Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-16
CHAPTER v.
tof lT The Mystery.

~ tators about the whipping
p@ the enormity of his offense
tTHF. upting the kings Justice
6-pon him. He was not sorry
4. had responded to the mute
10 the girl who had entered so
NY - into his life. He rejoiced at
IA. ~. l. had moved him to &C.
AT 4 his blood and put
Probate law 9 ant IN his arms;
slb .ettIererv.s tingled with an I'M
Realty. pjoy that he had leaped all
bpubIie. shic,. in cooler moments
sstrooe. estrained him, and which
L.>-- excited brain only the
memory IF .ne beautiful face that had
sought his own, in those crucial mo-
ments Of it's suffering. The girl had
turned to him and to him alone among
all those men. He had heard her
voice, he had felt the soft sweep of
her hair as he severed the prisoners
thongs, he had caught the fash of her
eyes and the movement of her lips as
he dashed himself into the crowd. And
as he sped swiftly up the slope he
considered himself amply repaid for
all he had done. His blood was stirred
as If by the fire of sharp wines; he
was still In tension of fighting ex-
element. Yet no sooner had he fought
himself clear of the mob than his bet
ter judgment leaped into the ascend
ency. If danger had been lurking for
him before 1t was doubly threatening
now and he was sufficiently possessed
80 =, l,~sk 20 -
exult at the speed with which he was
enabled to leave pursuit behind A
single glance over his shoulder as
sured him that the man whom he had
saved from the prophets wrath was
close at his heels. His first impulse
was to direct his fight toward Oba-
diah's cabin; his second to follow the
path that led to his ship. At this hour
some OF his men would surely be
awaiting him in small boat and once
aboard the Typhoon he could continue
his campaign against the Mormon king
with better chances Of SUCCESS than
as a lone fugitive on the island. Be-
sides, he knew what Casey would do
at shutdown.
At the top Of the slope he stopped
and waited for the other to come up
to him.
I've got ship of there" he called,
pointing inland. Take short cut for
the point at the head Of the island.
There's boat waiting for u.s."
Neil came up painting. He was
breathing SO hard that for moment
he found 1t impossible to speak but
in his eyes there was look that told
his unbounded gratitude. They were
clear, fearless eyes, with the blue
CLINT Of steel in them and, as he held
out his hands to Nathaniel, they were
luminous with the Joy Of his deliver
ance.
Thank you, Captain Plum"
He spoke his companions name
with the assurance OF one who had
known 1t for long time. 'If they
loose the dogs there will be no time
for the ship" he added, with sug-
gestive bunch Of his naked shoulders.
FOLLOW mel"
There was no alarm in his voice and
Nathanial caught the flashing CLEAN
Of White teeth as Neil 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
q 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 = dense thicket Of briars
and underbrush and for ten minues
they plunged through the painless
Jungle. Now and then Nathaniel saw
che three red stripes of the whippers
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 4
into 1t 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 80 openly sac
rihced herself 1t the whipping post,
about whom she had thrown her arms
and covered with the protection of her
glorioos hair? WITH his JOY at having
served her there was mingled 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 . 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 an.
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 |
1east relieve him Of his burden of
doubt. They had travelled a mile
through forest unbroken by path or
road whea Neil halted on the edge Of
= little stream that ran into swamp.
Pointing into the tangled fen with .
con0dent smile he plunged to- his /
waist in the water and waded slowly
thE ough the slough into the gloom of Il