Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-13
SINISTER |SLAND|
BY ;
,cHARlEs WADSWoRTH CAMP
Copyright
Dodd. Mead T. Company

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
But 1t was Molly, brayely stranc,ms
her terror, coming through the forest
alone.
Molly" he called whats the mat.
TERI"
She started to run, She almost
reached him when he saw her go
down. He heard the tinkling OF the
lantern chimney as it shattered. He
put out his hands against the darkness
rushing in again He stumbled towards
her. He found her. He got his arms
around her and lifted her up. She was
half laughing, half crying laughing
Historically from her accident and her
relief at finding him, and crying be.
cause OF her grief and her fear.
Anderson, she said, must have miss
ed his boat for he had not returned.
Morgan's man had come back from
Sandport alone. The coroner had re-
fused to follow until morning. He had
made no comprehensive excuse. Evil
IDENTITY he shared the general ignorant
fear OF Captains Island. Even duty
had failed to drag him there after
dark.
Miller groaned.
where is .Morgan's man." he ask.
ed.
Molly shivered.
1.-THE coroner must have frightened
him. Or else he had some experience
on the road from the end of the Is
land Of which he won't speak. When
he got to the coquina house he refus-
ed to ave zen to return, to the pla 4
,ation Inst ad he's sitti 3 GOV vi an
shaking, over BIZ ing te h. ) bu I
in our kitchen. Jim, his is dreadful!
l can't realize. Where"
But Miller reached Ult and found
her arm. He grasped it.
NO Molly, that would bn foolish.
1t is dreadful, as you say. But we
must face the facts and be sensible,
You and Andy must moi let this weigh
on you If you can't rise above it
you'll have to leave Captains Island"
"Feelng as we do. We can't
"rhen," he said determinedly, "you
can not brood over Jake"
He felt her arm tremble.
when it's our fault"
"That's nonsense. Now listen, Molly.
You must go right back TO the coquina
house. us hard luck you broke the
lantern, but You can follow the path"
The muscles Of her arm tautened.
She drew closer to him
And spend the night there alone,
except for that frightened man. Jim,
anyway, came with the lantern, but
can't cant go through that path
alone now, without light. Don't ask it. "
Miller was in quandary. He shranli
from the only way out
what time is it?" he asked
at was nine o'clock when left the
house,
Six or seven hours TO daylight He
knew there was no chance of relief
from Morgan. When his man failed TO
return to the plantation he would nat
lrally conclude that everything had
been attended TO, and that the Ander-
sons had acted on his suggestion and
kept him for the night There was
no other course Miller decided, indie
feasible as It was. that il would be
wiser TO leave Jake to the things that
prowl by night than to keep Molly
during those long hours in that piece
of forest. When he proposed it, how,
ever, Molly refused even to consider
the plan.
"Jake's been fatAful to Andy and
lne for \ good many years. II we ha
let him go back to New York, instead
OF forcing him TO stay here against bus
will he would be alive now. No. jim
we can be faithful TO Jake for few
hours no matter what 1t costs. I'll
stay, jim. I'll watch with you. Don't
say anything more"
Miller knew that argument was use.
less. So they stayed and suffered
through the night. More than once
Miller was tempted to fire his gun in
the hope that Morgan might hear and
come to them. It wasn't merely thai
they could see nothing. that Jake's
body lay 80 near. even that those
stealthy noises such as snakes might
make caused their flesh to creep. II
was something else; something which
4 Molly said, you felt in that piece Of
forest more than anywheres else on
he island--felt, and loathed, and
couldn't analyse.
CHAPTER VIII .r