, 1924-10-08
BY CRITTENDEN MARRIOTT
Copyright. ". Q. Chapman
CHAPTER XV-Continued

were Pickering.
Bunker and Carr had seer the CLEAN
almost as soon as Nellie. Swiftly they
dropped their oars into the water,
checking the boats way. Here they
are, all right" remarked Bunker, not
without satisfaction.
The skiff grated on the sand and half
a dozen dull forms sprang up, dimly
visible in the circle of freight. In n
foreign tongue some n spoke what
was evidently a challenge.
With a cry, Carr tried to back away.
But before he could make a single
stroke. hands stretched to the gunwale
and drew the boat high.
Carr shrugged his shoulders. We're
caught" he muttered. "Who are
they?" he asked Nellie.
Nellie leaned forward and addressed
the leader of the party in the foreign
tongue he had used. Then. without
waiting for a reply, she turned to Carr
and Bunker. "They are friends" she
said. Some of the people who live
here, I think. Everybody here speaks
Danish, you know. We had better get
out and I will talk to them" She
stood up, took the hand that one of the
men extended n jumped lightly
ashore.
Carr and Bunker. followed.
Beside the fire Nellie halted and
turned to a man who seemed to be the
leader. II am Miss Archman," she
said, in Danish.
The man saluted formally. For sew
eral minutes the two talked. Then
Nellie turned to her companions. 81
don't understand what he says very
WELL" she explained. "Tve tried to
tell him about the mutiny, but he
doesn't seem to understand me, either.
He says that the captain Is up the
mountain somewhere. but he has Just
sent a messenger to say that he is on
the way back. 1 asked him about our
people. but he says he hasn't seer any
Of them. I'm not certain that he be-
longs here. He doesn't know who
Overload Dorrh Is and"
"Overlord Dorthl /"
Eyes. Dorth rules the island. I
haven't had time to tell you of him.
I'm afraid these people are %intruders.
And yet"
Didn't Captain Bunker say that a
ship was following us?' broke In Carr.
These men look like marines and"
Nellie caught her breath. MA
rines?" she cried. "Ohi They can't
be! They can't be-"
She broke off as the men faced
round and stood at attention. The
al,lrlef-- .w.- 49, -. -
undoubtedly uniforms.
A line of armed sailors was ap-
preaching. As Nellie faced about, a
man. obviously an officer, strobe into
the circle Of the freight. When he
saw Nellie he saluted. Good evening,
madame" he said In Danish.
Good EVENING"" Nellie replied In
English. do you speak EnglishY'
II speak 1t a little" The officers
words were precise, but his accent was
good.
"rm so glad. I speak Danish very
badly. l am Miss Archman-"
The mans face changed instantly.
He whipped his hand to his cap. Miss
Nellie Archmanf" he questioned
eagerly.
"Yes, but"
The officer spun around. "Stand
back !" he ordered to the men. who
were crowding inward. Lieutenant.
withdraw your men TO n respectful
distance" He swung round again.
"The gracious lady will pardonf" he
said. ~ did not know. What Is the
gracious lady's pleasure7 I am Cap
tain Strindberg."
The Pickering freight danced on
| Nellie's bewildered face and In the no
less perpiexed countenances of Carr
and Bunker.
II am glad TO meet you, captain
faltered the girl. "But I don't quite
understand what you mean. l."
~ and my men are at the gracious
lady's service II she will lead us to
her father"
Nellie's face clouded. II wish !
could" she exclaimed. He must be
worried to DEATH"
"He Is here1 He Is wellf"
"oh. yesi He is here-that In. near
here; and he Is well. But Oh! I
| don't know what to say. You are In
the service Of Overload Dorth. are you
notf"
"Overiord Dorth7 D-orthf" Alb
ruptiy the officers face frightened.
"surely. surely, gracious lady. I ask
nothing better than to serve him."
"Then-then- You must know
about my father-Mr. Archman, you
know-and how W. came down here.
and what"
"your father. Mr.. Archmnni Par
donl The gracious lady has not yet
seen Overload Dorthf"
eyes. I've seen him. md I nm TO see
him tomorrow. l was to have seen
him today TO hear something impor.
tant that he wants to tell me. But he