Evening star., 1924-09-22

ed to think. He had a plan forming
in his head. a money making plan.
He strode up and down the bare
strip by the boat capstan getting the
! details clear. 1t did not take him
long. being simplicity itself. He
hitched his belt and marched up the
little hamlet hot with inspiration.
Subdued mysterious sounds came
from the surrounding darkness, whis-
pering thuds, shovel scrapings, sighs
as of men heaving heavy weights. A
| shed suddenly exploded with the
Glamour Of startled hens. In another
SOW protested vocally against the
| disturbance of her bed. There was a
big bank running beside the stream
| in front of the Admiral Anson. AS
Ortho passed by the great mass of
| A voice deep within it's core said
| softly: Shift en- a bit further up,
Zack; there's three more to come"
Ortho saw a thin chink of light be-
| tween two of the bowlders, grinned
and strode into the kitchen of the
kiddlywink. There was chill burn
| ing on the table and a kettle hum
ming on the hearth. Jacky's George
sat before the fire. stirring mug
of grog which he held between his
knees. Opposite him sat a tall old
man dressed in unrelieved black from
neck to toe. A wreath of snowy hair
| circled his bald pate like a halo. A
| pair of tortoise-shell spectacles jock
eyed the extreme tip of his nose. he
regarded Jacky's George over their
| rims with an expression benign but
panied.
Jacky's George looked up at Ortho's
entrance.
Halo. what is it,"
"\Eher King NirEo want to
see him"
The tortoise shell spectacles turned
slowly in his direction.
There is but one King, my SON,
omnipotent and all-merciful. One
King-on High but my name is
certainly Nicholas
Ortho staggered. This the master
smuggler, the swashbuckling, devil
maycare hero of song and story!
headed old Canorum (MethodisD To-
cal preacher. King Nick! His senses
reeled. 1t could never be. and yet he
knew it was. 1t was the same voice.
the voice that had blandly informed
Anson he would blow him out of the
water If he pulled another stroke.
He felt for the door post and leaned
against it goggling.
"Well?"
Ortho licked his lips.
Well? l eddn no fiery dragon to
eat e, boy. Say thy say"
Ortho drew long breath hesi-
tated and let it out with a rush.
II can find the horses you're want
ing. / can find thirty horses a night
any time after Twelfth Night and
land your goods in st. Just under
four hours"
King Nick screwed round in his
chair. turning the other side of his
face to the light, and Ortho saw, with
a shock of revulsion, that the ear
had been sheared or and his face
furrowed across and across with two
terrible sears--relics Of the Cawsand
affair. 1t was as though the old man
was revealing the other side OF him,
spiritual as well as physical.
Come nearer, lad. How do e
knaw 1 want horses?"
II heard you. I was pulling stroke
in boat"
son O. yourn. George: He don't
favor e, seem me-.
Nav. Young Squire Penhale from
Bosula up-valley."
You knaw en?"
Since he were weaned."
"Ah ha! All, ha," The smugglers
blue eyes rested on Ortho, benevo-
lent yet probing. And where can
you ma thirty hofSeS, my son! lis
a brear passed."
Gypsy Herne rests on my land
over winter; he has plenty"
AN Egyptian. An idoIator! A
worshiper after false gods! Put not
thy trust in such, boy-though 1 do
hear many of the young ones is bap-
tized and coming to the way of light
Hum! Ha! But how do e knaw
he'll do it?"
"Cos he wants the money bad. He
lost three parts of his stock in Wales
this summer. I was with en-"
CONTINUED in Tomorrow'S SfarI