The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-01-12

IN search or prey. For half a mil
it took him through the forest an
ended at the white sands of the beach
In neither direction could Nathanie
see light. and keeping close in tn
shadows of the trees he made hi
way slowly toward ST. James. He hat
gone but a short distance when h
saw a house directly ahead of him
single CLEAN of light from a small
window telling him that it was in
habited and that its tenants were q
home. He circled down close to the
water looking for boat. His hear
leaped with sudden exultation wher
he saw small skiff drawn upon thc
beach and his Joy was doubled at find
ing the oars still In the locks. 1t tool
him but moment to shove the light
craft into the sea and a minute later
he was rowing swiftly away from the
land.
Nathaniel was certain that by this
time Neil had abandoned his search
for the captured Typhoon and was
probably padding in the direction OF
st. James. With the hope of inter,
cepting him he pulled an eighth of q
mile from the shore and rowed slowly
toward the head of the island. There
was no moon, but countless stars
glowed in clear sky and upon the
open lake Nathaniel could see for q
considerable distance about him. For
another hour he rowed back and forth
and then beached his boat within a
dozen rods of the path that came down
from Obadiah's.
1t was 10 o'clock. Two more hours!
He had tried to suppress his excite
ment, his apprehension, his eagerness,
but now as he went back into the
darkness of the forest they burst out
anew. What If Marion should not
keep the tryst? He thought of the
spies whom Neil had said guarded the
girls homeland of Obadiah. Could
he trust the old councillor? Should
he confide his plot to him and ask his
assistance? AS the minutes passed
and these thoughts required again
and again In his brain he could not
keep the nervousness from growing
within him. He was sure now that
he would have to fight his battle with
out Neil He saw the necessity Of
GOODNESS, of judgment, and he began
to demand these things of himself,
struggling sternly against those symp-
toms Of weakness which had replaced
hts confidence of short time before,
Gradually he fought himself back into
his old faith. He would save Marion
without Neil, without Obadiah. II
Marion did not come to him by mid
night it would be because Of the
guards against whom Neil had warned
him, and he would go to her. In
some way he would get her to the
boat, even If he had to fight his way
through Arbor Croche's men.
With this return of confidence Ma
thanieps thoughts reverted to his
present greatest need, which was food.
Since early morning he had eaten
nothing and he began to feel the
physical want in craving that was
becoming acutely uncomfortable. II
Obadiah had not returned to his home
he made up his mind that he would
himself A sudden turn in the path
which he was following, however, re-
vealed one of the councillors windows
aglow with light, and as he pressed
quietly around the end of the build
ing the sound of a low voice came to
him through the open door. Cautiously
he approached and peered In. A large
oil lamp, the light Of which he had
seen in the window, was burning on
table in the big room but the voice
came from the little closet into which
Obadiah had taken him the preceding
night. For several minutes he
crouched and listened. He heard the
chuckling laugh of the old councillor
set his blood tingling. There is hor-
ror in the sound of madness, a horror
that creeps to the very pit of ones
SOUL that sends shivering dread from
every nerve center, that causes one
who is alone with it to sweat with q
nameless fear. 1t was the voice of
madness that came from that little
room. Before 1t Nathaniel quailed as
if clammy hand had reached out
from the darkness and gripped him
by the throat. He drew back shivering
in every limb, and the voice followed
him, shrieking now in a sudden burst
of insane mirth and dying away a
moment later IL a hollow cackling
laugh that seemed to curdle the blood
in his veins. Mad! Obadiah Price was
mad! Step by step Nathaniel fell
back from the door. He felt himself
trembling from head to foot. His heart
tA1nlped within his breast like the
beating of hammer. For an instant
there was silence-a silence in which
strange dread held him breathless
while he watched the glow In the door
and listened. And after that quiet
there came suddenly cry that ended
in the exultant chattering of name
At the sound of that name Ma.
thaniel sprang forward again. II was
Marion's name and he strained his
ears to catch the words that might
follow it. AS he listened, his head
thrust half in at the door, Obadiah's
voice became lower and lower, until
at last it ceased entirely. Not a step.
not deep breath, not the movement
Of hand disturbed the stiffness of