The Lamar register., 1919-09-24

| peated with q smile.
While we had been talking Samson
had long since been on his way with
the word to Sweeney to look out for
] Webster, and as he had been admon-
ished to hurry back 1t was scarcely
noon when he returned bringing in
exchange verbal message from
Sweeney.
"The pockmarked party" ran the
message as delivered by Samson, "had
left the harbor In his sloop that morn
ing. Yes, sar"
"Ha ha" laughed he "king," turn
ing to me. $50 two can play at that
game, says Henry p. Tobias. Jr. But
II we haven't fooled him let's make
sure that he hasn't fooled us. Well
bring up your crew all the same-what
do you thinkf"
"Under cover of the dark" 1 as
sented.
The kings" Instructions to me were
that / was not to show my nose out
side the house. | must regard myself
as a prisoner with the entire freedom
OF his study-a large, airy room on
the second floor, well furnished with
all manner OF books, old prints,
strange fishes in glass cases, rods,
guns, pipe racks. curiosltles of every
kind from various parts of the world.
And then ! came upon photograph
hanging over the writing desk-a tall,
Spanlsh-looking young woman of re-
markable beauty. 1t needed but one
glance to realize that here was Ca
lypso's mother. and as was natural
stood a long time scanning the coun-
tenance that was so like the face
which. from my first sight of 1t. had
seemed the lovellest in the world. This
was a flower that had been the mother
of a flower. 1t was face more primi-
tive in its beauty. little less touched
with race than the one / loved, but
the same fearless natural nobility
was in It. and the figure had the same
wild grace o. pose. the same 1.-THE
strength OF carriage.
Two or three days went by. but as
yet there was no news of either Char
lie Webster or Tobias. Nothing fur
ther had been heard Of the latter in
the settlement. and a careful patrol
ling of the neighborhood revealed no
signs of him. Either his sailing away
was q bona fide performance or he
was lying low In some other part of
the island-which OF course would not
be a diff1cult thing for him TO do, as
most of It was wilderness-and as,
also, there were one or two coves on
the deserted northern side where he
could easily bide his time. Between
that coast and us. however. lay some
ten miles of scrub and mangrove
swamps. and 1t was manifestly out
Of the question to patrol them too.
There was nothing to do but watch
and wait.
At last there came message from
Charlie Webster. another of his Caesa-
rian notes: "Sorry delays few days
longer. Any news7"
That seemed to decide the "king."
"what do you say. Ulysses" he
said. eff we begin digging tomorrow
There are ten OF us-with as many
guns. four revolvers and plenty Of
machetes-not counting Calypso. who
is an excellent shot herself"
agreed that nothing would please
me better-so an early hour the fol
lowing morning found us with the
whole garrison-excepting Samson.
whom II had been thought wise to
leave at home as bodyguard for
Calypso-lined up at the old ruined
mansion with picks and shovels and
machetes. ready to commence opera
tions.
We had worked for a week before
we made a clearance of the ground
floor. Then at last we came upon a
solidly built stone staircase, winding
downward. After clearing away the
debris with which 1t was choked to a
depth of some twenty or thirty steps,
we came to stout wooden door stud
ded with nails.
The dungeon at last" said the
king"
The kitchens, bet" said l.
After some battering the door gave
way with a crash. moldering breath
as of the grave met our nostrils. ana
a cloud of bats flew In our faces and
set the negroes screaming. A huge
cavernous blackness was before us.
The king" called for lanterns.
As we raised these above our heads
and peered into the darkness, we both