The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1912-04-26
CHAPTER xI.-(continued.)

Inc WINDOW was Open-1t was
warm enough for that-and because
OF the fog l could stand quite neal
and see what was taking place inside
without being een 1t was a
good1sh sized room, one of three un-
der a single roof, by all appearances,
and stuffed full of apparata of various
kinds There was a big gas-motor
singing away at one end, running a
dynamo. Right near the window was
a heavy table with all the parapher-
MALTA of a wireless station.
There was a young man standing
right by the table, evidently just out
or his chair. He was taking off the
telephone h%eadpiece when | first saw
him. He looked to be under thirty,
n wore red hair and a good coat OF
sunburn; and he a mad clean
through-mad at another man who
was standing Just inside a doorway
leading to another room. That door
was closed. The second man was
evidently just out Of bed; he had a
crash bathrobe belted round him, with
his pyjamas showing underneath, and
beefy. naked ankles running into bed
room slippers. They were having it
hot and heavy, ripping out at each
other straight from the shoulder.
i don't knOw-didn't hear-what
started the row, and it ended lust att.
er came within hearing. The young
er chap was s%aying-he had a bit OF a
Drogue: DON let that trouble you,
Mister Black. III have you know |
wired for a relief last night, while
you were at dinner, and the minute
ne sets foot on this damned island, |
leave it; nor will | be resting till I've
turned In my report at the home Of
fee. Put that in your pipe, now
BLACK las he called him) seemed
to lose control of himself for an In
slant. He sort of lurched forward,
his hands working as If he was going
to throw himself at the younger
mans throat; then he caught up,
thinking better of it, as if he knew
the other fellow had grabbed his
chair by the back and stood ready to
brain him with It,. which he couldn't
have known, for it turned out he was
blind. If | had my sight, he said,
and could lay hands on you, Power,
Ia break every bone in your body
THAT staked Mr.. Power to an ugly
laugh-the kind of a laugh that's cal
culated to make the other chaps blood
boil. 'Divvil a doubt of that says he;
but well you know Id stop at moth
Ing to protect myself against a brute
like you, Mr.. Black. And what's
more Il thought he tried to hold his
tongue, but couldn't; this last seemed
fairly to burst out of him) i warn
you If ever again l see you lay finger
on that unhappy woman, your wife,
III murder you with the first weapon
that comes handy. Remember that
BLACK was white with rage by this
time; l don't think he could have held
IN much longer. AS 1t happened, Just
Their the door behind him opened, and
a woman In a dressing gown stepped
into the room. She was CHASTITY pale.
frightened to death. but otherwise
just about the prettiest woman | ever
laid eyes on. She said just one word
IN a pitiful MISUNDERSTANDING
touched her husbands arm: but |
saw her eyes were praying Power to
g. He saw it too.
"'Very we'll, them he said with a
little bow to the woman. III be 60
ing now.'
And you needn't come back said
the man he called Black. I'll do with.
out you until your successor comes
THAT suits me to a T. says Pow.
er. Good morning, Mrs. Black; I'm
sorry We woke you up
BLACK listened to his footsteps,
with that weird expression the deaf
and blind have, for some seconds aft
er ! had lost the sound of them; then