifted and lowered. and then In the
stiffness | heard voices calling and soon
after the regular splash OF oars.
There was no time TO bc lost Pulling
the captain 10 his feet. we scrambled up
the gully and out nj the top and across
the fields ms fast rs our legs would take
Us. Molly came TO my call and trotted
beside mc--the captain following some
PAGES behind and Billy last. to keep a
safe watch on his movements.
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