Morgan County republican., 1910-08-11

bell hs spoke. and to Cnptfin PUN
It was as II the passion and IRE IN
his voice came from Anoth.r being.
Our Christ, Master OF hosts, we
call upon thy chosen peoplS The three
blessings Of the universe-peace. pros
perity and plenty, and upon Strang,
priest, king and prophet. the bounty
Of thy p5wer!"
Three times more the distant bell
tolled forth its mysterious message
and when the last echoes had died
away the old mans arms dropped be
side him and he turned again 70 Cap
tain Plum.
Franklin Pierce, president OF the
United States OF America" ho re-
peated. as though there had been NO
interruption since HE companions
question. THE package Is to be de-
livered to him. Now you must excuse
me. An important matter calls me
out for a short time. But | VIII be
back soon-oh, yes, very soon. Anc
you will wait for me. You will walt
for me here, and then ! will take you
to st. James"
He was gone in quick hopping
way, like a cricket, and the last that
Captain Plum saw of him was his
| ghostly face turned back for an in
stant in the darkness of The next
room, and after that the soft patter
OF his feet and the strange chuckle In
his throat Travelled to the outer door
and died away as he passed out into
the night. Nathaniel Plum was not
a man to be easily startled but there
was something so unusual about the
proceedings in which he was az yet
playing a blind part that he forgot to
smoke, which was saying much. Who
was the old man? Was he mad? His
eyes scanned the little room and an
exclamation OF astonishment fell from
his lips when he saw the leather bag.
partly filled with gold, lying where
his mysterious acquaintance had
dropped It. Surely this was madness
or else another ruse to test his hon
, esty. The discovery thrilled him. II
was wonderfully quiet out In that
next room and very dark Were hid
den eyes guarding that bag? Well,
II so, he would give their owner to
understand that he was not thief.
He rose from his chair and moved
toward the bag, lifted it In his hand,
and tossed 1t back again so that the
gold In It chinked loudly. Then he
went to the narrow aperture and
blocked 1t with his body and listened
until he knew that II there had been
human life in the room he would have
heard It.
! The outer door was opened and
through It there came to him the soft
breath OF the night air and the sweet
ness of balsam and wild flowers. II
struck him that 1t would be plcasanter
waiting outside than In. and it would
undoubtedly make no difference to
Obadiah Price. In front of the cabin
he found the stump OF log and seat.
ing himself on 1t where the clear
light OF the stars fell full upon him
he once more began his interrupted
smoke. 1t seemed to him that he
had waited long time when he heard
the sound Of footsteps. They came
rapidly as II the person was half run
ming. Hardly had he located the di.
rectlon OF the sound when a figure ap.
peared in the opening and hurried
toward the door OF the cabin. A
dozen yards from him 1t paused for a
moment and turned partly about, as II
inspecting the path over which it had
come. With greeting whistle Cap
tain Plum Jumped to his feet. He
heard a little throat note. which was
not the chuckling Of Obadiah Price,
and the figure ran almost into his
arms A sudden knowledge of hivir =
made a mistake drew Captain Plum a
pace backward. For scarcely more
than five seconds he found himself
staring into the white terrified face
Of girl. Eyes wide and glowing with
sudden fright met his own. lnstinc'
lively he lifted his hand to his hat
but before he could speak the girl
sprang back with low cry and ran
swiftly down the path that led into
the gloom OF the woods.
tTO BE CONTINUED.)