The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-01-12
MrCOURAGE Of
CAPTAIN Plum
D. JAMES OLIVER CURWOOD
ILLUSTRATIONS @ hAGlUS G.KEIINER
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the deserts. of the west came he had
led his own followers into the north,
and that each July, amid barbaric fes-
tivities, he was recrowned with a
circlet of gold. But the girl! If she
was the kings wife why had her eyes
called to him for help?
The question crowded Nathaniels
brain with hundred thrilling pic
lures. With a 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
we'll.
Was 1t 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 white cloth and
upon it was his breakfast, pot 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 sheet of paper on his
plate upon which Obadiah had scrib-
bled the following words:
my Dear Nat: Make yourself at
home. l will be away today but will
see you again tonight. Don't be sur
prised II somebody makes you visit"
The somebody" was heavily under
scored and Nathaniel's pulse quick
ened and sudden flush of excitement
surged into his face as he read the
meaning of It. The somebody was
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
climbed down the ladder into the
room below. The remains of. the coun-
cilor's breakfast were on a table near
the door, and the door was open.
Through it came 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-
You'd 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 1t startled the birds into
silence he set off with long strides in
the direction of ST. James. From the
footprints in that path 1t 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
figure rsuddenly 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 few mo-
ments the old man stood gazing IN
the direction Of ST. James as if watch
inE for the approach ofother persons.