Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1910-01-22
CHAPTER XVI

Our change Of base was to be made
after sunset, between those hours when
the darkness should first steal across the
beach, and those when our enemy might
expect that we would venture forth under
the shade OF night. We decided to leave
Duponceaus chest where it was for the
present, In the belief that the enemy
would instantly turn their attention to
my cottage and that the box would be
safest In some such place as that desert
ed cabin.
With night-fall we prepared, glad to
be about something after eight hours OF
patient watching. We were to go In
single file, | first, Rodney next. his
wounded arm in a sling, then Duponceau,
and finally Charles, with some little space
between us. We cleaned and loaded our
revolvers, and about o'clock, when we
could no longer see the sail-boat standing
out against u.s. | babe good-by to the
Ship, slid over the side into the water,
crossed through II, and crept over the
rocks I turned ind signaled to Rodney
that the coast was clear, and saw him
lower himself by one arm and find foot
ing. Then, with silent prayer that no
stray bullet might lodge In one OF us be-
fore we reached cover, | stepped gingerly
on to the beach. You have seen pictures
of African warriors stealing tip-toe
through the jungle, their whole bodies
alert for any noise. SO | went, my sense
of hearing abnormally acute, my eyes
strainlng into the. twilight for peril.
| could neither run nor stop. but stepped on
| with the precision of an automaton, hop
| ing that In time the stretch OF sand
would have slipped past beneath my feet
and I come to the refuge of the dunes.
did not look back, but knew that three
| other men were tip-toeing as silently be
| hind me, keen as was | to break into
dash. SO on and on | went. for endless
time II seemed then-hearing only ths
sob of the ebb and flow OF the tide and
| the soft surring rattle of the water az
| 1t slipped back over a stretch of stones.
/ nearcd the cottage, had gone one-half,
two-thirds, three-fourths, of the way, and
| then OF q sudden screaming gull whir-
red above my head, and, without thought
save that | must break this tension, shot
forth full running for the house. | raced
| over the hard sand, over the soft sand,
and when | came to my cottage fell pant
ing In the wide arms OF the Dunes quiv-
ering breathless moment later the
| three others had fallen near me, and we
all Law there like so many bags of meal.
THAT'S panic !" said Rodney. 81 know
now how II comes without any cause
After a time Charles rose and stole to
the kitchen window. He looked In and
shook his head. Then he disappeared
around the other side. Nobody there"
he presently reported.
looked at my pistol and led the way.
The front door was ajar. and without any
more ado / entered my house on tip-toe,
keen-eyed as a cat. The others followed,
and Charles closed the door and bolted It.
I went into the kitchen. found II also
empty. and secured that entrance; then.
with the same care, we four filed up the
stairs and into my study. A man sat in
my Morris-chair, smoking my meerschaum
pipe. | covered him with the revolver as
} he looked up.
Hello" said he. "Never mind the
gun. I'm alone In the house, and my
guns not In shooting order"
Suppose see, sir" said Charles, and
moment later he found revolver In
! the mans hip-pocket and appropriated 1t
"Wen," demanded, what have you to
, say to breaking Into a mans house In his
81 absencer
y The other--you could see he had q
= sense Of humor from the wry smile hs
! made-eaned back and cooked his eye al
Q me. 81 heard you'd gone to sea-" he an.
o swered, land wouldn't be coming bach
r soon"
I "Ah, that's where have the advantage
of you, and very considerable advan
! tage. What l want is the Frenchmar
l over there" He looked past me at Du
ponceau. at come In for gold when cap
I ture him"
7 I signaled to Charles, and In a trio
a he had bent the mans arms tight arount
n the back Of the chair. found rope ant
a tied him there fast We bound his moutl
securely, so that even his wry smile dis
: appeared. and then left him.
7 Ito be continued.)