The Washington times., 1910-09-17

willing assumed a grave face
haps Il was not altogether assumed.
Il don't reckon that'H have much Ell
feet on him" he suggested. with trans
parent naiYete unless those are silver
bullets
Good. honest Iead-cap9ed with steel.
Willing. built TO let daylight tnrough
several inches Of oak. If I'm not mis-
taken This apparition viii have TO be
pretty unsubstantiaI II he expects TO
swallow 'em without injury to his gen
cral health"
Il guess that's right. too" From ap-
pearances. Willing was agreeable TO a
change OF subject I'm running over 20
Bay st Louis" he said, ito get the
mail for the cap'n- Anything 1 can do
for you. sir?"
Thank you. no." returned Cadogan.
amiabiy. My letters won't come that
way just yet. and we've everything else
we need, including plenty OF aEmuni-
The man smiled sourly, and after lin
gering few uneasy moments dropped
over the side again and rowed or 10 the
little siOOp swinging at her moorinz
some distance from the Colleen. Ten
minutes later he had her under way.
heading north across tse sound. Cado-
gan saw him go with sense Of relief,
modified by distrust-
''Willing's very willing. TO co. he
punned abominably. II fancy by night
fall Cochrane viii know I'm here, IN
less the telegraph wires are out of COM
mission
but TO save themselves a series OF long
ish rows. weighed both anchors-taking
aboard that which Crea8h had salvaSed
and allowed the Colleen TO drift half a
within easy rowing distance of spot
where, according to Topelius. they
would End a good landing and an easy
and weil-Oeaten path 20 the front gate
Heartlessly leaving to Creagh the task
OF ferrying the supplies ashore. CadO-
gan pushed forward up a track which
rulhlled Topelius' description to the let
ter. The way wound through planta-
ton Of cedars not too thick to prevent
glinnpSes OF smiling sea being caught
between the aisles of trunks
II was high noon, the sunlight playing
Ike lambent fame beneath heaven and
earth. and the land, where the trees
shut OF the breeze. was sTeItering hot.
a heavy reek Of scents compounded Of
tropical vegetation. hung in the air. The
blue OF the sky and sea were one a
faint haze yelling their meeting at the
horizon. The wide usSrid droWSed In a
blaze OF light and heat
Very different conditions had obtained
when Cadogan had previously approach
ed the gateway 70 the mansion, and his
emotions were appropriately different
supernatural nature Of his experience,
he was further cOmforted by the con-
sciousness OF the pistol Yet when he
found himself in the spot where he had
4
fected by the memory OF the fetid Odor
Of the thing that had attacked him
That had been a touch Of realism IN the
trick for which the perpetratOr should
pay dearly.
He was in nowise surprised 10 dis
cover that the sign had vanished. but
he noted the circumstance as a con-
firmation Of his suspicious II was hard
ly within reason TO credit his ghost with
the knowledge that the island had
changed ownership and the removal Of
the board 10 his jealous activity in the
interest Of the new proprietor Cado-
gan grinned at the thought; the sign
had been made away with on the night
tat he had shown his interest IN It lest
he should decide TO return and inspect
IL By daylight
The death-lfke silence Of the place and
hour did not deter him IN the least; he
approached the gates without apDrehen-
sion. unlocked the paddock with a great
deal Of difhculty-it had rS1sted quite as
badly as might have been expected-aDd
pushed the gates a5ar. dislodg1ng in the
process a considerable impeachment in
the shape Of a mass of earth and leaves
which had collected against the inside
IN the long years that the place had
lain neglected
A wilderness that had once been an
overgrown park revealed itself IN all
It's stark and uncompromfsing beauty
and loneliness Winding walks and
ample lawns alike had long since dis