New-York tribune., 1908-10-04

not the silence too Together they are begin
ming to get on my nerves.
L know It's no joke to be left alone down
here You have been very brave about 1t.
Smith understood that there had been no
COduetrV IN the girls invitation. She SIMPLY
felt the need after that long black silence OF the
sense OF human companlonshIp and the sound
of "a human voice. She had never known any
but the right sort of men. probably. and had
confidence enough in this casual stranger to
ask him to supply what she needed
HAVE they already told YOU" he asked
H presently. all of the thousand and one
tales about Calico jack He's our stool, theme
for conversation down here. He was our local
pirate
a real, true pirate" the girl asked eagerly,
with black flag, and skull and crosSboneS'
and a hidden treasure,
All OF that" said Smith. s. His equipment
was complete in every detail. and, what $
more. he died down in this cave
Oh, pleaSei" said the girl eagerly But
1t 5 all quite too promising and complete 70 he
true
"Oh. the myth has grown bigger and more
fantastic with the years, of course he
assented: but there was a perfectly authentic
pirate named Calico Jack, who tor number
of years PLAYED prominent part IN the history
of this colony. His headquarters were on one
of the other i5laudS.-HOrse Island IS the name
Of it,-but he did all his trading here in George
town. 1t used to be quite an event when he
sailed into the harbor here with his four ships.
He was very pious, by the way, and named
them after the four Evangelists- 1t was a
queer gospel they carried
You say he came here to Georgetown:
the girl asked inCredulouSly. " Here, openly,
and the people knew that he was pirate:
They not only knew him: they liked hlrn.
He was very pleasant, mild hammered chap,
wouldn't have been quite safe to interfere with
him in the first place. At the height OF his
power he had fifteen hundred people living over
there on Horse Island. And then. OF course.
1t was immensely profitable to keep on the
right side of him. Oh, he was as highly
teemed as some of the pirates OF to-day are
There IS a tradition to the effect that ne has
dined at Government House.
And he was a real pirate" she persisted -
q the story book sort,"
"Oh YES" said he. For Years he plum
dered, burned, and murdered on the high seas;
but at last he went too far. They sent new
Governor here to Georgetown,-SIr William
BrOadhedd, 1t was The day he came he an
pounCed III so many words that he meant to
hang Calico lack out of hand within Il Year,
and he all but succeeded in doing it. He took
a rondescrIpt flotilla over to Horse Island,
sunk the four EvdngeliStS, Sheled the crew out
of their fort, and then by means of promises of
which | am sorry to say proved
IllusOry he got some OF the smaller fry to betray
their leader They brought him ironed, hand
and foot, here to Georgetown and put hIm
down here In this cave. Il was all done
easily that Sir William Broldhead never got
any credit for it
But YOU said they didn't hang him, after
all. the girl objected
" 1t was his treasure that saved him from the
gallOwS. They knew he had one, and they
kept HIM along. from month to month, trying
to get him to tell where 1t was hidden. So he
died down here quite respectfully, after all,
from what they called lung fever. And the
blacks here in Georgetown swear ne haunts the
cave to this day. There isn't one of them who
would come down here alone for fifty pounds.
One would think that"
THE sound that interrupted him just then
was not loud; but It was undeniablv queer,
and it came at psychological moment. 1t
Wa just faint, whlrriug nose at first. and
then something that sounded like the rustic
OF skinny wings.
The girl started and gasped but made no
outcry. There was silence for a second. and
then, IN a curiously concentrated voice she
asked, What wdS that It couldn't have
been bird down here, could it,"
Il don't wonder YOU were startled" said
smith But 1t was nothing but a bat"
81 don't know. She said, whether I can
stand a bat or not. | can feel him In my hair
already"
Smith rose abruptly. Il am going to get
You out Of this 20 he said. There can't be any
very serious danger if am careful. and | in