Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-08
CHAPTER II.
The Seven Wives.

IN Strengthened himself and stood as
lid as gargoyle, his gaze penetra-
Ag into the darkness of the room
hyond Captain Plum, his head in
!. .alined slightly, every nerve in him
strained to tension OF expectancy.
His companion Involuntary gripped
the butt of his pistol and faced the
narrow entrance through which they
had come. In the moment of absolute
silence that followed there came to
!, him. family, sound, unintelligible at
:,st, but growing in volume until he
New that it was the last echo of
Hing bell. There was no movement,
sound of breath or whisper from
Tie old man at his back. But when
1t came again, floating to him as if
from a vast distance, he turned quick
" to find Obadiah Price with his face
lifted, his thin arms flung wide above
his head and his lips moving as if in
prayer. His eyes burned with dull
glow as though he had been suddenly
thrown into a trance. He seemed not
to breathe, no vibration of life stirred
him except in the movement of his
lips. With the third toll of the distant
bell he spoke, and to Captain Plum
1t was as if the passion and fire in
his voice came from another being.
"Our Christ, Master of hosts, we
call upon thy chosen people the three
blessings of the universe-peace, pros
perity and plenty, and upon Strang.
priest, king and prophet, the bounty
of thy power"
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 to Cap
tain Plum.
Franklin Pierce, president of the
United States of America he re-
peated, as though there had been no
interruption since his companions
question. "The package is to be de-
livered to him. Now you must excuse
me. An important matter calls me
out for short time. But will be
back soon-oh, yes, very soon. And
you will wait for me. You will wait
for me here, and then l will take you
to ST. James,
He was gone in quick hopping
way, like cricket, and the last that
Captain Plum saw of him was his
ghostly face turned back for an in
slant 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
andsdied away as he passed out into
the night: Nathaniel Plum was not
man to be easily startled, but there
s, something SO unusual about the
bceedings in which he was as yet
kying blind part that he forgot to
noke, which was saying much. Who
as the old man? Was he mad? His
res scanned the little room and an
Iclamation of establishment fell from
lips when he saw the leather bag,
,rtly filled with gold, lying where
mysterious acquaintance had
topped it. Surely this was madness
else another ruse to test his hon
". The discovery thrilled him. 1t
wonderfully quiet out in that
Dom and very dark Were hid
yes guarding that bag? Well,
ould give their owner to
that he was not thief.
m his chair and moved
9 bag, lifted it in his hand,
a d tossed it back again so that the
gold in it chinked loudly. Then he
went to the narrow aperture and
blocked it with his body and listened
until he knew that if 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. It
struck him that It would be pleasanter
waiting outside than in, and it would
undoubtedly make no difference to
iObadiah Price. In front of the cabin
The found the stump of log and seat
ing himself on it where the clear
light of the stars fell full upon him
he once more began his interrupted
smoke It seemed to him that he
had waited long time VIXEN he heard
the sound, of footsteps. They came
rapidly as if the person was half run
ming Hardly had he located the di.
.rection of the sound when a figure ap-
ipeared in the opening and hurried
toward the door of the cabin. A
dozen yards from him it paused for
moment and turned partly about, as if
inspecting the path over which it had
come. With a greeting whistle Cap
tain Plum jumped to his feet. He
heard little throat note, which was
mot the chuckling Of Obadiah Price,
end the igure ran almost into his
iorms A sudden knowledge Of having
made a mistake drew Captain Plum
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. Instinc-
lively he lifted his hand to his hat,
but before he could speak the girl
orang back with a low cry and ran
yiftly down the path that led into
/, gloom of the woods
For several minutes Captain Plum
sod as If the sudden apparition had
trified him. He listened long after
b sound of retreating footsteps had
ed away. There remained behind
faint sweet odor of lilac which
kirred his soul and set his blood
citing. It was q beautiful face that
u sI.e had asS: seen He was sure Of that and
yet he could have given no good YER
hal nroof Of IT, Only the ewes and