Arizona state miner., 1926-03-13

upon a venture which hath color
Of state business, although a strict
legalist would denounce it piraticaI-
you see, l endeavOr to deal honestly
by you after my fashion; secondly, no
harm is intended to you; thirdly the
rewards Of our project will be singu-
larly rich; fourthly, / design to ex-
plot the advantages which shall ac-
crue to me solely for your benefit
you, Robert, are my heir, and if /
have need of you In the execution of
my coup, nonetheless l shall be able
to repay you for whatever you do in
my behalf a hundredfold, both mate.
rally and otherwise. l am, after all
your nearest kin after your father.
and l say in all humility my assist
ance is not to be despised"
81 won't go willingly" I answered.
even did your arguments tempt me.
l should resent your threat of compul-
sion"
Admirably spoken" he applauded.
"Egad, perceive you have the proper
spirit. You are exactly the lad re-
quire."
'T am the lad you'll not get" ]
shouted. Call in your bravos, and
I'll tear their throats out for you"
Gently, gently" he demonstrated
my bravos as you term them, are
not lambs, Nephew Robert, and /
must warn you that the killings would
not be all on the one side. If you
value your father, stand fast"
And he drew from a waistcoat
pocket a silver whistle, which he
placed to his lips. A thin blast piped
through the room, and dozen hairy
seadogs surged in from hall and
kitchen. Raps on the two windows
indicated that others mounted guard
outside.
My fathers face was mask Of min
gled rage and fear-not fear for him
self, but for me. He stared at the
savage figures, the barred cutlasses,
the ready pistols, almost with unbe-
lief in the reality of his vision. And
certes twas weird spectacle in that
orderly house in the town we Of the
province looked upon as the most ad-
vanced in the colonies-and became
to me the more weird as l glimpsed
next the hall door a grim mahogany
face and hangman look beneath
skrim Of black hair, and behind the
two familiar carroty head.
"Ho, there, Darby" I called out.
"What are you doing in such COM
pany? Did you know those men for
pirates when you drank with them
at the Whales Head?"
''Sure, they ha' taken me into their
crew. he answered brazenly.
"And twas you let them into the
house and betrayed your master!" re-
turned my father sadly. 81 had not
expected this of you, Darby. Have
we not been kind to your
Darby wiggled uncomfortably.
ooh, aye; main kind, Master Orme-
rod" he admitted. But they would
ha' had ye, whether or no. Sure, they're
grand crew, tricksy crew. And any
way, ye see, l was born to be pirate
My troth, / was!'
Murray laughed pleasantly.
"'Tis a valiant youth, and should
go far" he observed. Moreover, he
speaks the truth when he says we
should have won our way in to you
without his aid. The accommodation
was convenient, but by no means es-
sential.
"Where is Silver, Master BonesT
he added.
The man with the mahogany face
touched his hat
John was seeing to 1t the sarvants
was all secure, sir" he answered.
"Here he is now"
A gap appeared in che ranks by the
kitchen door, and the one-legged man
I had met on the waterfront that
morning stumped In on his long
crutch, as cheerfnlly serene as any
honest householder
"Was you askin' for me, captain?"
he said 1--WE just finished up behind
there-aTl gagged and roped, Bristol
fashion, safe for a day, sir"
And to me
"My duty, Master Ormerod, and I
hopes well know each other better
soon"
'I find we shall need cart, John,"
said my great-uncle.
My father turned very pale.
"You--you- My Cd, Murray,
you can't kidnap the boy this way!
Think! There are troops in Fort
George Once the hue and cry Is
raised you'll be"
"But 1t will not be raised" replied
Murray calmly. II regret it, but we
shall be obliged to tie up you and
Peter so that you will be incapacitat-
ed until some kind friend happens to
call on the morrow. by that time we
shall be at sea-"
I snatched up the chair upon which
I had been sitting and brandished il
over his head.
"Call off these scoundrels of yours
or I'll batter out your brains," 1