Evening star., 1927-10-30
THE BLACK JOKER
BY ISABEL OSTRANDER.

| and arms she had waited so long, was
gone from her forever. He had been
taken by these beasts and done to
death!
Janet turned upon her face in the
bunk writhing in a very agony OF a
despair greater than she had ever
known. She was oblivious now to the
presence of Lucy. oblivious to all the
world besides as the anguish burned
| into her very soul, too deeply for the
solace Of tears.
| Never to see Daddy again, never
| to hear his voice calling her jamie,
| to feel the gentle caress of his hands
upon her hair. to know the blessed
protection of his presence near! 1t
was all she had lived for through the
drab convent years, all she had plan
ned and built upon since her earliest
recollection, and now! Oh, If she
could only die. too. and go to him!
Exhausted by the very violence of
her grief, she lay quiet at last with
her dry. burning eyes lifted unseeirg-
| ly to the boards of the bunk above
| her, and did not even hear Lucy's
anxious, coaxing voice as she urged
broth and medicine in vain upon her.
Vaguely she realized that the sun
dimmed, was gone. and shadows filed
the corners and crept out upon her
slowly. like the shadows Of death, and
finally some one lighted a lantern.
Once she heard Norman's voice at the
door and shook with a rage and
hunger for vengeance such as she had
never known before. Then he was
gone and only that swaying lantern
fiickered across her face and water
surged higher and higher, beating
against the sides of the boat, and the
wind moaned like a soul in torment
Then the storm broke in her sur
charged heart and the tears came at
last! They rained down her checks
in a torrent that left her gasping and
spent in Lucy's arms. but the first
agony was over and she began to
think.
Daddy was gone, she could not
bring him back, and somehow she
must live on without him, live at least
till she had carried out the task he
left unfinished. and brought his mur-
derers to Justice! She knew what he
had caused to be brought to America
and where It was concealed. but how
she was to obtain possession of 1t
and what disposal to make of it when
she did were still for the future to
disclose.
The pack Of the Black Joker would
know, but Afford and Durant were
dead, too. and Mrs. Kerr was a traitor
The Four Of Clubs, the kindly farmer
who had assisted her flight from
Daneholm. she knew to be a mere
minor aid. and she shrank instructive
ly from queer old MIR. Protheroe. in
his vault-like house dug into the hill
There remained only the faithful Nat,
and Clinton Hollis. the older man
with whom she had talked on Lions
Head, but how could she reach them,
even when she succeeded in getting
out Of the clutches of the f1end, Nor
man?
Then Janet's thoughts turned to
John Padmore, that quiet, distinguish.
ed parsonage who Of all at Danehom
she felt most worthy of trust. The
rest had lied to her about her father.
even gentle old Mrs. Madison' Mr..
Padmore would be sure to know what
Daddy had meant to do with that
which was so strangely concealed, and
somehow she must find him!
Now, more than ever, she was dedi-
Gated to her fathers cause and to his
loyal friends who had risked-and
paid!-so much to protect and aid her;
when she had carried out Daddy's in
tention it would be time for his mur-
derer's to pay their debt, and then
It would not matter how soon the
end came!
When Lucy pressed medicine upon
her again she took 1t obediently and
a merciful lethargy ensued. duIling
her anguish and finally bringing oh.
livion to her tortured spirit. In her
sleep she moaned and tossed while the
wind rose to a gale and great waves
buTeted the ship till it seemed she
could not outlive the storm, but Janet
knew nothing of 1t.
When she awakened the sea was
calm, sunshine streamed once more
in at the portfolio and the vessel rode
peacefully at anchor.
Lucy was already dressed for going
ashore. though her eyes were ringed
and sunken and her face drawn from
fatigue.
You must try to eat a bit. NIissp'
she urged. That wretch as brought
US where e wants us, and I'm thank.
full it's land at least, though it's a
dreary. Gawd-forsaken a place as ever
I see,''
Janet sat up and took the trsv
which the maid offered, but the food
choked her. although she forced her.
self to drink the rank, strong coffee to
its dregs. Then she dragged herself
from her bunk, submitting listlessly
to being dressed. Grief had left her
drained of every emotion save the
living sorrow that would always gnaw
at her heartstrings and the determine.
ton vital above all else to complete
the transaction her father had started
ana revenge his wantonly boasted
murder.
She was ready when knock came
upon her door and when Norman's
voice asked gruf1y how she felt She
looked at him calmly in a silence
which he evidently found disconcert.
ing. for his heavy face flushed a deem
red and he growled:
What's done's done! You wanted
the truth and you got it! Now, you and