The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-11-03

The first charge Is nonsense. We did
all that was possible In the frightfui
weather We barely saved the ship.
AS fer the gold. we touched on the
Island. and we did some prospecting,
IA Eely nI1Ie. before We were drives
o-TSE0re. The dust in the poke is al
We secured. We are going back fer
more. quite naturally. / can prove all
this TO you by the log
Lund had been standing with his
great head thrust forward as If con-
centrating all his remaining senses in
an attempt to judge the captains talk.
The doctor sat with one leg crossed,
smoking q cigarette, his expression
sardonic, sphinxlike- To Rainey, a
little bewildered at being dragged into
the AFFAIR, and annoyed ut IL, Captain
Simms' words rang true enough. He
did not know what to say. whether to
speak at all Lund supplied the gap.
If that amt the truth, you lie well,
Simms," he said. But don't trust
-. You lie when you say you didn't
hear me call out / was blind. Sixty
yards away, was. an the wind hadn't
started. You deserted me-left me
blind, tucked In the bloody, freezin'
carcass OF a bear. Left me like the
cur you are. Why, you"
The rising frenzy Of Lund's voice
was suddenly broken By the clear note
OF q girls voice. One Of two doors In
the after-end Of the main cabin had
opened, and Ghe stood in the gap,
slim, yellow-haIred, with gray eyes
that blaLsd as they locked on the little
tableau.
who says my father is q curt" she
demanded. Your" And she faced
Lund with such intrepid challenge in
her voice. such singing contempt, that
the giant was silsnced.
81 was dressing" she said, cor
would have come out before. II you
say my father deserted you, you lie !"
Captain Simms turned to her. Doc
tor Garrison had risen and moved
toward her. Rainey wished he was
on the dock.
go into your cabin, Peggy" said
the captain. This is no place for
you. I can handle the matter. Lund
has cause for excitement; but ! can
satisfy him."
Lund stood frozen. like a pointer en-
scent, all his faculties united in at
tention toward the girl The doctor
crossed and spoke to her In a low
voice.
Lund spoke, and his voice was sud-
denly mild.
Il didn't know there was q lady
present, miss" he said. "Yore fathers
right. You let US settle this. Wen
come to an agreement"
But, for all his swift change to
placability, there was a sinister under
tone TO his voice that the girl seemed
to recognize. She hesitated until her
father led her back into the cabin.
you twoll sit DOWN. said the doc
tor, speaking aloud for the first time,
his voice amiable, carefully neutral
And we'll have a drop OF something
Mr.. Lund, / can understand your at
titude. You've suffered a great deal
But you have misunderstood Captain
Simms. l have heard about this from
him, before. He has no desire to cheat
you. he is rejoiced to see you alive
though afflicted. He is still Honest
Simms, Mr.. Lund.
at haven't your name, sir" he went
on pleasantly, to Rainey. The cap
tain said you were q newspaper
manf'
"John Rainey, Of the Times knew
nothing Of this before came aboard.
"And you Will understand, OF
course, what Mr.. Lund overlooked In
his natural agitation, that this is not
a story for your paper. We should
have a feet trailing US. We must
ask your confidence, Mr.. Rainey."
There was a strong personality In
the doctor. Rainey realized. BE did
net like the man from ArSt appear
anoes. He was too aloof, too sardoniC
in his attitudes. But his manner was
friendly enough, his Voice compelling
In its suggestion that Rainey was q
man to be trusted. Captain Simms
came back into the cabin, dosing the
door OF his daughters room.
I'VE are going to have n little drink
together" said the doctor. 81 have
some Scotch In my cabin. If you'll
excuse me fer a moment7 Captain
will you get some glasses. and chair
for Mr.. LundT
The doctor came back with bottle
Of Scotch whisky and q siphon. The
captain had set out glasses and q
pitcher Of plain water from a rack.
81 imagine you'll be the only one
who'll take settler, Mr.. Rainey," said
the doctor pleasantly, passing the bot
tie. Captain Simms. / know. uses
i plain water I suppose Mr.. Lund does
the same. And prefer a still drink
Rainey took long pull at his glase
The cabin was hot, and he was thirsty
The seltzer tasted a little fiat-Or the
whisky was Of an unusual brand. ne
fancied. And then inertia suddenly
seized him. He lost the use of his
limbs. of his tongue. when he tried tc
call out. He saw the doctors sardonie
eyes watching him as he strove II
sboko off lethargy that swiftly