The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-10-14
CHAPTER i-Continued.

BE seated. Captain Plum; right
over there-opposite me. Sol"
lie continued for moment to
smooth out the creases in the letter
and then proceeded to read 1t with as
much assurance as though its owner
were thousand miles away instead
of within arms reach of him. Cap
tain Plum was dumbfounded. He felt
the hot blood rushing to his face and
his first impulse was to recover the
crumpled paper and demand some
| thing more than an explanation. In
the next instant II occurred to him
that this action would probably spoil
| whatever possibilities his nights ad-
venture might have for him. So he
held his peace. The old man was so
3, intent in his perusal OF the letter that
the end Of his hooked nose almost
scraped the table. He went over the
dim. partly obliterated words line by
line. chuckling now and then, and APP
parently utterly oblivious of the 9TH
er's presence. When he had come to
the end he looked up. his eyes glitter
ing with unbounded satisfaction, care
fully folded the letter, and handed 1t
TO Captain Plum,
That's the best introduction in the
world, Captain Plum-the very best!
lo, holt couldn't be better. I'm
glad found it," He chuckled gleeful-
ly, and rested his ogreish head In the
palms of his skeleton-like hands. his
elbows on the table. so you're going
back home-soon?"
Il haven't made up my mind yet,
dad" responded Captain Plum. pulling
out his pipe and tobacco. You've read
the letter pretty carefully. l guess.
What would you do?"
Vermont" questioned the old man
shortly.
That's It,"
We'll. I'd go, and very soon. Cap.
tain Plum, very soon. indeed. Yes. I'D
hurry" The old man jumped up with
the quickness of a cat. So sudden
was his movement that 1t startled Cap,
tain Plum, and he dropped his tobac'
CO pouch. BY the time he had recov'
cred this article his strange compan
ion was back in his seat again holding
a leather bag In his hand. Quickly
. he united the knot at its top and
} poured . torrent OF glittering gold
: pieces out upon the table.
Observation-Disclosures and gold" he
! gurgled happily. rubbing his thir
!. hands and twisting his fingers until
{ they cracked. "A pretty sight, Ell. Cap
; tain Plum? Now. to our account! A
hundred carbines, Ell? And a thou
sand OF powder and a ton of balls. Oh
? is 1t In lead? II doesn't make any DIFF
!, ference-not a bit. It's three thou
sand, that's the account. eh?" He fel
to counting rapidly.
For a full minute Captain Plum re
manned In stupefied bewilderment, 81
fenced by the sudden and unexpected
turn his adventure had taken. Easel
mated, he watched the skeleton fingers
: as they clinked the gold pieces. What
: was the mysterious plot into which hi
had allowed himself to be drawn
Why were hundred guns and tor
and half OF powder and balls wanted
by the Mormons of Beaver island
Instinetively he reached out and closed
J. his hand over the counting fingers o.
y the old man. Their eyes met. Ant
. there was a shrewd. half-understand
y ing CLEAN In the black orbs that fixe<
3 Captain Plum in an unflinching chal
: lenge. For a little space there wal
J, silence. 1t was Captain Plum whit
. broke II.
u Dad. I'm going TO tell you for ths
third and last time that you've made
mistake. I've got eight of the bes
:. rifles in America aboard my sloop ou
there. But there's a man for ever,
: gun. And I've got something bidder
away undertook that would blow VI
St. James In half an hour. And there
= Is powder and ball for the whole out
fit But that's all. I'll sell you wha
!. I've got-for good price. Beyond
y that you've got the wrong mani"
!. He settled back and blew a volume
y. OF smoke from his pipe. For another
half minute the old man continued Il
y look at him. his eyes twinkling. ant
~ then he fell to counting again.
Captain Plum was not given over Il
the habit of cursing. But now b.
= jumped % his feet with an oath thai
Jared the table. The old man chuck
y led The gold pieces clinkeA betwsez
- hi9 fipGSPH- COollY he showed tv(