Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1910-08-18
CHAPTER il..~Continuec.

For several minutes Captain Plum
stood as If the sudden apparition had
petrined him. He listened long after
the sound OF %rctreating footsteps had
dieG away. There remained behind
q faint sweet odor OF lilac which
stirred his soul and set his blood
Sgbting. II vas n beautiful face that
he had seen. lie was sure of that and
yet he could have given no good YER
bal proof Of It. only the eyes and
the odor Of lilac remained with him
and after n little the lilac drifted
away. Then he went back to the log
and sat down. He smiled as he
thought Of the Joke that he had un-
willingly played on Obadiah. From
his knowledge OF the Beaver Island
MOrmons he was satisfied hat the
old man who displayed gold in such
reckless profusiOn was anything but
O bachelor. In all probabilit" this
was one Of his wives and the cabin
behind him. he concluded. was for
some reason isolated from the harem.
"Evidcntly that little saintcss Is not
q firt," he concluded. cor she would
have given me time to speak to her"
The continued absence OF Obadiah
Price began to nll Captain Plum with
impaticnCc. After IN hours wait he
reentered the cabin and made his way
to the little room, where the candle
was still burning dimly. To his as
constituent he beheld the old man
sitting beside the table. His thin face
was prOppcd between his hands and
his eyes were closed as II he was
asleep They shot open instantly on
Captain Plum's appearance.
i've been waiting for you, Nat" he
cried. straightening himself with
spring like quickncss. Waiting for
you a long time, Nnt'" II" rubbed
his hands and chuckI"d at his own
familiarity. 81 saw YOU out there en-.
joying yourself. What did you think
Of her, Nat?" He wluk"d with such
audaclOus glee that. despite his own
establishment. Captain Plum burst
into a laugh. Obadiah Price held up
n warning hand "Tut, tut, not so
loud" he admonishod His face was
a map of wrinkles. His little black
eyes shone with silent laughter.
There was no doubt but that he was
immensely pleased over something.
"Tell me, Nativity did you come to
st. James?"
he leaned forward over the table,
his odd white head almost resting on
1t. and twiddled his thumbs with won.
derful rapidity. "Eh, Nat?" he urged.
why did you come"
because It was too ho, and unin.
teresting lying out there In a calm,
dad" replied the master Of the Ty,
phOon. We've been roasting for 80
hours without a breath TO I'M our sails.
came over to see what o people
are like. Any harm don"?"
mot a bit. not a hIt-y"t," chuckled
the old man. And what's your bust.
ness. Nat?"
"Sailing-mOstly."
"IIo, no, no! of course, | might
have known II! Sailing-mostly.
Why, certainly you sail And why
do you carry n pistol on one side OF
you and a knife on the other, Nat?"
"TrOublous times, Dad Some OF
Nv " loih uioIIG Wv .NbIIUtTn Emu
aren't very %scrupulous, They took a
cargo Of canned stuTs from me q
year back"
And what use do you make of the
four FOUNDER that's wrapped up II
tarpaulin under your deck. Nat? And
what In the world are you going to dc
with five barrels of gunpowder?"
How In blaZes-" began Captair
Plum.
20. to be sure. to be sure-they'r,
for the hsher-folk," Interrupted Oba
diah Price. BLOW 'em up. eh, Nat
And you seem to be a young man O
education. Nat. How did you happier
to make a mistake IN your count
Haven't you ~ men aboard your slool
instead OF eight, Nat? Aren't Their,
~ instead Of eight? Eh, Nat?"
"The devil take you" cried Captain
Plum, leaping suddenly to his fee,
his face flaming red, Yes. | hav,
got IL men and I've got n gun II
tarpaulin and I've got five barrels O
gunpowder! But how IN the name q
kingdom-come did you find 1t out?"
Obadiah Price came around the en-
OF the table and stood so close I
Captain Plum that u person ten fee