The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-01-22
JOAN SH SWORD HAND
.R:CROCKETT. AuMor & MeRmaacs1c5t
(copyright, 1898. 1900, by S. f. Crockett)

CHAPTER XIV.


AZ eventide of the third day of their
journeying the party came to a great
morass. The horses picked their way
warily through this tangle, the rotten
sticks yielding as readily as wet mud
beneath their hoofs Pools of stag
nant black water had to be evaded,
t~reaeherous yellow sands tested,
bridges constructed of the frmer logs,
till all suddenly they came out upon
a fairylike little half moon of sand and
tiny shells.
Here was a large fiat bottomed
boat, drawn up against the shore. In
the stern a strange figure was seated,
a man, tall and angular, clad in jerkin
and trunks of brown tanned leather,
cross gartered hose of grey cloth, and
home made shoon of hide with the
hair outside. He wore a black soul
cap, and his head had the strange UNI
canny look of a wild animal. 1t was
not at the first glance o yet at the
second that Boris and Jorian found
out the cause of this curious appear
ance.
Meanwhile, Werner yon Orseln was
putting into his hand some pledge OF
sign which he scrutinized carefully
when Jorian gripped his companions
arm.
Look" he whispered, hes got nc
ears!"
Nor any ~tongue!" responded Boris
staring with all his eyes at the prod
ICY.
And. indeed, the strange man was
pointing to his mouth with the index
finger of his right hand and signing
that they were to follow him into the
boat which had been waiting for them
The Duchess leapt from her horse
and stepped from the little pier OF
stone beside which the boat lay, and
walking firmly from seat to. seat she
reached the stern, where she sat down
without seeming to have so much as
glanced at any of the company.
Werner Won Orseln then motioned
Captains Boris and Jorian to take
their places in the bow, and having
barred his head he seated himself be
side his mistress. The wordless. ear
less man took the oars and pushed
off. The ten men left on the shore
set about building a fire and making
shelters of brushwood, as If they ex
pected to stay there some time.
The boat passed almost noiselessly
along, the strange man rowing strong
ly and the boat drawing steadily away
across the widest part of the still in
land sea. AS they thus coasted along
the gloomy shores the sun went
down and darkness came upon then
at a bound.
After a space tall trees again shot
up overhead, and with a quick turf
the boat passed between walls of trem
bling reeds that rustled against the
oars like silk, emerged on a blacl
circle of water, and then, gliding
smoothly forward, took ground in the
blank dark.
AS the broad keel grated on the
sand, the Wordless Man left out, and
standing on the shore, put his hands
to his mouth and emitted a long shour
like a blast blown on a conch shell
1t had obviously a meaning for some
one and to put the matter beyond {
doubt it was answered by three shril
whistles from behind the rampant O
trees.
loan sat still in the boat where she
had placed herself. She had asked
no question, and even these strange
experiences did not alter her resolu
ton.
Presently a light cleaned uncer
tainly through the trees, nov los
behind brushwood and again break
ing out.
A tall figure moved forward with
step quick and firm. 1t was that o
a woman who carried a swinging Ian