Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-06
CHAPTER xx-continued.

them with d mouth wide Open What
had come to them? asked myself and
gaped for an answer.
IL thought | was bewitched There
was still no Hood. and presently sat
down to breakfast, and the Greeks re-
turned and grouped together little
way off. But when l approached they
sat silent and gave me no answer till.
getting beyond liberation. | seized two
and cracked their heads together. But.
upon that, up leaped one of the scoun-
drels and drew his knife on me. l
stepped back, but Stamboulos, dirty
thief. took him by the arm and whis-
pered in his ear. and there were nod
dings all round the party.
by this time, as you may guess,
was in deuce IF a huff, and of j
strobe Into the wood, whistling to show
my indifference 1t was silly, no doubt,
but l did not want pack OF skunks
like that to imagine l was worrying
about them. Just as had got dozen
yards or so l heard some one come
into the forest after me and, turning.
caught sight Of man named Deme-
trios What are you after? thought l.
But l paid no attention and kept on.
l kept straight ahead, for the wood was
very thick there, and there was no one
about only wanted to get away for
spell and consider the position. But
after bit pulled up and took seat
on patch of heather where the ground
was more open The morning sky shone
on the bushes and worked into the cor
ners of the forest, and as l sat there
in medltative way heard sounds
coming nearer, and presently Deme-
trios pops his head out OF bit Of
shrubbery and glances ut me. Imme-
diately after some one approached
upon the other side, and l caught a
glimpse Of another of the gang poking
his ugly phiz from behind tree, and
then, again, found third to the left.
This set me up right awake, and l
asked myself what it meant. You
can't wonder IL ! could not make it
out Could you have tumbled to 1t?
Well, didn't, not just then. But, for
all that, it made me angry. rose and
ran at Demetrios with the express idea
of kicking him; but, retreating, he
slipped out knife and snarled ut me
like an angry dog, and at the same
time his fellows drew up to support
him. l had come out without weap-
on, and l was at disadvantage. but
by this time it seemed to me to be
growing serious, and SO l made off
back toward the cave. The beggars
followed me.
when l got near the cave-there is
track that runs hard by, winding
somewhere over to the western valleys,
but unfrequented-I will take walk
here said to myself, and accordingly
turned off, but at that motion Of mine
there was sort of scrambling among
the underground and three Of the cut
threats barred my path, each showing
an ugly knife. Very well,' thought l,
4 don't know yet what you're up to,
but I'll warrant I'll find out and mean
while I'll see that I'm on little better !
footing In the matter or arms l got
back to the cavern. where the two re-
IAuAAlAAS SSOuhOISlS sat lOSoIlE COAAS,
and went In. My revolvers had been
removed, and there was not so much
as even pocketknife left to me.
you will conceive now that I began
to be scared. What was the issue of !
all this? l moved down toward the !
slope, and two beasts got in my way |
and grinned at me. turned back and |
tried another route, but there was |
confronted by two more. tell you
that it dawned on me then that 1t was |
plain black murder they meant"
Sercombe paused again and refreshed
himself, casting a glance at us in which
/ thought l detected look of fear re-
newed from his experiences.
Perhaps you say" he went on in
SLOW voice, that might have cut and
run for it. That thought occurred to
me, but put it off. 1 thought this was
a mistake on their part which l could
explain. Anyhow, thought they're
taking no active proceedings. They
want to pen me up, that's all, and the
was wearing on, and, to say |,
the truth. l thought I'd argue it out
and have some food, but soon found
that, for any arguments had, might
as we'll have talked to the wind. To
begin with, only two of them under
stood more thansa sailors English, and
Of these Stamboulos merely grinned by
way of reply, while the other paid no
heed. What Hood had said to them l
don't know. He had pretty well alien
ated them from me before this-and
they were only the scum Of the earth to
begin Without up to now they had
proved pacific. l guess he poured some
poison into their ears. That dirty Lee
vantine breed is superstitious. Perhaps
[ was supposed to have the evil eye,
but more probably it was filthy greed
that was at the bottom of it. Anyhow,
could not come to terms with them,
md so l sat in my place, with my back
against ledge Of rock, and whistled.
All right l said, I'll dine on it,
at may have been an hour or two
alter when they prepared meal for
themselves. Up to this it hadn't occur
ed to me to wonder where my food
was coming from. But just as this
notion came on me 1 saw Stamboulos,
who was the worst of the lot, approach
ng with dish in his hand.
Come; this looks BETTER said I.
They're only playing it down on me
flor all,