Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-10-07
SECOND INSTALLMENT
THE YELLOW PACKET
CHAPTER vi.
The WhInlanh.

The Whipl5sh.
Hernandez stepped out upon the
porch of the low-roofed bungalow. He
moved with lazy strides. He was pros
porous apparently. this Portuguese.
Hernandez. Here was no evidence of
adversity nor of hard luck. Years be-
fore he had escaped from the eruption
OF Mount Pelee In Martinique.
Now It was the year 1915. II was
January Of that year He was located
nay, comfortably established--on his
own plantation in the southern waters.
For months or years-who knows?-
he had lived q life of ease upon this
island Just off the coast OF Porto Rico.
Hernandez strode TO the table and
tapped bell.
"Inez," he cried sharply, bring me
drink" He was a Portuguese, this
Hernandez. tall, slender, dark. The
expression on his face was sinister,
and across his face was an old-time
scar planted by saber stroke
Within a woman had been humming
--humming little snatches of familiar
Spanish songs. At his command the
humming ceased, There was an ex.
clamation of rage-oi feminine rage.
Inez Castro stepped out upon the yer.
anda.
Il am no servant" she exclaimed
angrily. TO be summoned by bell"
Drink" said Hernandez sharply,
give me drink.
She poured it out for him and hand
ed him the glass. May I hope il
chokes YOU" she exclaimed, stamping
her foot
Stop your snarling there, you Span
ish cat, exclaimed Hernandez, "and
listen to me. have an order from
Porto Rico that l must fill-and FL
tonight"
Inez was all attention in a moment
How much do they want?" she
asked.
Fifty pounds of gum opium said
her lord and master, "and twenty
pounds of flake cocaine"
He strobe into the bungalow and
approached a rude fireplace at the
farther end of the apartment. lie
stopped and threw back the corner oil
a many-colored rug that partially con
cealed the tiles The tiles were loose
II set. He removed dozen of them
then he threw back an opening a
trap door in the floor beneath. Ine2
watched him until he disappeared
into this wide hole. Then she glided
out to the veranda. She poured out a
tiny drink and tossed it off. She lit a
cigarette.
Before her lay a partially plowed
field. She heard the jingle of an OK
chain. She heard a quavering voice
and then suddenly from the rear of
the bungalow a strange trio entered
the arena of events.
Ponto, a fat little Mexican - who
boasted ever of his Aztec blood -
crawled behind a primitive and inef-
fective plow.
And the team! A strangely as
sorted team was this On the right,
with its head thrust through a wooden
yoke, was an OK On the left hand
side, also with his head thrust through
q wooden yoke and with his brawny
shoulders tugging, ever tugging. at the
plow. there was hitched-a man.
Ponto. cursing, raised his whip and
brought down his lash time after time
with strict impartiality upon the shoul-
ders of the OK and upon the bare back
of the man.
Hernandez just then appeared on
the veranda bearing with him large
wicker dress-suit case.
Hernandez, slowly smoking a pana-
tela, scanned the horizon. Suddenly
his eyes narrowed. He strobe swiftly
into the living room and as swiftly
back again and in his hands he bore
a pair of up-to-date binoculars. He
held them TO his eyes and carefully
adjusted housekeeping them trained
upon a speck, a mere speck, that had
appeared upon the surface of the sea.
With a bound he was of, circling
the bungalow in the opposite direction
from that which Ponto and his ill-as-
sorted team had taken. He met him
half way.
"Ponto." he exclaimed. I'VE shall
have visitors. Unhitch the brute. Get
pickaxes-get spades"
Hernandez led the way to the fore
ground between the veranda end of
the bungalow and the shore. He
pointed to a well-plowed strip of
ground
There" he cried. "at that spot. Dig
dig like the very devil"
(To Be Continued)