Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-01-28

l proposition are you making to mel"
 He considered for a moment. There are three of you," he said. But l con- fess I cannot reckon my friend Mont gomery. Let us say two, then. ] am willing to go halves With you. In which case, as you will see. there is quarter for yourself"
 "You would betray your associates" said dryly.
 Pardon me," said the captain, i've are not here to pass criticisms on nor als. And, if it comes to that. what are we all? l see no pin prick between us. do not invite your conclusions on my conduct. I have the honor to . make you proposal.'
 The rascal leaned back in his chair and watched me with curious air of satisfaction. Indeed, his conplacency was well grounded, and 1 could not but admit to myself that he was making me handsome offer His distrust or his fear of Hood was stronger than his greed, and it was to that we owed this unexpected intercession when fate had l l, a prisoner and with no possibility of escape. The treasure lay at the mercy of these vagabonds, and even at this moment the pieces might be slipping through Hoods loving fingers. Assur- edly l should be fool thought to refuse Sereombe's compromise He must certainly have made the proposal l in f1i al I inv fr, 1 do was to surrender the key, a key which could be of no possible use to him now that the subterranean en- trance to the dungeon had been dis covered. I withdrew it from my pock- et He nodded confidentially.
 That is all I ask" he said
 And I:' I queried.
 'You shall be at liberty at the earli est opportunity I can find." he return ed. "Observe. Mir. Grcatorex. that am taking great risk. 1 am depend ing upon your word."
 If l give it. I replied, you may depend upon it. You will warn my companions:" asked.
 'I will see that they pay visit to their prisoner" said he, "and I reckon they will want little warning after that. "
 'You may take the key" said I after a pause But at that moment q slight sound as of soft feet upon the creaking stairway reached us. Sercombe whit ened yisibly and looked uneasily at the door
 "It is better that I should leave you now" Ee said hurriedly. eve can set tie this tomorrow morning" And, showing clear signs of discomposure, he left the barn.
 AS for me. sat with the key in my hand, considering I thought I could put name on the owner of those steps
 CHAPTER XVI.
 ~ ERCOMBE was not so good as VA his word. So far from complet AN ing the bargain on the morrow
 he never came near me, and passed the day quite alone, save fol the occasional visits of one of the Greeks bringing my food. 1 began tc have very ineligible view of the situation Sercombe had been fright ened off the arrangement he had con templated by the fear of his compan ion, or if that were not so though was now quite prepared to credit it, he deemed it wiser to postpone the ad venture still further in which case might still keep my hopes alive and nourish an ambition of final success But the truth wa; that each day lost was so much gained toward the ac II. T even as 1 sat and gnawed my finger, and reflected in this doleful mood tee treasure vas fast leaving the castle passing into the possession of alien and bloody hands.
 There was yet another alternative about which I could not make up my uind Hood might have bought tht allegiance of his traitorous associate and, if so. I wished them both joy ot their bargain together. l would tris' neither sceun6rel beyond the feaeh oi INN arms or the audit of my ears, and W&A pretty sure that neither woN'G tfust the other. Their whole a@S9ciI till roste4l upon mutual e0lapdet e' 2seel, and il Was odds hnt. the gol aHcP= under their hands. theE #ault f4U mt iii svnle mortal strifr. accord f8- t5 fAa anei 1t proverh If tlia saull happen, perhaps. according tl ta. anefaut progerh We, ns represent ia& honest mon as nelCly IN po.Sisfze n fto clreuUstaIs n.gid eaHsa EN Ulr own, 0r, yF"a&.as mora properly s0loa eHe p]sn's oN.n.
 F'ar ihr present fhad eairrl n7th,ae sp l:!1. i tliscollse!9te lrisaaor, i.4 tt3. ar. ,sl}. aGartled hy ,vatehes If ti, Creeks. So lar o5 coHld 5leeoFanifH' we. the defenders 6f che eastla and tl9 treasure wc-p in I bad position aH. tGTe was nothing for 1t on my paIf but rrSt Gnltion W'th as civil q fsraoc= Il Hish' Hc | had already taken aceouH oI tbe defensos of ny prison and SEW little proSnpet of eEe%pe, hut l Via cen fess that tlnou-l4ut tae first day q my captivity I Was somewhat uu&eI the influence Of hope and hourly eN pected a conference with Serconhc