Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1910-09-15

the stuff where l tell you to. Eth?
Isn't that so?" Ie darted ahead of
Captain Plum with a quick alert move
ment. "Will 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 rank i'm
position. At the same time he was
filled with a 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
dozen PAGES away and turned ex-
pectantly.
~ tell you again that you've got the
wrong man, dadl"
viii you follow me, sir?"
well, If you'll have 1t so-damned
II 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 hrefies.
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.
"St. James!"
The young man at his side gaZed
down silently upon the scattered lights,
his heart throbbing in a sudden tu-
multi of excitement. He had set out
that day with the idea of resting his
eyes on st. James. In its 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 strange excite
ment which he strove 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!"
and there fioated 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 good-sized building made
of logs. There sounded the grating
of key in lock, the shooting of a
bolt, and door opened to admit them
"You will pardon me II don't light
up" apologized the old man as he led
the way in. "a candle will be sufii-
Client. 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, 1t pos
sessed no other occupant than the
singular creature who had guided him
to It,
ut 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 table for a
match and candle. II have a little
corner back here that candle will
brighten up nicely and no one in the
world will know it. Ho. no, hollow
nice 1t is to have a quiet little corner
sometimes! Eth, Captain PLUMP"
At the sound Of his name Captain
Plum started as though an unexpected
hand had suddenly been laid upon him.
So he was expected after all, and his
name was known! For moment his
surprise robbed him of the power of
speech. The little old man had
lighted his candle, and, grinning back
over his shoulder passed through a
narrow cut in the wall that could hard
ly be called door and planted his
light on a table that stood in the cen
ter of a small room, or closet, not
more than five feet square. Then he
coolly pulled Captain Plum's old let.
ter from his pocket and smoothed 1t
out in the dim light.
(TO BE CONTINUED)