The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-26
THE POOL Of FLAME
A STORY OF ADVENTURE AND IN
TRIGUE
(By Louis Joseph vance,

ne heard quick rustic OF skirts |
and the woman's hand closed over his, |
pressing into his palm the weapon he
had desired. AS promptly, without
further words, she turned 10 Quick.
The adventurer deliberated briefly,
while she bent over the captain, max
ing a hurried examination. He is
badly wounded" O'Rourke heard her
say, as he arrived at his decision. "but
not dead"
Praise God for that! 4
must ask ye. madam, to back me up.
1t is necessary to clear the decks. Are
We ready?" He saw, out of the tail
of his eye, that she had sprung TO her
feet Now, We curs,'' he Numbered,
with a menacing pistol in either hand,
"get forward. the lot Of We. Move, ye
| blackguards!"
They went expeditiously, crowding
| between the deck-house and the rail,
budding together as If for mutual pro-
lection. The serang was the last to
move, and went reluctantly, or seemed
to.
| Yet that was no time TO Judge him
for, minor fault. O'Rourke herded
| the pack before him, watched them
| scramble down the ladder to the fore
deck, then backed to the spot where
the woman stood above the captain.
His arm was paining him somewhat,
with the irritating, singing ache that
such wounds produce, and he thrust
one revolver into his pocket, clasping
, q hand above the hurt.
In a flash realization of his loss
. came to him; he clutched the rail with
cry. The Pool of Flame, his sacred
. trust, was gone! His eyes searched
the deck wildly, but found no trace of
. the round leather bag with its preci-
|: Gus burden. Despair gripped his heart
In clutch of ice, and for space the
ship reeled about him.
He found himself gazing blankly in
!. to the woman's solicitous eyes. What
|. Is it? What is it?" he heard her voice
!: repeating breathlessly. He knew that
|. his own lips moved for some seconds
!. without sound as he strove to answer
; her. The words, when they came
!. should have. been quite unintelligible
: to her; he realized this almost as soor
s as he had uttered them: THE Poo
Z Of Flannel"
E Then he stumbled forward, crying
!: aloud for the serang. Halfway to tn,
!. ladder he halted; that indisduaPl
3 head and shoulders were lifting abov,
Z the level Of the deck. O'Rourke GOV
:: cred him and called him aft as b.
. again retreated to the scene of tn,
tragedy.
Had he been in a condition to thinl
coherenly, he might have acted NOR
prudently. But maddened, he wa
able to grasp but one fact; that tn
Pool of Flame was gone and must b.
recovered at whatever hazard.
The lascar came with what Nigh
have seemed suspicious alacrity, cor
sidering the fact that he was coerce6
that O'Rourke held him at the pistol
point. Gaunt and sombre in tn
moonlight, moving noiselessly in hi
bare feet, head up and arms swingin
limp. he advanced without pause VI
til about six feet from the Irishman
at which distance O'Rourke, collec
% ing his wits. found voice enough to bi
~ the fellow, "Stop!"
The serang halted, impassive, III
moved.
1.-THE sahib has called" he said
an even voice. II am come. What
the sahib's will with me?"
a His words, together with his hal
y" tndolent, half-defant, wholly conteml
- tuous bearing, supplied the one thin
needful to restore to the adventure
= his self-control. O'Rourke drew hin
self up, master OF self once more, an
looked the lascar in the eye.
'You stand" he said slowly, choo
ing his words, ION the edge Of tt
grave. Do you comprehend tina
dog?"
AYE, sahibi"
81 have called We. then, to demar
back that which is mine, the leath.
bag which We stole when ye slew 20,
brother, pretending falsely it was
who had slain the captain. couns
ye, speak truth and render back
me that which ye have stolen"
The serang stiffened, his eyes glis
ening In the moonlight. "Sahib!"
cried as If In supplication.
mo words, dog!" cried O'Rourl
sternly. do as bid We, or abide Il
result Of disobediencei"
1.-THE sahib." said the serang slo
~. as full Of eyes and wisdom. I
sees what no man would believe
: could see. am content" He bow,
his head with curious submissivene.
stretching forth his palms as If
token of surrender.
O'Rourke caught at his breath. /
had scarcely hoped for this; he b.
o merely called the serang aft as t
o leader of the lascars, hoping to frigl
. en- him into revealing whichever
y his comrades had stolen the gre
~ ruby-if he knew.
- "Ye have, then, the leather bag3"
NJ demanded, exultation in his voice.
- AYE. sahib; or, If not that, l ha
b that which was therein"
II THE stone?"
. AYE, sahib."
Then give it me-"
1 am the sahibs slave" The
rang flashed a strange smile at t
- revolver in O'Rourke's hand. His
titude puzzled O'Rourke; he wor
hardly have believed this of the ma
rather he could have conceived Of h