Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-09-09
By Louis Joseph Vance
Copyright. 1908. by the Bobbs-Merril Co.

But 'as either of you a plan?' per
sisted Stryker.
81 have" replied Mulready, land it's
the simplest and best, If you could
only make this long lost parent here
see it."
"Wot is it?'
Mulready seemed to ignore Calendar
and address himself to the captain.
He articulated with some difficulty,
slurring his words to the point of in
distinctness at times.
Simple enough" he propounded SOL
emnly. We've got the gladstone bag
| here. Miss Dolly's at the hotel. That's
| her papa's bright notion. He thinks
| she's to be trusted. Now, then. what's
| the matter with weighing anchor and
slipping quietly out to sea"
"Leavin' the dootiful darter?"
"Cert'n'y. She's only a drag any
way. Better off without her. Then
we can wait our time and get highest
market prices"-
You forget, Dick" Calendar put it,
chat there's a thousand in it for each
of us if she's kept out of England for
six weeks. A thousands five thou
sand in the land | hail from. l can
use five thousand in my business"
"Why can't you be content with
what you've got:" demanded Mulready
wrathfully.
because Pm IL seventh son of Il sew
cnth son. l can see an inch or two be-
y-A,,l ~ pnco If npJnt Inv, a1-nI. find.
her WAY back to England she'll spoil
one of the finest fields of legitimate
graft | ever licked my lips to look at.
The trouble with you, Mul, is you're
too high toned. You want to play the
swell mobsMlam from post to finish. y
quick touch and Il clean getaway for
yours. Now, that's all right-that has
its good points-eut You don't want to
underestimate the advantages of q
good matchmaking connection. If
can keep Dorothy quiet long enough
look to the IIallam and precious Fred
die to be a great comfort to me in my
OLD age"
''Thcn, for heavens sake" cried Null
ready, go to the hotel, get your brat
by the scruff of her pretty neck and
drag her aboard. Let's get out OF
this
81 won't" returned Calendar infex.
IDLY.
The dispute continued, but the listen
er had heard enough. Stealthily he
crept away to the rail, to stand grasp
ing 1t and staring across the water
with unseeing eyes at the gay old city
twinkling back with her thousand
eyes of light.
Over there, across the water. in the
dingy and disreputable Hotel du Com
merce, Dorothy waited in her room
doubtless the prey Of unnumbere(
namelcss %terrors, while aboard the
%brigantine her fate was being decided
by Il council Of three unspeakabl'
scoundrels, II of whom, processing
himself her father. openly declared hi!
intention of using her to further hi!
selfish and criminal ends.
His first and Satural thought-to stea
away to her and induce her to accom-
pany him back to England-Kirkwoot
perforce discarded. He could hay,
wept over the realization of his I'm
qualified impotency. He had no money
not even cab fare from the hotel t.
the railway station. Something sub
tier, more crafty, had to be contrivet
to meet the emergency. And Their
was one way. n only. He could Sc
none other. Temporarily he mus
make himself one of the company o
her enemies, force himself upon then,
ingratiate himself into their goo
graces. gain their confidence, thel
when opportunity offered betray them
And the power to make them tolerat
him, if not receive him as a fellow, tn
knowledge of them and their plan
that they had unwittingly given him
was his.
And Dorothy was waiting.
He swung round and without at
tempting to mutf1e his footballs STROBE
J, toward the companionWay. He nus
!. pretend he had just come aboard.
Subconsciously he had been awar.
during his time OF bordering that ths
voices in the cabin had been steadily
{ gaining in volume, rising louder ant
yet more loud, Mulready's ominous
drink blurred accents dominating TIL,
others. There was Il quarrel afoot
5 AS soon as he gave it heed Kirkwoo6
understood that Mulready in the mad
ness of his infamed brain was foSc
ing the issue. while Calendar sough'
vainly to calm and soothe him.
The American arrived at the head O
The companionway at a critical juno
lure. AS he moved to descend som,
low, cool toned retort Of Calendar
seemed to enrage his confederate be
, yond reason. He yelped aloud will
wrath, sprang to his feet. knockin.
: over a chair, and, leaping back toward
the foot of the steps. flashed an adroi
l hand behind him and found his re
volver.
give stood enough from you" h.
screamed, his voice oddly clear in tina
t moment of insanity. you've played
: with me as long as you will, you hulk