Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-10-14
Dry as tinder."

| YES, we nave few guns, SAID
Captain Plum. The old man noted the
emphasis, but the darkness that had
fast settled about them hid the added
meaning that passed in curious look
over the others face.
odd way to come in, though-very
odd!" continued the old man, CUR
Cling and shaking as if the thought of
it occasioned him great merriment.
Very cautious. Level business head.
Want to know that things are on the
square, eh?"
That's it," exclaimed Captain Plum,
catching at the proffered straw. In
wardly he was wondering when his
feet would touch bottom. Thus far
he had succeeded in getting but
single grip on the situation. Some
body was expected at Beaver island
with powder and balls and guns. Well,
he had a certain quantity of these ma
! teriais aboard his sloop, and if he
could make an agreeable bargain
! The old man interrupted the plan
that was slowly forming itself in Cap
tain Plum's puzzled brain.
Its the price, eh?" He laughed
shrewdly. "You want to see the color
of the gold before you land the goods.
I'll show it to you. I'll pay you the
whole sum tonight. Then you'll take
the stuff where | tell you to. Ell?
Isn't that SOP" He darted ahead of
Captain Plum with quick alert move
ment. "NVill you please follow me,
sir?"
For an instant Captain Plum's i'm
pulse was to hold back. In that in
slant it suddenly occurred to him that
he was lending himself to a rank i'm
position. At the same time he was
filled with desire to go deeper into
the adventure, and his blood thrilled
with the thought of what it might hold
for him
Are you coming, sir?"
The little old man had stopped a
dozen PAGES away and turned ex-
pectantly.
81 tell you again that you've got the
wrong man, dad"
will you follow me, sir?"
|
if I WON'T" cried Captain Plum. He
felt that he had relieved his con-
science, anyway. If things should de-
velOp badly for him during the next
few hours no one could say that he
had lied. So he followed light-heart-
eddy after the old man, his eyes and
ears alert, and his right hand, by force
Of habit, reaching under his coat to
the butt of his pistol His guide said
not another word until they had trav-
eled for half an hour along twisting
path and stood at last on the bald sum-
nit of knoll from which they could
look down upon a number of lights
twinkling dimly quarter of mile
away. One of these lights cleaned
above all the others, like beacon set
among frefies.
That's St. James," said the old
man. His voice had changed. 1t
was low and soft, as though he feared
to speak above whisper.
est. James!"
The young man at his side gazed
down silently upon the scattered lights,
his heart throbbing in sudden tu-
multi Of excitement. He had set out
that day with the idea of resting his
eyes on ST. James. In it's silent mys-
terry the town now lay at his feet
And that light" spoke the old
man. He pointed trembling arm to-
ward the glare that shone more power
fully than the others. THAT light
marks the sacred home Of the king!"
His voice had again changed. A me-
tallic hardness came into it, his words
were vibrant with a strange excite
ment which he stroye hard to con-
ceal 1t was still light enough for
Captain Plum to see that the old
mans black, beady eyes were startling
ly alive with newly aroused emotion.
"You mean"
"Strang!"
He started rapidly down the knoll
and there f1oated back to Captain
Plum the soft notes of his meaning
less chuckle. A dozen rods farther on
his mysterious guide turned into by
path which led them to another knoll,
capped by a good-siZed building made
of logs. There sounded the grating
of key in lock, the shooting Of
bolt, and door opened to admit them.
"You will pardon me if | don't light
up," apologized the old man as he led
the way in. "a candle will be suffi-
cient You know there must be
privacy in these matters-always. Eth?
Isn't that so?'
Captain Plum followed without re-
ply. He guessed that the cabin was
made up of one large room, and that
at the present time, at least, it pos
sessed no other occupant than the
singular creature who had guided him
to it.
ct is just as we'll, on this particular
night, that no light is seen at the
window" continued the old man as
he rummaged about a table for
match and a candle. Il have little
corner back here that a candle will
brighten up nicely and no one in the
world will know it. Ho, no, hollow
nice it is to have quiet little corner