Arizona state miner., 1926-04-10

y
then, to cloak miserable conspiracy,
plunge ner into the society Of such
scoundres as Flint and yourself?"
Instead of losing his temper, as l
had expected, my great-uncle stared at
me very earnestly throughout this
tongue-lashing. A speculative look
came into his eyes.
lieve," he said.
Il met her by accident. Twas I
saved her from walking into the
Whales Head after her father"
"You did very WE'LL" he approved
warmly. "And you spoke to her?
Prithee, Robert, what manner of maid
is she? A lady?"
Eyes"
"She should be an exquisite chit,
Robert. She has good blood in her.
Her mother was younger sister Of
the duke of Leitrim, and her fathers
father was a younger snn Of Lord
Donegal. She will be much to the
fore when King James returns to
Whitehall"
IL Ac uOCS JCSAOO AudA ' Ga
that you should use so hardly a maid
of such birth"
Hardly? Why do you say that"
"Oh, an end to your shabby deceits
and subterfuge!" I shouted. II ha'
told you already know she is to be
dragged aboard your ship when you
take the Santissima Trinidad I could
stomach your treatment of me, Muir
ray. But to expose a slip of a girl,
scarce more than a child, to life on
this floating hell and the attentions
of Flint and his lambs !"
My great-uncle pursed his lips.
What a vehement youth AS to
twas manifestly of the chiefest i'm
portance that Colonel O'Donnell's con-
nection with me be not suspected.
And the best way to cloak that was
to have his daughter accompany him."
But why" I persisted. why all
this devious deceit? Why mix a young
maid in an unsavory intrigue? Why
make her father disloyal to his mas
ter?''
Murray flushed crimson.
HE is not disloyal to his MASTER"
he replied with his first show of
anger. Colonel O'DonnelIs master,
my master-aye, your master-ls
King james, What doth O'Donnell
care for the paltry Spaniard who sits
in the palace at Madrid? What do
any Of us care for the Spaniards, who
have not been men enough to live up
to their declarations of support Of the
Stuarts? Boy, are you fool?"
There was that about his rage
which benumbed my own and awak-
ened again the reluctant admiration
which puzzled and embarrassed me.
What was it my father had said Of
him?
"He is sincere in a queer, twisted
way"
Past doubt, he was. I sensed
me to sympathy and pity. l felt of
sudden as if our places had been
reversed, as if his white hairs were
mine, and his my unlined face.
perhaps l am a fool" l said. "Yet
if I know nothing of your plan and
SO am inclined to misconstrue it,
whose fault is that?"
He dropped knife and fork and
fixed me with his eyes, so marvelously
alive and bright in their setting of
crows feet and wrinkles, SO luminous
with youth.
"Those are the first words you have
spoken which have had any tinge Of
kindness to them," he answered. 'Tis
my fault you are so far ignorant,
Robert, and 1 will endeavor to repair
the error. l did not seek to delude
you when I told you carried you
from New York because 1 needed your
assistance, and that is so far true
that l admit without hesitation |
must have your help before | can
achieve aught of my future plans for
bettering your station in life. In fine,
Robert, 1 need you at this time being
more than you can need me; and your
hostageship with Flint is but the least
of the services l hope from you"
"That is frank" 1 replied. "Ano
l will match 1t. l have told you I'll
not help in piracy; nor will l. The
taking Of this treasure ship is"
"Bide, bide," he interrupted. BE
fore you commit yourself further let
me tell my story"
He left the table and took from
cupboard in the wall a rolled map
which he spread upon the table be-
tween us, showing aside the plates
and glasses to make room for 1t.
saw at a glance twas a chart Of the
Caribbean sea and the Spanish main /
and the islands which stretched from
the top of the Floridas to the Bra
zilS.
"This is for reference" he re-
marked. "My story begins in Europe,
and we require no map for that.
Your father, Robert was a stout ia
cobite at your age. He has since
changed his convictions; but we'll say
nothing on that score. l, on the con-