Evening star., 1924-10-17
CAPTAIN BLOOD
BIZ RAFAEL SABATINT
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

II ilve l snail study How to dis
charge it"
Mr.. Blood bowed for answer: then
to the men: Bear him steadily" he
commanded. His life depends on IT,"
AS his lordship was carried out the
captain became brisk. He turned
upon the yeoman
What other cursed rebels do you
harbor?"
None other. sir. His lordsi1ip-'
we've dealt with his lordship for
the present. Well deal with you in a
moment when we've searched your
house. And. by God, IL you've lied to
me- He broke OF. snariing, to
give an order. -Four OF his dragons
went out. In moment they were
heard moving noisily in the adjacent
room. Mean while the captain was
questing about the hail. sounding the
wainscoting with the butt of a pistol
Mr Blood saw no profit to himself
in lingering.
BY your leave it's a very good day
III be wishing YOU" said he.
BY my leave you'll remain awhile" !"
the captain ordered him
MI Blood shrugged and sat down.
You're tiresome." he said. Il won-
der your colonel hasn't discovered it
yet"
But the captain did not heed him.
He was stcoping to pick up a soifed
pinned a little bunch Of oak leaves.
1t had been lying near the clothes
press in which the unfortunate Pitt
had taken refuge. The captain
smiled malevolently His eyes raked
the room. resting first sardonicalIy
on the yeoman, then on the two wom-
en- in the background. and finally on
Mr.. Blood. who sat with one leg
thrown over the other in an attitude
OF lndiHerence that was far from re-
necting his mind
Then the captain stepped to the
press and pulled open one Of the
wings of its massive oaken door He
took the huddIed inmate by the coll
lar of his doublet and lugged him
out into the open.
And who the DEVILS this~ quoth
he. Another noblemanr'
Mr.. Blood had vision of those gal
lows OF which Capt. Hobart had
spoken, and of this unfortunate young
shipmaster going to adorn one Of
them, strung up without trial, in the
place of the other victim Of whom the
captain had been cheated On the
spot he invented not only a title but
whole family for the young rebel.
Faith. ye've said it. captain. This
is Viscount Pitt. first cousin to Sir
Thomas Vernon, who's married to
that slut, Moll Kirke, sister to your
own colonel, and some time lady in
waiting upon King James queen"
Both the captain and his prisoner
gasped. But whereas thereafter young
Pitt discreetly held his peace. the
captain raped out a nasty oath. He
considered his prisoner again.
Hes lying is he not?" he demand
ed, seizing the lad by the shoulder
and glaring into his face. Hes rally
ing me. by Cod"
IF ye believe that" said Blood,
hang him and see what happens to
you"
The dragoon glared at the doctor
and then at his prisoner. "Pah" He
thrust the lad into the hands of his
men. Fetch him along to Bridge
water. And make fast that fellow
also.' he pointed to Baynes. "Well
show him what it means to harbor
and comfort rebels"
There was moment of confusion.
Baynes struggled in the grip of the
troopers. protesting vehementiy The
terrified women screamed until ST.
fenced by q greater terror. The cap
tain strode across to them. He took
the girl by the shoulders. She was
pretty. golden headed creature. with
soft blue eyes that looked up entreat-
ingly. piteously into the face of the
dragoon. He leered upon her, his
eyes aglow: took her chin in his
hand and set her shuddering by his
brutal kiss.
It's an earnest he said, smiling
grimly. Let that quiet you, little
rebel: till I've done with these
And he swung awav arain leavinp
her faint and trembling in the arms
of her anguished mother. His men
stood, grinning. awaiting orders, the
two prisoners now fast pinioned
Take them away. Let Cornet
Drake have charge of them" His
smoldering eye again sought the cow
ering girl. 'I'll stay awhile to
search out this place. There may be
other rebels hidden here" AS an
this fellow with you" He pointed to
Mr.. Blood. "Bestirw
Mr.. Blood started out Of his mus
ings. He had been considering that
in his case of instruments there was
a lancet. with which he might per-
form on Capt. Hobart a beneficial op-
GRAFTON. Beneficial. that is. to hu-
manity. In any case, the dragoon was
obviously plethoric and would be the
better for a blood-letting. The diff
Guilty lay in making the opportunity.
He was beginning to wonder if he
could lure the captain aside with
some tale of hidden treasure, when
this untimely interruption set a term
to that interesting speculation.
He sought to temperize.
Faith it will suit me very we'll"
said he. For Bridgewater is nv des-
tination. and but that We detained me
Id nave been on my way thither
now"
Your destination there will he the
gaol."
''Ah. bah. Ye're surely jokingr'
There's a gallows for you if you
prefer it. It's merely a question of
now or later"
Rude hands seized Mr.. Blood, and
that precious lancet was in the case
on the table out of reach. He twist
ed out of the grip of the dragons.
for he was strong and agile, but they
closed with him again Immediately
and bore him down. Pinning him to
the ground. they tied his wrists be-
hind his back, then roughly pulled
him to his feet again
Take him away" said Hobart,
shortly. and turned to issue his or
ders to the other waiting troopers.
60 search the house from attic to
cellar. then report to me here"
The soldiers trailed out by the
door leading to the Interior Mr..
Blood was thrust by his guards into
the courtyard, where Pitt and Baynes
already waited. From the threshold
of the hall he looked back at Capt.
Hobart, and his sapphire eyes were
blazing. On his lips trembled
threat of what he would do to Hobart
IL he should happen to survive this
business. Betimes he remembered
that to utter 1t were probably to ex-
tinguish his chance of living to exc
cute it. For today the kings men
were masters in the west, and the
west was regarded as enemy country,