The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1911-01-20

bell he spoke, ind 10 Captain Plum,
it was as if the passion and fire in
his voice came from another being.
Our Christ. Master Of hosts, sc
call upon thy chosen people the three
blessings of the universe-peace, pros
rority and plenty. and upon Strang.
priest, king and prophet. the bounty
of thy power" @
Three times more the distant bell
tolled forth it's mysterious message
and when the last echoes had died
away the old mans arms dropped be-
side him and he turned again to Cap
tain Plum.
'Franklin Pierce, president of the
United States CT America" he re-
pcated, as though there had been no
interruption since his companions
question. The package is to be de-
livcred to him. Now you must excuse
mc. An important matter calls me
out for a short time. But l will be
back sOon-oh, yes, very soon. n
You will wait for me. You will wait
for me here, and then l will take you
to St. James,
1 "AS EcAit ~ - "AS
way, like a cricket, and the last that
Captain PluIn saw Of him was his
ghoatly face turned back for an in
slant in the darkness Of the next
room, and after that the soft patter
OF his feet and the strange chuckle in
his throat Travelled to the outer door
and died away as he passed out into
the night. Nathaniel Plum was not
a ma to be easily startled. but there
was something so unusual about the
proceedings in which he was as yet
playing a blind part that he forgot TO
smoke, which was saying much. Who
was the old man? Was he mad? His
eyes scanned the little room and an
exclamation of establishment fell from
his lips when he saw the leather bag,
rarity filed with gold, lying where
his mysterious acquaintance had
dropped it. Surely this vas madness
Or else another ruse to test his hon
, eGty. The discovery thrilled him. 1t
was wonderfully quiet out in that
next room and very dark. Were hid
den eyes guarding that bag? Well,
if so, he would give their owner to
understand that he was not a thief.
lie rose from his chair and moved
toward the bag, lifted it in his hand,
and tossed it back again so that the
gold in it chinhed loudly. Then he
went to the narrow aperture and
blocked it with his body and listened
until he knew that if there had been
human life in the room he would have
!, heard it.
The outer door was opened and
! through it there came to him the soft
breath of the night air and the sweet
:; ness of balsam and wild flowers. IT
struck him that it would be pleasante1
waiting outside than in, and it would
undoubtedly make no difference tG
Obadiah Price. In front Of the cabir
he found the stump of a log and seat
e ing himself on it where the clea
light OF the stars fell full upon hin
0 he once more began his interrupted
smoke. 1t seemed to him that h
v had waited a long time when he heart
t the sound Of footsteps. They cam'
rapidly as if the person was half run
r ming. Hardly had he located the di
a @rection of the sound when a figure ar
9 peared in the opening and hurrie'
toward the door Of the cabin. !
dozen yards from him it paused for
j. moment and turned partly about, as l
inspecting the path over which it hal
come. With a greeting whistle Car
r tain Plum jumped to his feet. n
d heard a little throat note, which wa
Y not the chuckling Of Obadiah Price
S and the figure ran almost into hi
arms. A sudden knowledge Of havin
e made a mistake drew Captain Plum
d pace backward. For scarcely NOR
q than five seconds he found himse!
staring into the white terrified fac
of a girl. Eyes wide and glowing wit
sudden fright met his own. Instint
n lively he lifted his hand to his ha'
but before he could speak the gil
s sprang back with a low cry and IA
$ swiftly down the path that led int
\ the gloom of the woods.