Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-01
BY E. LAWRENCE DUDLEY.

Bailey met us on the Veranda.
Where's Mr.. Hayward" I asked.
Down on the beach with Anderson.
You two'd better get into tn house.
Has anything happened
| How do l know" he sneered. ''Th'
old lunatic didn't say.
! 1t was the spirit of mutny beginning to
show itself. Even Pierre. busily arrans-
! ing the weapons on the tables. which had
| been drawn up before the loop-holed WIN
dows. seemed to have come under its IN
| fiuence.
"Zere is no sense in fighting eef you
| can't run away" was the burden Of his
| philosophy.
Then You wouldn't mind clearing out
| if it came to the piEch?''
! Just watch me. m'sieu'"
| ION the contrary, you had better watch
me-
| l spoke the words in jest. but he ap-
peared to take them seriously.
DO YOU mean
Hes only joking. Pierre cut in Syl-
via, and then, i'm an aside to me: Be
careful. Wadsworth's listening.
| l glanced over at the man, lollng in an
easy chair. There was an amused smile
on his face.
frew, We'll all watch YOU he observed.
TIL let you know when l do, L retOrt-
| ed. with sour grin.
! His brow clouded into ugly scowl.
| Out L pretended HOt 10 UOtiCc II Wodiu
have been the height of folly to pcl,
quarrel with him then.
| You'd better get some sleep" said
to Sylvia. Nothing is likely to happen
| tonight
Wait she cautioned.
And. as though to belle my words. the
| sound of running feet came along the
path outside. There was an instants par
| ley with Bailey the veranda, then Mr..
Hayward burst into the ROOM
'.Whora'S he darnQ ndo6 81
sent him up here to warn YOU.
You did? Well he never showed up,
said Wadsworth, grumpily. What's
| wrong?'
They're landing a boat on the beach.
Curse him. If he's sneaked Off"
| The old man swung back toward the
doorway as Bailey slipped across the
threshold.
Get back the fisherman cried.
They're comm up the path in droves."
| Put out the lights l called to Sylvia.
And. while Bailey and Wadsworth
barred the door l ran to the nearest loop
hole and peered through.
1t was as Bailey had said. Some twenty
men had already climbed the cliffs, and.
forming into compact body. were ad-
vancing silently upon the house. AS they
approached the veranda they deployed on
either hand and grounded arms. Their
| officer, stepping back a pace studied the
front windows curiOuSly; then, with mill
tary precision, strobe briskly up the steps.
There was ringing knock at the door.
Who is ?" demanded the old man.
Ensign McCarty of the Alert, Lieut..
Lacey commanding"
What do you want?"
Were looking for a man named Nor
ton Renfrew. 1t has been reported
$50 we've heard. That's why were pre-
pared
DO you refuse to give him up, them"
absolutely
| The officer hesitated MIR. Renfrew?"
he called.
| Some one crept up to me in the dark
ness.
| Take care" the old man whispered.
and the cold muzzle of a revolver pressed
against my shoulder blade.
/ was silent.
Mr. Hayward chuckled "You seer' he
cried to the officer. He doesn't answer"
Yes retorted the other sternly. And
| intend to see why he doesn't answer.
He crossed the veranda and gave an
order to his men, This is my last warm
| ing he announced, CURLY.
| A flash of fire 1eaped out from the loop
hole. and one of the figures on the lawn
sank Imply to the ground.
And that's mine,' returned the old
man.
| There was a low growl Of anger from
the sailors outside. But McCarty, run
ming down the steps, said something which
seemed to quiet them; and they drew off
slowly. carrying their fallen comrade in
their midst.
| The war has begun declared Mr..
HAYWARD, with grim laugh.
Yes worse luck to it, Bailey's grum-
BILE sounded ominous in the darkness.
sense an t shoot 'em down like that?"
Have you anything to say against it
"Have I? If l talked month
| wouldn't be half through
The old man brushed by me angrily.
well. suppose you talk for a minute,
then. That's long enough for me to size
| up your opinions. I've got four car
tridges left
| ton.
Better keep them for the revenue
chaps. he put in cooly. Here. Bailey,
quit your fooling and take the loophole
next to Renfrew. You'll be out Of danger
over there
Bailey obeyed with sulky air. mutter-
| ing to himself as he shuffied. to his place
at the window nearest the ~harbor side.
Even then, when the spirit of rebellion
was in the wind. the old mans authority
over his men was mistaken. They might
grOwl and complain. but they did what he
ordered them to do without question. 1t
was the force of habit. perhaps-a sort of
hypnotic neutrality-suspicious. by whole
| some dread of consequences. Mr.. Hay
ward knew his power and used it ruth
lessly. And 1t was to this. and to his
prompt action i'm moments of crisis. that
he owed his life during the earlier hours
OF the DatTIe.
Bailey's impotent grumblinss bore out
my thoughts and I smiled to myself as
watched him staring peevishy through
his loophoe. l stood between him and
the others. who held the upper end of the
room. The rear of the house had been
left unguarded. Tut as the only APP
proach to it waS by the front, Mr.. Hay
ward evidently believed that we COM
| manded the strategic position. The fall
| lacy of his belief was soon to be proved.
A long period of silence had followed
| the alteration. and / was beginning to
wonder whether the besiegers had not
withdrawn entirely, when faint rustic
| twice repeated. rose from the corner of
the veranda outside the window where
Bailey watched. glanced through my
| loopholc. but could distinguish nothing.
| Bailey head the movement. It's bit
of paper. BLOWN along tn porch
II don't see it anywhere.
You can't. It's down here-close to tn
| house.
| OH I put my ear to the loophole and
could catch the low murmur of voice.
Some ones talking now" l declared.
! "Where?'
"In the shrubbery, along the side of the
veranda.''
Bah! That's only tn wind
| Whats the matter?" demanded Mr.
hayward. sharply.
| "Nothin.' answered Bailey. 'Ren-
frew's just lost his nerve. Thought a
piece o paper on the porch was ghost
Now he thinks he hears it Whsperin in
tn bushes. It's the wind risn'-that's
ALI -