Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-03-29

what to do with him. For
myself, l had already solved the riddle
in my own way. To say the truth, l
was getting a distaste for the adven-
ture. 1t implied too many hard knocks,
too rough a usage for a summer holt
day, and, what was much worse, it
entalled on me a grave responsibility.
1t seemed to me that the drift Of
these lawless events was wholly in the
direction Of murder. The word was
ugly enough, but 1t must be faced.
Murder is what the law would call it,
and murder vas what it came near be-
ing at the best. The capture of Hood,
then, opened a road Of escape, and l
had already resolved to employ it. Of
course it would have been possible
still to have surrendered the treasure
to the crown or to have handed it into
the possession Of Sercombe's party:
but, though 1 was reluctant to continue
the bloody struggle, I was certainly
i%ndisposed to haul down my flag. If it
We're to be peace, it should be a
with honor. And the body of Hood
gave me my means.
l was able after some argument to
carry my point with the others. They
had both a kindly fancy for the fight
ing and were inclined to take my an
nouncemenr in q chapfallen ann
But explained that I was making no
decision of myself; that 1 was one of
three and that l had merely offered
the suggestion as my contribution to
the counsels Of wal. Upon that l add
ed they very cogent reasons which l had
prepared in favor of my advice, and
the end Of the talk was that they &C.
cepted the plans I unfolded.
To execute my scheme it was neces-
sary to see Sercombe. But first I
must pay a visit to the prisoner, who
by the time we had arrived at a con-
clusion had lain in the %blackness of
that abominable dungeon for FIVE hours.
Sheppard, indeed, had been eager to
Interview him, and upon hearing of the
capture had at once betaken himself
to the keep. He was absent half an
hour but l did not inquire what he had
been doing. l merely looked at him in
terrogatively when he returned, which
he did wearing a graver face than was
usual to him. Noting the inquiry in nv
glance he shook his head.
''That man is dangerous he said
"abnormally dangerous
montgomery and | have occasion to
know that" l replied. He is a snake
that is the substantive-and doubt
very much whether we can kill him.
Il have my doubts whether we can
even scotch him. said Sheppard drviy
and then dismissed the subject.
Yet my conversation with Hood later
was very common place and marked by
no particular points. He kept his Gus
tomary face of obsequiousness and gave
me the brlefest replies to my interroga-
lions. | was specially exercised in my
MIND AS to the manner of his entrance
into the castle. For all his de5terity
and cunning [ could not see how care
fully watched as our fortress was. he
had managed to gain admittance over
the dra"bridge and through the closed
portcullis. At the question. which was
delivered point blank, he turned his lu-
nlNouS eyes upon me and regarded me
with a shifty smile. the shadow of a
smile, betokenlng nc amusement.
Il don't mind telling you sir" he muir
INJURED, though it is not what | would
say to most gentlemen. But you have
been a gentleman sir, throughout. and I
should have been proud to have served
you, | came with the party in the early
morning sir"
"What!' said /. You were with the
storming party
"4es sir. Seeing you engaged, | crept
away. know the house, sir, being with
my poor master SO long. And I don't
hold with violence where you can do
without it.
l opened my eyes. The mans plans
were conceived withexcellent craft. It
would be the last thing l should have
thought Of, and yet it was SO simple to
take advantage of the confusion and
s~ecrete himself upon the battlemcnts
after his allies had fed.
"1ou are a rascal. Hood I returned
not without admiration. But you are
d clever rascal
Thank you SIR said Hood.
eyes" / continued, "you have had a
smart shot for it, but your game is up,
my man. Clever as you are. | have YOU
Gagged, and [ think Captain Sercombe
and his scoundrels are further from the
gold than ever"
sit looks like it, sir" admitted Hood.
looked around upon the dark and
grimy walls. ''This is a mean hole for a
man of your parts to lie fostering IN
| said, but | see no choice before YOU.
You have made your own bed, and you
must lie in 1t. A man might rot here
and drop into the bones of IL skeleton
without sound or sen e of the outside
world. The bodies of many captives
have decayeda*ithin these gloomy
walls
Have they indeed SIR" said Hood
politely. He sat upon one of the oaken
cases, his eyes bent upon me earnestly,
his body almost couchant for a spring.
could have believed the man was pre-
paring a sudden assault upon me but
that knew he carried no weapon and |
was OF stronger and bigger build than
ne. But apparently nothing OF the sort
was in his mind, 1t was merely the de.