The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1910-11-04
CHAPTER IIi.-continued.

You will stay-eh, Nat?" he cried,
bobbing his head. Yes, you will stay,
and you will give me back the pack.
age for Q day or two" He retreated
to the trap and slid down It as quick.
ly as . rat. Pleasant dreams to you,
Nat. and-O. wait a minute," Cap
tain Plum could hear him pattering
quickly over the floor below. In a
moment he was back. thrusting his
white grimacing face through the
trap and tossed something upon the
bed. "She left them last night, Nat.
Pleasant dreams. pleasant dreams"
and he was gone.
Nathaniel turned to the bed and
picked up faded bunch OF nlacs.
Then he sat down. loaded his pipe,
and smoked until he could hardly see
the walls Of his little room. From the
moment of his landing on the island
he turned the events of the day over
In his mind. Yet when he arrived at
the end Of them he was no less mys-
titled than when he began. Who was
Obadiah Price? Who was the girl
that fate had so mysteriously asso-
ciated with his movements thus far?
What was the plot in which he had
accidentally become involved? With
tireless tenacity he hung to these
questions for hours. That there was
plot of some kind he had not the
least doubt. The councillors strange
actions. the oath, the package. and
above all the scene in the kings house
convinced him of that And he was
sure that obadiah's night yisitor-the
girl with the lilacs-was playing q
vital part In 1t.
He plucked at the withered flowers
which the old man had thrown him.
He could detect their sweet scent
above the pungent fumes of tobacco
and as Obadiah's triumphant chuckle
required to him. the gloating joy in
his eyes. the passionate tremble of his
voice. q grim smile passed over his
face. The mystery was easy Of solu-
tion-if he was willing to reason along
certain lines. But he was not willing.
He had formed his own picture OF
Strang's wife and It pleased him to
keep It. At moments he half con-
coded himself fool, but that did not |
trouble him. The longer he smoked
the more his old confidence and his
old recklessness returned to him. He |
had enjoyed his adventure. The next |
day he would end 1t. He would 20 |
openly Into St. James and have done
his business with Strang. Then he
would return to his ship. What had
be. Captain Plum. to do with Strang's
wife?
But even after he had determined
On these things his brain refused to
rest. He paced back and forth
across the narrow room. thinking Of
he man whom he was to meet to-
Strang, the one-time
and Temperance lecturer
Tho had made himself a king. who
or seven years had deiied the state
md nation. and who had made of his
STAND stronghold a hot-bed of polyE-
my. Of RIGHTEOUSNESS. of dissolute
'ower. His blood grew hot an he
bought again Of the beautiful girl
vho had appealed to him. Obadiah
lad said that she was the kings wife.
,till-
Thoughts flashed into his head
vhich for . time made him forget his
niscion on the island. In spite OF his
esolution to keep to his own scheme
% found himself. after a little, think.
ng only Of the Mormon king. and the
Dvely face he had seen through the
astle window. He knew much about .
hs man with whom he was to deal
He knew that he had been ,
rival Of Brigham Young and that
'hen tAe exodus q the Aormons to I
b deserts u the west came 10 ha1
u his own followers inAO the nortA,
- ~ each July. aDad barbaric fes- !