The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1911-01-27

was the kings wife why had her SSes
called to him for help!
The question crowded Nathaniel's
brain with hundred thrilling pic
lures. With q shudder he thought of
the terrible power the Mormon king
held not only over his own people but
over the Gentiles Of the mainlands as
well. With these mainlanders. he re.
garded Beaver Island as nest Of
pirates and murderers. He knew Of
the depredations Of Strang and his
people among the fishermen and set
tiers, Of the piratical expeditions Of
his armed boats, Of the dreaded raids
Of his sheriffs. and of the crimes that
made the women of the shores t-emble
and turn white at the mere mention Of
his name.
Was it possible that this girl
Captain Plum did not let himself
finish the thought. With powerful
effort he brought himself back to his
own business on the island, smoked
another pipe, and undressed. He went
to bed with the withered lilacs on the
table close beside him. He fell asleep
with their scent in his nostrils. When
he awoke they were gone. He started
up in establishment when he saw what
had taken their place. Obadiah had
visited him while he slept. The table
was spread with a white cloth and
upon it was his breakfast, pc: Of
coffee still steaming, and the whole
of cold baked fowl. Near by, upon
a chair, was a basin of water, soap
and towel. Nathaniel rolled from
his bed with healthy laugh Of pleas
ure. The councillor was at least a
courteous host, and his liking for the
curious old man promptly increased.
There was a sheet of paper on his
plate upon which Obadiah had scrib-
bled the following words:
"My Dear Nat: Make yourself at
home. will be away today but will
see you again tonight Don't be sur
prised If somebody makes you visit"
The somebody" was heavily under
scored and Nathanieps pulse quick.
ened and sudden flush of excitement
surged into his face as he read the
i
Strang's wife. There could be other
Interpretation. He went to the trap
and called down for Obadiah but there
was no answer. The councillor had al
ready gone. Quickly eating his break
fast the master Of the Typhoon
climbed down the ladder into the
room below. The remains of the coun-
cilor's breakfast were on table near
the door, and the door was open.
Through 1t came a glory of sunshine
and the fresh breath of the forest
laden with the perfume of wild flow.
ers and balsam. A thousand birds
seemed caroling and twittering in the
sunlit solitude about the cabin. Be.
yond this there was no other sound
or sign of life. For many minutes
Nathaniel stood in the open, his eyes
on the path along which he knew that
Strang's wife would come-if she
came at all. Suddenly he began to
examine the ground where the girl
had stood the previous night The
dainty imprints of her feet were plain.
ly discernible in the soft earth. Then
he went to the path-and with laugh
so loud that it startled the birds into
silence he set off with long strides in
the direction of st. James. From the
footprints in that path it was quite
evident that strang's wife was fire.
quent visitor at Obadiah's.
| At the edge of the forest, from
where he could see the log house stu.
ated across the opening, Nathaniel
paused. He had made up his mind
that the girl whom he had seen
through the kings window was in
some way associated with it, Obadiah
had limited as much and she had come
from there on her way to Strang's.
But as the prophets wives lived in his
castle at st. James this surely could
not be her home. More than ever he
was puzzled. AS he looked he saw q
figure suddenly appear from among
the mass of lilac bushes that almost
concealed the cabin. An involuntary
exclamation Of satisfaction escaped
him and he drew back deeper among
the trees. 1t was the councillor who
had shown himself. For a few mo
ments the old man stood gazing in
the direction of st. James as II watch
ing for the approach of other persons
Then he lodged cautiously along the
edge of the bushes, keeping half with
in their cover, and moved swiftly in
the opposite direction toward the cen
ter of the island. Nathaniel's blood
leaped with a desire to follow. The
night before he had guessed that
Obadiah with his gold and his smol
dering passion was not a man to iso
late himself in the heart Of the forest
Here-across the open-was evidence
of another side of his life. In thai
great square-built domicile Of logs
screened so perfectly by Towering
lilac, lived Obadiah's wives. Captain
Plum laughed aloud and beat the bow
of his pipe on the tree beside him
And the girl lived there-or came
from there to the woodland cabin 81
frequently that her feet had beaten
a well-worn path. Had the councillor
| 1}od <o hip,o Woe %ho vi~1 ~, l,oS