The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1910-12-21
ENCOURAGE
CAPTAIN Plum
n JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD
TIUSIRA1I0NS & hAllUH GKEIINER-

IONS & MAGW GKEInER

AhoAA yoos Soptdiu f>Ium.
He spoke his companions name
with the assurance OF one who had
known It for a long time. IF they
loose the dogs there will be no time
for the ship" he added, with a sug
gestive bunch Of his naked shoulders
Follow mel"
There was no alarm in his voice and
Nathaniel caught the flashing CLEAN
OF white teeth as Nell smiled grimly
back at him. running In the lead. From
the mans eyes the master OF the Ty.
phoon had sized up his companion as
fighter. The smile-daring. conf
dent. and yet signaling their danger
assured him that he was right. and he
followed close behind without ques
ton. A dozen rods up the patch Neil
turned into a dense thicket of briars
and underbrush and for ten minues
they plunged through the painless
jungle. Now and then Nathaniel saw
the three red stripes OF the whipper's
lash upon the bare shoulders OF the
man ahead and to these every step
seemed to add new wounds made by
the thorns. As they came out upon
an old roadway the captain stripped
on his coat and Neil thrust himself
into It as they ran.
Even In these first minutes Of their
flight Nathaniel was thrilled by an.
other thought than that of the peril
behind them. Whom had he saved !,
Who was this clear-eyed young fellow
for whom the girl had SO openly sac
rificed herself at the whipping post.
about whom she had thrown her arms
and covered with the protection of her
glorious hair? With his joy at having
served her there was mingled a chill
ing doubt as these questions formed
themselves In his mind. Obadiah's
vague suggestions. the scene In the
kings room. the night visits of the
girl to the councillors cabin-and last
OF all this incident at the Jail flashed
upon him now with another meaning
with a Significance that slowly cooled
the enthusiasm in his veins. He was
sure that he was near the solution of
the mysterious events in which he had
become involved. and yet this knowl-
edge brought with 1t something OF ap-
prehension. something which made
him anticipate and yet dread the mo-
ment when the fugitive ahead would
stop in his flight. and he might ask
him those questions which would at
least relieve him of his burden of
doubt They had travelled a mile
through forest unbroken by path or
road when Nell halted on the edge of
a little stream that ran into a swamp.
Pointing into the tangled fen With
confident smile he plunged = his
waist in the water and waded slowly
through the slough into the gloom OF
the densest alder. A few minutes later
he turned in to the shore and the soft
bog gave place to firm ground. Be-
fore Nathaniel had cleared the stream
he saw his companion drop to his
knees beside a fallen log and when
he came up to him he was unwrapping
a piece of canvas from about a gun.
With a warning gesture he rose to
his feet and for twenty seconds the
men stood and listened. No sound
came to them but the chirp OF a star
tied squirrel and the barking OF a dog
in the direction OF St James.
They haven't turned out the dogs
yet" said Neil. holding a hand against
his heaving chest IF they do they
can't reach us through that slough"
He leaned his rifle against the log and
again thrusting an arm into the place
where It had been concealed drew
forth a small box.
Powder and bail-and grub" he
laughed. You see l am a sort OF rev
olutionist and have my hiding places
Tomorrow will be q martyr" He
spoke as quietly as though his words
but carried a careless jest
"A martyr" laughed Nathaniel
looking down into the smiling. sweat
ing face.
Yes. tomorrow l shall kill Strang.
There was no excitement In Neiri
voice as he stood erect The smil'
did not leave his lips. But in his eye
there shone that which neither word