The Ordway new era., 1922-04-14
(cHAPTER xv-continued.)

to sit down on the ground in the shade
and not move under penalty Of "get-
tin wing clipped" We obeyed in
silence and looked on while the pirates
with wolfish voracity deyoured the
meal which had been meant for us.
They had pocket-flasks with them, and
as they attacked them with frequency
the talk grew louder and wilder BY
degrees IL was possible to comprehend
| the extraordinary disaster which had
befallen us, at least in a sketchy out
line of which the detail was filled in
later. Tony, 1t appeared, was the mas
ter of small power schooner which
had been fitting out In San Francisco
for a filibustering trip to the Mexican
coast, and his three hard companions
were the crew. None was of the old
hearty breed of sailors, but wharf-rats
chance had led to follow the sea.
Tony, in whom one detected certain
rough force and ability, was an 1tal-
ian, an outlaw specimen of the breed
which mans the fishing fleet putting
forth from the harbor of San Fran
cisco. When and where he and Mag
nus had been friends 1 do not know.
But no sooner had the wisdom of Miss
Browne impaired the great secret to
her chance acquaintance of the New
York wharves, than he had communi-
Gated with his old pal, Tony. The
power-schooner with her unlawful car
go stole out through the gate, made
her delivery in the Mexican port, took
/ ctn
Leeward island. The western anchor
age had received and snugly hidden
her. Captain Magnus, meanwhile, by
means of mirror flashed from Look
out had maintained communication
with his friends, and even visited them
under cover of the supposed shooting
expedition. And now, while we had
been striving to overcome the recall
citrancy of Mr.. Tubbs, Captain Mag
nus had taken a short cut to the same
end. You felt that the secret of Mr..
Tubs would be extracted, if need be,
by no delicate methods.
But Mr. Tubbs' character possessed
none of that unreasonable obstinacy
which would make harsh measures
necessary under such conditions. His
countenance, as the Illuminating con-
versation of the pirates had proceed
ed, lost the speckled appearance
which had characterized it at the
| height of his terrors. Something like
his normal hue returned. He sat up
straighter, moistened his dry lips, and
looked around upon us, yes, even upon
Aunt Jane and Miss Higglesby-Browne,
with whom he had been so lately and
30 tenderly reconciled, with a side
long, calculating glance. After the
pirates had eaten, the prisoners on the
log were covered with rifle and their
| hands united, while Cookie, in a lu-
gubrious silence made eloquent by his
rolling eyes, passed around among us
the remnants of the food. Yet under
all the terror was bedrock confidence
that there was, there must be some
how in the essence of things, an eter-
nal rightness which would keep me
safe from Captain Magnus. And as
l looked across at Dugald Shaw and
met for an instant his steady, watch
full eyes, managed a swift little smile
a rather wan smile, l dare say, but
still smile.
Cuthbert Vane caught, so to speak,
the tail of it, and was electrified.
saw his lips form at Mr.. Shaw's ear
the words, Wonderful little sport, by
Jove!"
curious stiffening had come over
Cuthbert Vane. For the first time in my
knowledge of him he showed the con-
sciousness-instead of only the sub
consciousness-of the difference be-
tween Norman blood and the ordinary
sanguine fluid. His shoulders squared;
he lost his habitual easy lounge and
sat erect and tall. Something stern
and aquiline showed through the
smooth beauty of his face, so that you
thought of efIigies of crusading knights
stretched on their ancient tOmbs in
High Staunton church. He was their
true descendant, after all, this slow,
calm, gentle-mannered Cuthbert. 1t
was young lion that had been play
ing with, and the claws were there,
strong and terrible in their velvet
sheath.
Captain Tony, having finished his
pipe, knocked the ashes out against
the heel of his boot and put the pipe
In his pocket.
WELL" he said, stretching. I'D ruth
er have a nap. but business is busi-
ness, so let's get down to 1t. Which
o. them guys has the line on the stuff,
Magnus7"
"Old Baldy, here" returned Mag
nus, with nod at Mr.. Tubbs. "Old
Washtubs I call him generally; ha,
hal"
"Then looky here. Washtubs," said
Tony. addressing Mr.. Tubbs with sud-
| dep sternness. maybe you could blum
these here soft guys. but we're a DIFF