Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-23
THE WHITE BLACKBIRD
HUDSON DOUGLAS.
Copyright. 1919. BY Little, Brown co.,


as he was by their company he had no
recourse but to enlist their sympathies on
his side.
Well, if this doesn't beat all for luck
said he, in tone of the EXTREMIST graft
fication. his visible features wreathed in
an unctuous smile. II don't suppose
you're sorry now that you came ashore
when sent for YOU. eh. You must adj
INIT that I've managed a very pleasant
little surprise for YOU
You've managed nothing-except to put
Your own neck into a moose at last. re-
torted Lord Jura. He was standing very
erect although he could not control the
nervous tremor at the back of his neck.
he saw no need now to mnce matters
with the old man, whose callouS effront
cry was stirring up his sluggish pulses to
such pitch that he could scarcely resist
the dire temptation to spring at his throat
and choke the evil life out of him there
and then. But a light hand laid on his
arm diverted him for a moment from any
such insane idea. and his unreasoning
rage died down little as he looked round
INTO Sall1es appealing eyes.
How long will it take to get the police
here. Herries?' he asked abruptly. over
one Shoulder. And at that the arras in
the dark corner beside the pipers' port
swayed slightly. as though there were
some one behind it about to come forth.
The telegraph wire is down. my lord"
the old factor answered. doubtfully, land
it would, maybe. be wasting a life to
send any one to attempt the pass with a
message in weather like this. But till we
can safely get word to the police there
are lots Of stout lads in Loquhariot that
will do your lOrdship's bidding
And more on board the Olive Branch
that will do mine" Capt. Dove interrupt
not but add to the listeners perturbation.
Da Costa has his orders, too. 1t will be
a bad lookout for Loquhariot il ever he
and his lambs have to come ashore here
to look for me. You've seen them crack
far harder nuts than this ramshackle old
castle of yours! You know very we'll
But what's the use of arguing about
1t: Iou owe me far too much to talk in
that style. If You could fetch the police
here at this moment you couldn't afford
to face them. You've surely forgotten"
L have forgotten nothing" Lord Jura
assured him, in a steady, ominous voice.
That's just as WE'LL declared Capt.
Dove. who seemed determined to stand his
ground. because il will save me remind
ing you. before your fashionable friends.
how much I've done for you, first and
last since picked you UP derelict on the
beach at Yedo. You'd have been very
badly off without me then. ell! And but
for me, you'd. maybe. have come to
worse end than starving. since. I've
brought you back to your own, when all S
said and done. 1t doesn't say much for
you, Lord Jura, that you'd turn round on
me now
pointed in the return made him for ia
vors lavished with free hand. And such
of the others did not know the real
facts Of the matter looked somewhat
dOubtfully at Lord Jura. Capt. Dove was
obviously pleased with the impression he
had produced.
Everything you have done has been
done entirely to serve your own ends.
the ex-engineer answered him. in few
words. Il owe YOU no favor-not the
very slightest. You owe me- God knows
how many years OF my life that you've
tricked me out of. And. what's more"
And what's more Capt. Dove inter
rupted. YOU think you owe me only q
grudge. You've no more use for me now
that I've served your turn. I've asked
nothing Of you, you'll notice. It's only
because you've thought fit to threaten
me that I've reminded you-''
There was no need. Lord Jura as
serted. II have forgotten nothing. You
can tell Your side of the story to the
judge at the next aSsizes-and I'll tell
mine
that. but Capt. Dove did not even change
countenance.
so much for Yourself said he pa
tiently. You think you can best whiten
your own record by trying to blacken
mine. I'll say no more about that-ex-
cept that it isn't always true that dead
men tell no tales. And you'll have to
tell the judge at the next assiZes the real
reason why you ran away from home.
He was watching the others face mar
rOwly to see what effect that stray shot
might have. and was clearly encouraged
at seeing Lord Jura vince
But there's another point to be set
tied. he went on. with slow inSistence,
before we go any further. I've brought
you back To your own. rs | said. and.
more than that, I've brought you back
your sister. / wouldn't have made any
song an dance about such q small mat
ter. either. but-sincc It's TO be debit and
credit between us-Id like to know how
YOU think that affects the account
You say you've forgotten nothing.
Have you remembered that I've brought
her up. SO to speak, since she was knee
high to me? Have you ever thought
where she'd be today if / hadn't But,
Of course. you don't know where / came
across her. And I'm not going to tell
you just now. All 1 will say is that il
rests absolutely in my hands whether
whether she stays safe here with you
Or You may believe me or not. as
you like. but Better talk it over with
her before you go any further-my lord!''
He frowned, as if warningly. at SalIie,
and turned on his heel. and. staggering
back to the table, grotesQuely aggressive,
sat down again with his back to them
ALL leaving them to make whatever they
liked of his yelled threat and half-spollen
hints as TO his mysterious power over
her. SIyne followed him. But Mr.. job
tablish himself on a safer footing of serv-
ice to the other side.
eff your lordshp will allow me- said
he. his head on one side, shoulders bent
and hands clasped. Il think / can under
take to arrange matters for you with
Capt Dove Some small money payment,
perhaps, would save further unpleasant
ness-for her ladyship as well. We can
scarcely contest his claim for, at least,
the amount Of
Il don't know what you're talking about
or what business it is Of yours!' said
Lord Jura. sharply, and turned to give
Herries some order. But before he could
speak Sallie claimed his attention again.
Let them CO. she implored Of him,
vehemently ''Oh, please let them go.
Don't send for the police. l couldn't bear
to think that they had come to any harm
through helping me--even for their own
purposes. And some Of what Capt. Dove
says is true enough. He's looked after
me for longer than / can remember. al
most-and but for him l wouldn't be
here now The past has sometimes been
very hard for us both 1t would spoil the
future entirely for me if I felt that / had
been the means of betraying him to the
police If they'll only promise TO leave
us alone now, won't you let them CO.,
for my sake.
Lord Jura pulled at his under lip in |
helpless INDIGESTION. He knew that he |
could not for long deny the girl anything |
she asked Of him thus.
"You don't understand Sailie," he said /
at length. very vexedly. You'd better |
Lady Jane-the duchess-with YOU. Leave |
me to deal with the old man and Slyne: |
il isn't only on my own account
Twill YOU set them on board the Olive 1