Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-18

Dy tuln tlmc lL bccLucu tO luc LO Ue growing serious, and so I made of back toward the cave. The beggars
 followed me-
 When got near the cave-there is
 a 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 undergrowth and three of the cut
 throats barred my path, each showing
 an ugly knife. Very we'll thought I,
 I 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 a little better
 footing in the matter or arms I got
 back to the cavern, where the two re-
 maining scoundrels sat tossing coins
 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 began
 to be scared. What was the issue of
 all this? I moved down toward the slope, and two beasts got in my way and grinned at me- I turned back and tried another route, but there I was confronted by two more tell you that it dawned on me then that it was plain black murder they meant.'
 Sercombe paused again and refreshed himself. casting glance at us in which I thought detected look of fear re- newed from his experiences.
 Perhaps you say,' he went on in a slow voice, "that I might have cut and run for it. That thought occurred to me, but put it off. thought this was mistake on their part which I could explain. Anyhow, thought, they're taking no active proceedings. They want to pen me up, that's all, and the morning was wearing on, and, to say the truth, I 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 than sailors English, and of these Stamboulos merely grinned by way of reply, while the other paid no need. What Hood had said to them I 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. guess he poured some poison into their ears. That dirty Le- 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, and so sat in my place, with my back against a ledge of rock, and whistled. All right said, I'll dine on it.
 "It may have been an hour or two later when they prepared meal for themselves. Up to this it hadn't occur red to me to wonder where my food was coming from. But just as this notion came on me I saw Stamboulos, who was the worst of the lot, approach ing with dish in his hand.
 "'Come; this looks better,' said I. They're only playing it down on me after all.' .,.'.
 He came to halt yard away and, grinning all over his face, offered me the dish. I was pretty hungry by this time. but there was that in his grin which made me sit up. I fixed my eyes on him. You're nice sort of scoundrelr I said. For answer he grinned Wider than ever out of his black mug and, slowly drawing paper from his pock ct, emptied yellow sort of powder de- over the dish.
 T believe I turned white; at least I know I felt it. That notion had never entered my mind. But the vermin set down the dish before me and returned to his companions. who greeted him with laughter. Sickness wasn't the word for what I felt. I kicked the dish away and stood up, fury yelling in my belly. I was not going to wait. | This last straw tickled me into action. I ran down the slope toward the track, but, quick as I was, there were three of the devils after me and am not so fleet as I was once One of them came up with me and jabbed his knife at me. I got him in the head with my fist, i and down he went, but before I could | recover I got a push in the back, and l when I pulled myself up there were ] two long blades gleaming in my eyes. i To go farther would have been to i'm l pale myself on bayonet, and drew | off and backed slowly to the rock again. | Here I sat down, and for the first time I was afraid. 4
 Gentlemen. I will not go through the l series. for the time gets on and I've | work to do, with your help. But take | that for a sample. That was one. | Well, you can multiply that by doz- | en. I sat at my post till dark. without | food. of course. and then in a sort of | blind despair of the darkness I gath i cred some big stones about me. I could use them and break some egg 1 shells if nothing more And a little after that night fell.
 q tell you, sirs." said Sercombe in a husky voice, "I don't want the horrors
 MIaN |