Evening star., 1924-09-25
ontinued from Yesterdays Starr
CHAPTER XVI.


The southeasterly gale blown out,
Ortho's business went forward with q
rush. In the second week in January
they landed cargo night to make
up for lost time. and met with mi
nor accident-Jackys George break
ing leg in saving gig from being
stove. This handicapped them some
what. Anson was capable boats
man, but haphazZard in organization,
and Ortho found he had to oversee
the landings as well as lead the pack
train. Despite his efforts there were
bitches and bungleS here and there +;
the cogs of the machinery did not
mate as smoothly they had under
the cock-sparrow. Nevertheless they
got the cargoes through somehow
and there was not much to fear in the
way of outside Interruptions; the dra-
goons seemed to have settled to al
most domestic felicity in Penzance
and the revenue cutter had holed her
cardboard Strake taking a short cut
round the Manacles and was dock ed
at Falmouth. Ortho got SO confident
that he actually brought his horses
home in plain daylight.
Then on the 14th of February, when
AL seemed so secure. the roof fell in.
Mr.. William Carmichael was the
person who pulled the props away.
Mr.. William Carmichael. despite his
name. was an Irishman. II years of
age. and, as a newly Joined cornet of
dragons, drawing s shillings a day.
occupied position slightly less ele-
waited than an earth-worm. However,
he was very far from this opinion.
Mr.. Carmichael. being young and in
nocent, yearned to let blood, and he
wasn't in the least particular whose.
Capt. Hambro and his two somewhat
elderly lieutenantS, on the other hand
were experienced warriors. and con-
seQuently the most pacific of crea-
lures. Nothing but a direct order
from superior would induce them
TO draw the sword except to poke the
fire. Mr.. Carmichaers martial spirit
vas in constant state of efferveS-
cence: he hungered and thirsted for
gore-but without avail Hambro
positively refused to let him run out
and chop anybody. The captain was
kindly man; his cornet'S agitation
distressed him and he persuaded one
of the dimpled Miss lagos to initiate
his subordinate in the gentler game
of love Ghe boy would come into
some sort of Kerry baronetcy when
his sire finally bowed down to de-
lirium tremenS. and it was worth her
while). But Mr.. Carmichael was built
of sterner stuff. He was proof against
her woman's wiles. Line of attack
At EN-. The lieutenants, Messrs. Pill
kington and Jope, were also gentle
souls. Pilkington was a devotee of
chess, Jope of sea-fshing. Both
sougth to engage the fire-eater in
their particular pastimes. 1t was use
less: he disdained such trivialities.
Death, Glory,
But Hambro. whose battle record
was unimpeachable. knew that in civ
ii police work. such as he was sup
posed to be doing, there is precious
little transient glory to be picked up
and much adhesive mud. He knew
that with the whole population
against him he stood small chance of
laying the smugglers by the heels,
and if he did the county families twho
were as deeply implicate ted as any
would never rest until they had got
him broken. He sat tight.
This did not suit the martial Car
michael at all. He fumed and fret
ted, did sword exercise in the privacy
of his bedroom till his arm ached, and
then gushed his heart out in letters
to his mother, which had the sole eff
sirup by return. the poor lady think
ing his blood must be out of order.
But his time was to come
On the Sth of February Pilkington
was called away to Administer to the
bedside of his mother cat least that
is what he called herr and Carmidh