The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-03-23
CHAPTER xxIL-tcontinued.)

SedhSu Ily NE, Hot upon tHe uoHoT VI
Valentine Imroth, but upon a human
interest I believed powerful enough tc
protect me. And this step took that
l might return to Joan and say: Here
Is the truth: here is the story which
you and 1 will guard while we live
The danger could be nothing to me ir
the face OF that which success must
mean. / was as miner lifting his
pick for the last time. All, my God!
what hopes and fears carried to that
lonely island, what a burden Of doubt
and dread!
We left st. Katherine's wharf late
in the afternoon, and it was almost
dark when the great orb of the Chap
man Light came to our view. A rough
diagram on the back of Imroth's let
ter had indicated to me where l must
land upon the island, and at what
point his servants would await for me
Had ! been In doubt, green lantern
swinging by the low wall Of a decrepit
farmhouse-the first you see when the
island comes to your view-would have
called my attention to the place and in
vited me to go ashore there. had by
consent passed my word to take none
but Okyada to the meeting, and faith
full to the promise he alone followed
me to the landing stage and prepared
to go up to the house with me. The
launch itself had been lent to me by
Messrs. Yarrow. and was commanded
by one of their engineers. / did not
dare ask even Captain Larry to be
with me upon such a highland as for
my friend, the loquacious Timothy, IL
would have been madness to bring him
Imroth had told me In the plainest
terms that my very life depended upon
faithful Interpretation of the terms
of the compact, and l knew my man
too well to doubt his meaning. This
lonely shore, / said again, would be
watched by hundred eyes.
An old negro stood on the landing
stage as the launch came alongside
and he 1t was who carried, the lantern
No one else appeared to be about
though / heard whistle blown sharply
and answered by another over toward
the Essex shore. The negro himself
hid his face as much as possible from
me, nor did he utter a single word OF
betray the slightest emotion at my
coming: / noticed. however, that he
waited for the launch to cast a little
way off into the river before he moved
from the stage and when this was done
and the whistle had been sounded a
second time, he led the way up mar
row grassy path to the farmhouse, and
quietly left me at it's door. Night had
quite come down by. this time, and a
dank white mist began to rise above
Tic lie IdTIillOuSt lIStlI dp
peared to be a structure built by some
honest Dutchman who had helped to
save Canvey Island from the sea when
Essex was still washed by the waters
sof the estuary. A single light burned
In one OF it's windows, but elsewhere
It was dark as the river which flowed
so blackly before it's gates.
/ knocked three times upon an an
cient door, and, was answered. immedi-
ateiy by a trim maidseryant. Yes. she
said, Mr.. Imrothawas at home and ex-
pectfng. me, And so she lshered me
into the presence of that master GRIM
inal for whom the police had searched
the cities of the world.
Seated in low armchair I'm "a little
room at the front OF the house<a poor
shabby apartment furnished with no
better taste than a Margate lodging
house, perceived that Valentine In
roth wore a green shade low over his
eyes, but not so low as to impair his
vision; while, the chair she had placed
for me and the lamp set upon the table
would permit him to follow every pass
ing thought of mine with the eyes OF a
human. artist upon whom. nothing is
lost. Careless in. his attitude. he
smoked an imfnence cigar with evident
satisfaction and had by Ibis side a
black bottle, which, as / knew by its
shape, should contain Holland gin. In
many ways changed man from the
Imroth had met upon the heights al
Santa Maria, the, ferocious aspect OF
him was but little abated and as
though to emphasize it. he had laid a
great. stick by the, sidey OF his chair
while one Of the ugliest boar hounds
have ever seen b1inked at his feet.sand
lifted q savage head. silently, at : j, my
coming. These things observed in
stantly, and drew my own conclusions
I" from them. ~He s~not arnfed,"I said
''but somewhere near by my friends are
+, he gave the word. and half a score OF
the ruffians would do the rest" A
place of peril surely--and yet / had
known that II must be so when I SET
out to meet him.
put my hat upon the floor and drew
the chair little back from the table
to which 1t had been drawn up.
II am here" / said shortly, 'in an
swer to your letter. The conditions
upon which we meet are faithfully OBJ
served between JUS. My servant Is
waiting for me at your door, and my
launch is eout in the river; Let us get
to business at once That. / hope. Is
your wish"
He. thrust the shade back upon his
forehead, and showed me a pair OF red
limned eyes, watery and blinking, al
the dogs at his feet. The long, thir
hand which held the cigar seemed tc
be silver backed like brush, with
nails as black as ebony. An immense
diamond glittered upon his little fin.
at is my hope" he repeated, no
without dignity-which. however, HI
lost instantly in the manner Of broker
of Houndsditch selling shabby furni,
ture-"to see the great DIR. 'Fabos Of
London, 10 have him in my house
that is an honor for an humble old man
What have I done to deserve it-hov
has this pleasure come into poor ole
life?"
He Uttered like some old witch max.
ing peat fire by a. roadside. But i
was the, laughter of vanity not to b.
hushed, and. passed. it By, with a ges'
ture.
1.-The pleasure came into your hous,
at your own invitation I. rejoineds II
will 'go again very shortly by the sam,
road. Please give me your attention
L am. here, neither for mutual expires,
sion Of STANDARDIZATION nor the .desir,
of your .amiable company. In a word
I have come to ask you for. the 'story
of Joan Fordibras.' 49, /, :.','
He nodded his head still tittering