The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-11-13


calm when Coast regaiued the beach /
| before the deserted village The wind !
| had died away 10 mere vagrant /
breaths, barely strong enough to
| darken that DULY polished unquiet
| floor OF water, widening in loneliness
from those desolate fog bound shores |
| Pausing beside the beached catboat
Coast stared hungrily at the little yes
sci off shore, gently swinging a. its
| mooring. How to reach her. how
make use Of her if needs must? !
|. He shook his head In doubt, strong
| ly assured now that he would Set foot
upon her decks only through exercise
of force
His hopes reverted now to Apple
yard as the last resort. Without the
little man and the Echo-or some 9th
er boat-he was powerless, a figure
for the mirth Of his enemies
At his feet the blind dog crouched,
motionless as stone, seeming to search
the infinite with the unwinking stare
of its dead, colorless eyes.
Abruptly a sound of pelting feet
transformed the scene The blind dog
lifted up with Jump and faced round,
growls, rum1ling In It's throat Coast
turned, startled and apprehensIve.
Down the way to the beach Chang
was running at curious, outlandlsh
jog-trot, head low between his broad,
gaunt shoulders. Apparently he was
heading directly for Coast
With little thrill of fear the Amer
lean glanced round for some means OF
defending himself. He had no doubt
that the Chinaman had been commits
stoned to dispose OF him even as poor
Power had been done away with. In
sudden flush of anger he laid hold
of the first thing that caught his eye
which happened to be the half rotted
tiller Of the catboat, heavy and
formidable club If 1t did not break
with the initial blow-and moved a
pace or two forward. holding himself
in position of defence.
But within hundred yards the Chi
naman swerved widely, then held on
steadily toward the northern sand
spit. A moment or two later he ar
rived at the waters edge, and while
Coast stared half stupefed, stopped
and stripped to his linen drawers, then
took to the water, wading out until he
lost footing. then swimming with long,
powerful, overland strokes, straight
off for the catboat
Watching the round, shaven poll
with its coiled pigtail cut swiftly
drought the glimmering silvery sheet
of water. Coast lost himself in anxious
I speculation until recalled by a quick
YO0vomant IF tho doc hic cido
companied by a deep-throated growl.
He wheeled then to discover Black
> stock close upon them, his burly body
swaying heavily as he came on at
. moderate pace.
/ A second growl, that more resem-
bled an angry roar, brought the man
to a standstill. with a hand moving
nervously toward the side pocket OF
his coat in which a hrearm sagged
visibly
IF you're on speaking terms with
that BRUTE said the man brusquely,
call him OF before / take a pot-shot
at him"
Keep your hand clear of that peck
et," said Coast sharply, advancing, "or
I'll take chance at you myself"
curved, contemptuous. Take your
| chance, by all means, with that silly,
worm-eaten tiller If you've got the
nerve: but call of that dog, or I'll
\ shoot him dead l want little talk
with you
Coast, without ceasing to watch the
man, for fear of treachery, had
stepped to the dogs side and caught
his fingers In an aged and weather
worn strap round its throat, before he
appreciated the full significance Of
! Blackstock's words. Then his jaw
; dropped and his eyes widened.
What" he cried, astounded. His
| gaze was keen upon the plump, dark.
british face that leered at him; he
] saw its small eyes no longer dull and
/ fixed, but twinkling with an evil, imp
ish glitter. The dim suspicion that
more than once he had rejected from
4 his thoughts as extravagant and idle,
was suddenly resolved into conviction.
7 80" he said slowly, you do see, aft
or ALL"
THE discovery" said Blackstock
- with a ponderous a1ectation Of NOR
dant wit, does credit to your perspi-
\ Guilty. 1 congratulate you on making
it-when l chose to let you"
For a moment occupied with re-
straining the dog which seemed half
mad with desire to fly at Blackstock's
throat, Coast made no reply In the
light of this revelation the situation
was taking on a new and fairly terri
flying complexion.
"Of the two Of US, must say you've
been the blindest," Blackstock con-
10 tinued in a manner of biting irony
. that seemed to amuse him. Il won
l. dered from the first how long you'd
, take to find me out Kate. OF course,
I'm accustomed to; I've had her hyp-
Noticed so long that she never dreams
of questioning the matter. no matter
how barefaced l am. But you-Lord.
I thought you'd show more discrimina
toni" He chuckled grimly. resting an
elbow on the side of the careenee
boat. You, the knighterrant" h
jeered. Blind as a bat. Good Lord.
Coast spoke to the dog and succeed
ed In quieting it temporarily. You've
been taking all along?' he asked
4 without visible resentment. Eve
= since you showed up in court witt
those smoked glasses?"