The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-01-19

ta11Oy.
He turned toward the rear of the
house, and as O'Rourke rose to follow
him, the signal sounded on the meta:
door. Danny quickened his steps, anc
as he disappeared his master slipped
quietly into the shadows beneath the
overhanging gallery. From this poin'
of seclusion he could hear distinctly
the jar Of the bolts as Danny opened
the iron door, followed by his hoars'
whisper: whist! is ut yers1lves
now?"
Holes voice answered him huskily
"Who the hell else would 1t be? LIE
US in, you damn harp"
The door creaked upon its hinges
and was cautiously closed. The bolt
ratified again. Footsteps shuffed
slowly, as of men heavily burdened,
over the floor of earth. Then, while
O'Rourke gathered himself together,
exultation in his heart, and the fore
taste of revenge sweet in his mouth,
two cloaked figures scuffed into the
courtyard, breathing hard beneath
their burdens Of smuggled drug.
Hole promptly dumped his share OF
the load down upon the bench and
swung upon Danny. where's Mic
covie?" he demanded, evidently in as
ugly a mood as he could muster.
where is e? Stop standin' there
and starin' with yer balmy trap open,
yer"
THAT will be about enough" eug-
gested O'Rourke pleasantly, in a con-
versational tone, stepping from bis
place Of concealment. Don't call
names, Hole-ye're too near your God
If ye have one, which 1 misdoubt."
In the clear. bright starlight the pls-
tolls in his hands were plainly evident;
and one stared the captain in the eye;
one covered the head Of the Pelican's
first officer.
aye will not novel" said O'Rourke,
sharply, "save and except to put your
hands above your heads. So-don't
delay, Mr.. Dennison; I've never known
me temper to be shorter"
Hole began to splutter excitedly'
"Save your breath, ye whelp!"
O'Rourke counseled him curtly. yell
have need of it before I'm done with
ye." He added: "Search and dis
arm them, Danny
The servant set about his task with
alacrity; it is safe to say that he left
not so much as q match in the pocket
of either. While he was about 1t,
Hole, with his eyes steadily fixed upon
the unwavering muzzles OF O'Rourke' s
revolvers, managed to master his emo
ton enough to ask coherently:
"What are you going to do with
us?"
"Ye1l see in good time" returned
| O'Rourke grimly. "Have ye found 1t,
Danny?"
Danny backed away from Hole,
whom he had searched after Denni-
son. "Yiss, sor," he returned. "At
least, think So is this ut?"
"I can't look at this moment, Danny.
Is it a leather bag with something
hard inside, the size of hens egg, OF
4 bit larger?''
"The very same, yer honor"
"Very WELL" O'Rourke suppressed
the tremble Of relief in his voice.
Put it in your pocket, Danny-the
very bottom of your pocket. Did ye
and gun on either Of them?"
zone on each, sor."
+'Loaded?"
"Yiss, sor."
"Then cover them, Danny"
For himself O'Rourke put down his
pistols and calmly stripped of his
coat, rolling up his sleeves.
"Hole," he said, tersely, don't
move. If ye do, Danny will puncture
ye. Your turn comes last, Denni
son, ye may step out"
seWhat for?" demanded the Scot, ad
vancing.
sTo receive payment, with interest
for that blow ye gave NE this even
Ing, me man. Put up your hands
I'm going, in your own words, Mr.. Den
nison, to hammer the fear Of GOO
into as cowardly and despicable a pail
! of scoundrels as I've ever encoun
tered. And" refectively, GIVE met
a good many. But most Of the Others
! were Men"