The Washington times., 1910-09-24
Plumber Island :e!: !! ~ e: y; ::
By LOUIS JOSEPH VANCE
Copyright. The Frank A Munsey c.

, ward Willing was almost incredible
But that is what he did The second
oulet caught him Just. as the missile
left MS hands.
He seemed TO shriveI I'D. precisely as
chid's toy balloon colIapses il the air
IS let out through a small pin-hole. His
head dropped upon his shoulders, his
sides seemed TO close in upon them
selves. his legs gave beneath him In a
trlce ne was no more than a huddied
reap on tns floor.
The whirl.ng club first struck Will
ing arm upon the wrist knocking the
weapon from his hand then sent its
heavier end smashing through the
other arm, which he had instinctiveiy
raised as g guard and into his face
He stumbled and fell, slid down a few
steps and still.
The shots. breaking the tension.
shocked the spectators out Of their in
voluntarily passive poses, affecting them
N precisely contrary ways
The g-rl yielded for the first time in
two hours Of intense emotion to the
weakness which she had beer lighting
on The pistol fell from her fingers,
ana she sWayed for a moment as a
flower sways in the wind
She would have fallen on her face had
not CadOgan, electrified into action, com
pretended her trouble ard caught her
IN his arms
And in ths.e momenc, on the heels Of
so mean and tawdry a tragedy, he
found time to understand the true ma
tUre or MS feeling for her His heart
yearned as she lay limp and senseless IN
MS grasp. and he pitied ner with a
poignant compassion, bending over and
whispering 70 her immObile and beau
tifui face, as-if he had some thought of
so rOusing her.
Presently quickening to the knowledge
that she should not be allowed TO re-
main there II she we're TO be saved
from violent form Of hysteria when
she should become conscious. he arose
wholly unconscious OF any reluctance
on The part OF his arms and legs) ann.
liftlng her as easily as If she had been
a child. bore her out upon the veranda-
IfsTe putting her down between door
and window, 50 that she might not be
able 20 see into the hall Il she were 70
come 10 herself before he returned, he
went back into the room
His hrst duty was 70 Creagh. The
lrlshman lay supine between the cots, q
gTlmdCe OF unTelieVed wrath and anxiety
IN tWlnkling had relieved him Of his
bonds; then, passing an arm behind his
shoulders, he lifted him up
Don't try TO speak. Terry; it's all
The 1rishman Ieered and spat. Cado-
gan 5 warning had been useless.
CreaShs tongue was as completely out
OF com mission as his employers had
been a little while before
CadOgau patted him afIectionateIy on
the shoulder and STROBE across the hall
20 me staircase With qualm OF dis
gust he stepped around the lifeless
thing that an hour before had embodied
the ghost of "CadOEan's Folly" and
took I'D vikings revolver from the step
TO which II had slid. some few feet be
low its owner Then he ascended to
examine that unconscious but normally
astute and ingenious gentleman.
He would never again be able to hold
himself even passably well favored. IN
less he happened TO fan into the hands
OF an uncommonly competent surgeon
BIS nose was badly crushed, he had lost
some teeth, and there was an abrasion
on his forehead that would leave a scar
If Il failed 70 receive careful attention.
one hand lay on ms cneSt VIII a
handkerchief falling from around u.
Cadogau shuddered to see that II had
been almost bitten through from back
Ne Who had measured out his own
punishment. had himself to thank
II was even in CadOgan's heart 20
10 learn the fun list OF his infamies.
However. for the nOnCe he might be
counted out Of the running CadoSan
WSs merely concerned to assure himself
that the assistant keeper carried no
other arms There was no occasion to
leave him with the means TO make him
self troublesome should he have spirit
enough left 70 wish 70 do so when he
came TO-
Cadogan. therefore, searched his
pockets, but with no result as to arms.
He found something else, however,
that interested him 10 the point OF ap-
prOpriatiOn-tvyO slips Of paper, one vel
low and thick and old one crisp and
white and modern, the former crowded
with handwriting Of the cramped
archaic style and in a foreign Ian
guage-French, at a haZaTG-the other,
traced in pencil. appearing TO be
translation Of its companion
Cadogan put them in his pocket and
came down stairs to stand over
Creagh-
How're you doing. Terry2''
Parrish, Afisther Peter" in a high,
forced whisper. What's happened2-'
CadoEan Informed him briefly Of what
he had gathered Willing, aided by q
negro, who seemed 10 have been the IA
miiiar spirit Of the place, had over
responsible for their release. vikings
ally had turned upon him. had been
killed. but had knocked Willing uncon-
sciOUs- More than this he could not
say
I'm going to take care Of Miss Todd.
who's tainted he. concluded Are you
al le TO use your pistOl2'
Yes, sir-tIunk so"
Let me see
Creagh painfully unanswered one hand
into his pocket, brought forth the mate
TO CadOgan's weapon and fOurished il
with considerable abandon
stop that The thing goes of at a
touch, and I don't want my head blown
of after all we've gone through VIII
YOU sit here and keep watch-don't let
Willing get away-till I return2 I may
have to take Miss Todd to the light
house"
VERY good, sir. I won't let Willing
get away-not very far away"
The Continuation of This story VIII
BE Found in TOmc-rOw's
Issue OF The Times