Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-26
THE MCKER By EDGAR RICE BuRRouGHs 1Fss .E5sE5

| women were sleeping. About them stretched
| and curled and perched n motley throng
of dirty yellow children, dogs, pigs and
chickens.
| motto, Lord Of Yoka, as his ancestors had
| chrstened their new island home.
Once within the warren the two Samurai
who had guarded Barbara upon the march
| turned and Withdrawals was alone with
| oda Yorlmoto and his family.
From the centre of the room depended
swinging shelf upon which great pile
| of grinning skulls rested. AT the back Of
| the room was a door which evidently was
the entrance to another apartment in the
| dwelling.
The girl was given little opportunity to
| examine her new prison, for scarce had
| the guards withdrawn than Oda Yorlmoto
| approached and grasped her by the arm.
Gomez" he said in Japanese that was
sufficiently similar to that of modern Nip
pom to be easily understood by Barbara
Harding. with the word ho drew her to-
ward raised platform at one side Of tho
room. There was a greedy look in the
vicious, beady eyes.
When Theriere came TO the realisation
that Barbara Harding was gone he Jumped
to the natural conclusion that Ward and
Slmms had discovered the ruse that he had
worked upon them Just In time to permit
them to intercept Miller and Swenson with
the girl and carry her back to the main
camp.
The others wero prone TO agree with
him, though the mucker grumbled that 'It
listened fshy." However, all hands re-
turned cautiously down the face of the
cliff, expecting momentarily to be attacked
by the guards which they felt sure Ward
would post In expectation of a return OF
the mutineers the moment they discovered
that the girl had been taken from them.
But to the surprise of all they reached
the cove without molestation, and when
they had crept cautiously to the vicinity
of the sleepers they discovered that all
were there in peaceful slumber, Just as they
had left them few hours before
Silently the party retraced it's steps UP
the cliff. Therlere and Billy Byrne brought
up the rear.
what do you make of II, ByrneT' asked
the Frenchman.
'Tf you wanna get II straight, cul," re-
piled the mucker. II t'ink youse know a
whole lot more about 1t dan you'd like to
have the rest of us t'ink"
What do You mean, my friepd7' cried
Theriere, surprised at Billy's words. Speak
out -
Sure I'll speak out You didn't t'ink
was bashful, didja? Wot did you detail
dem two pikers. Miller and Swenson, to
guard de skirt fer, if II wasn't for I.<
special frame-up of yer own7 Dey neVyr.
been In our gang. and dat's just wot you
wanted EN- fer. It was easy to tip dem
of to hike out wild de SQUAD, and do first
chanct you get you'll bike after dem, while
we hold de bag. fought you'd double
cross us easy, didn't yeh7 Yeh cheap
skateW
"Byrne." said Theriere, and It was easy
to see that only through the strength of his
will-power did he keep his temper. you
may have cause to suspect the motives of
every one connected with the Halfmoon.
cannot say that blame you, but wish you
to remember what say to you now There
was time when fully intended to double
cross you, as you say-that was before you
saved my life.
"Since then have been square with you,
not only in deed, but in thought as we'll
give you tho word OF a man whose word
once meant something--I am playing fairly
with you now except In one thing, and
shall tell you what that Is at once. l do
not know where Miss Harding Is, or what
has happened to her and Miller and Swen-
son. That is Gods truth. Now for the one
thing tst mentioned.
Recently 1 changed my intentions rela-
tive to Mile. Harding. desired the money