Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1909-10-01
reading. She was gazing at the sen.

She started, looked round at me, sat
up. and clasped her knees with her hands.
| sat down on the sand beside her.
II was just thinking of him. was
thinking that like him tremendously"
Naturally. He rescued you from
very disagreeable fellow"
"Yes," she agreed, without looking at
me; "and a girl can never forget debt
of gratitude for that sort of thing"
Il must apologize" I said, "for my
rudeness. Of course 1t was no business
of mine whose portrait you had in your
locket"
"Of course not" she agreed although
it happens that was Just the reason why
l put it there"
Put what there?"
PUT Rodney's portrait in the locket,
and the locket whore you would find It"
"You did? Why2"
"Oh, just to see what you would do
and you did it."
"Yes. did," admitted "Then you're
not" but she interrupted by turning
to me.
Monsieur Duponceau was as polite as
he could be, and laughed at all my pro-
tests on the way home, but / think he
was running into some danger on my ac-
count. l believe he has come to Alastair
to hide"
81 know he has"
"Oh, tell me all about It !" she begged
Il know very little. He's an adventur-
er, and he's fed from Europe, and there
are people very anxious to take him back,
and he's going to live in the Ship. More
over, it seems reasonably certain that
there's going to be trouble"
as there?' she cried, half In excite
ment. half in delight. "Oh, let's help
him"
found that only needed this chance
to avow myself openly.
''We will. I've decided to stand by
him, whatever happens"
Barbara looked exceedingly delighted.
''If were only mani she exclaimed.
"As it is, I'll have to do everything by
proxy"
You can help us a lot"
"How?"
''By coming to see us often and bring
ing us news of the outside world"
instantly identified myself with Dupon-
ceau. "That is, if it doesn't begin to look
too dangerous" added
| She turned to face the ocean again.
81 should like to do something to help
him." she said, because like him. Sup
pose we go to see him now."
l picked up my easel and paints on the
cliff. and we boarded the Ship.
At the foot of the cabin stairs Barbara
saw the siver-mounted pistols blazing in
the sun.
"Oh!" she said, looking at Duponceau,
who stood in the door very tall and
straight. "Shall you use thosey"
II should not be surprised" he an
swered gravely.
against whom? haven't seen an
enemy on the beach,"
"You will see," he answered. "They
will come secretly perhaps tonight"
Tonight" she echoed. "And how
many will there be?"
There was grim little smile about his
lips now. 81 cannot tell perhaps doz-
en-, possibly a score that depends on how
resolute man they think me-"
II think you very resolute," she said
soberly; "quite the bravest man l have
ever seen."
Unquestionably there was no logic in
this remark, and yet couldn't but own
that agreed with Barbara.
Tonight" she unused, her eyes deep
with the deliberation Of general. ''How
will you defend the Ship-one against
dozen?"
"You forget Charles and me-" I put in.
"Will you fight, too?" she asked.
"Surely. l looked up my weapons this
morning and put them in order. will
bring them on board this afternoon and
add them to Monsieur Duponceau's."
"And you, too, believe in the enemy 2"
she inquired.
"Most certainly. saw one of them
this morning"
Barbara sat down on one of the chairs
I had left. "To think she said that
Captain Kidd should come to life again |!
But where Is the buried treasurer"
l thought of the chest had seen car
rled into the woods on the night of the
storm, but said nothing. When glanced
at Duponceau he was smiling at Bar
bara. ''This is very desperate matter
for me-" he said, "but even the most des-
perate affairs are frightened by a wom-
an. You are my good angel, mademoi-
sclle."
j He said it in such way that Barbara
could not but be pleased.
"Thank you, monsieur; and what plans
have you made for defenseT'
Duponceau outlined his plans. First
of all he would stay well hidden from
sight; then il his enemies should find
him, there we're three points OF attack ,
from the open sea, from the cliff above
the causaway, and from the beach be-
yond the protecting circle of rocks. We
studied each In turn, and planned how
three men, well armed, could hold the
Ship against score. II should like more