The Elk Mountain pilot., 1924-10-02

No boats came or went, and f6e de.
s.royer didn't follow when the FL Rio
s.arted In this direction. I'm sorry,
ou' cont believe 1t had anything to
10 with the mutiny. II doesn't look
10 me like an ordinary mutiny. II
looks to me more like what you Amer.
leans call put-up Job"
fhen-then-Nellie is lost ~
oh' no! The game isn't played
OUT yet. These chaps don't want to run
away with the ship. or they'd have
gone before now. They're waiting for
something, and RS they've moored the
snip close to here 1t looks as If they
wanted to find you. Anyhow, I'll wager
theyH be coming ashore in the morn
Ing, and when they do-well. wen
nave an innings. And, besides, there's
mat destroyer. It didn't come here
Tor nothing. I suppose you know why
1t did come, by the way?"
Archman hesitated. He seemed TO
De turning the situation over in his
mind and trying to resolve whether to
explain at all. and, If so, how much.
nj
"ShipW he said. "See!"
Black against the silver water the
masts and tunnels of the El Rio pro-
truded themselves. The shadow of the
mountain had left them bare and II
was retreating slowly downward.
Archman looked at 1t and nodded
slowly. Then he faced toward Lord
George. There is reason for the
destroyer's coming" he said. But
you will forgive me If do not speak
now. Soon all will be known. Condi-
tions are changing fast For years the
-the-the-he whom serve has been
hiding from those who would find him.
But now-I cannot say more. Soon
perhaps tomorrow-all will be made
clear. At any rate, Nellie is safe.
Come Let us seek Mrs. Archman.
What's thatT
From out on the water had come q
sudden uproar-a far-off mingling Of
shouts and cracking of pistols. Lights
fiared out, moved and vanished and
reappeared. The moonlight had swept
downward to the deck of the Ell Rio,
but the distance was too great and the
bulwarRs of the ship too high for it to
reveal anything.
Then abruptly something flashed and
Lord George uttered an exclamation.
They're swinging out boatsr' he
cried "One, two, three of them.
They're doing it fast, too. Listenl
You can hear them"
Borne across the water came the
creak of blocks and the rattle of oars,
followed by heavy splashes, as the
boats struck the water. Then they
shot away from the ship and vanished
into the shoreward shadows.
They've separated" muttered Lord
George. They're going in three diff
ferent directions. And they're pulling
fast. Listen to them. They're By
Jove Archman. I've guessed it. Some
body's escaped and they're after him.
Maybe it's your daughter and Bunker.
Bunker has found a way"
The sound of the oars did indeed
show that the boats had separated
widely To right and to left the creak-
ing had grown fainter. But directly in
front 1t had grown louder.
Lord George noticed it and jumped.
"One of thems coming herel" he
cried. We've got to do something.
quick. Hello! What's thatT'
From Immediately behind rattle
of oars lad sounded. simultaneously
Olaf spoke. "Our boat. She comel"
he said.
A boat, with a lantern and a reflec-
tor at the bow, had shot into sight be-
hind the three men.
Archman sprang toward 1t with an
exclamation. Just in time !" he cried
Lord George, call your party down.
Don't lose a minute. We must get the
women to safety" He turned again
to the boat. Turn around, quick" he
ordered. Come along the bank and
wait" Once more he faced toward
the slope, up which Lord George was
hurrying. "Quick For heavens sake,
quick ~ he called.
But Lord George was already at the
top giving the alarm, and the next mo-
ment the party came plunging down.
ward.
Lord George himself led the way,
guiding Miss Denslow's footsteps and
preventing her toppling over every
precipitous break In the path. Behind
her came Harry Archman, steadying
his mother as well as he could on the
narrow pathway. The poor lady was
only half aroused from sleep and was
tottering from weariness, but she did
her best, melted by the news that her
husband was waiting her and by Lord
Georges perhaps overoptimistic asser-
lions that her troubles were over.
Behind her came Bess, and the rear
was brought up by COllips, who had
come up. painting, just in time to join
the rest. As he took the first step of
the descent. the moon, slipping above
the last screening peak, Illuminated
the mountainside and all of the water
except a narrow band close to the
shore. In the refulgence the boat from
the Ell rtio stood p'ainly out. The ra-