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Show By ELLERY H. CLARK WNTISM-TK; Copyright by Bobtn-Meirlll Co. I STORY FROM THE START In the small New Jersey village vil-lage of Straltsmouth, In the year 17, Richard Lindsay, who tells the story, 1 a carefree youth whose chief activities are fishing and hunting. Proud of his marksmanship, he gives an exhibition exhi-bition before some villagers and a stranger, with whom they afterward aft-erward dine at the tavern. CHAPTER I Continued 2 Everyone, It seemed, was eager to enllphten him, but Aaron, having the loudest voice and the least consideration considera-tion for others, was the first to gain the stranger's ear. ''The Black Panther," Pan-ther," he explained, "Is the name they give to one of the most bloodthirsty of these gentlemen of fortune. Like a beast of prey, he slays most savagely and wantonly, sparing neither man, woman nor child. Hardly ever, they say, does a victim escape to tell of the disaster. Only now and then, by a miracle, some strong swimmer has con. trlved to leap Into the sea and keep afloat until- some vessel has rescued him. And from survivors such as these we have learned the name and the cruelties of the dreadful Black Panther." After this explanation, Aaron made haste to moisten his throat again, thus living Isaac a chance to take up the tale. "Aaron may speak truth," he admitted, ad-mitted, "but as for me, I hear another story. What they call the captain I know not and I care not, but 'tis the hip herself that is named the Black Panther, and Instead of the skull and cross-bones, she flies a white flag with a black panther embroidered thereon. And all agree that while the other emblem em-blem is bad enough, yet when honest folks see the black panther at the peak they abandon all hope and commend com-mend their souls to God." Now this, for Isaac, was a speech of great length, and when he had finished he made haste, as Aaron had done, to refresh himself with another mug of ale. But at cnce, and this time to my surprise, a third speaker was ready to add his version of the affair. This was Abner Moody, the village drunkard, drunk-ard, who spent all of his waking hours in the taproom of the tavern. "Begging your worship's pardon," he began in his high, shrill voice, "tills Is the way the story comes to my ears !" And he stressed the rronoun as If to imply that by the very process of reaching Abner's ears rumor was thereby transformed into truth. "Yesterday, "Yes-terday, at about this hour, I chanced to be right here, and two gentlemen were here, all the way from New York, and I listened to their talk, which was of the Black Panther. And thus the story comes to my ears that the Black Panther Is neither the name of the captain nor of the vessel, but of something some-thing else. At this Aaron looked highly Indignant, Indig-nant, as most of us are wont to do when any of our theories are doubted. "And what the devil," he inquired tartly, "do you mean by 'something else?' " And thus, while of course neither Abner nor Aaron had so Intended It, It happened that Abner's pause and Aaron's question were dramatically most effective, for every eye was now turned expectantly upon Abner. "By something else," he answered slowly and Impressively, "I mean something else. I mean that the Black Panther Is the beast Itself; that the captain of this vessel has captured, somewhere In outlandish foreign parts, a black panther; and that he has tamed It and trained It to fight. And In a battle It slays more enemies than all the rest of the crew. One crunch of its Jaws, and a man Is gone. And It wears a gold chain around Its neck. And it minds the captain. And that's what the Black Panther is!" Those of us who did not laugh outright out-right could not help but smile, for this was indeed a "traveler's yarn" with a vengeance. The stranger had not only one answer to his question, but three. Yet he skillfully managed to keep the good will of all, for, Instead of selecting one explanation as the true one, he answered, "Well, I should say that we had best keep clear of all black panthers, be they man, ship or beast. If these tales be true, I think I shall refrain from venturing a cargo by sea." But Aaron, by this time pretty well Invigorated hy the heady ale, hastened to defend the fighting qualities of the teamen of our const. "Don't you fear," he cried. "Our ships go armed. They have their brave carronudes and their brass six-pounders. They'll prove a match for all these vll villainous pirates." "Indeed, I believe so," the stranger assented heartily enough. "With the stout lads I see about rne here, I would risk nny venture. But no vessels ves-sels set out from your snug little port. There's a harbor to the north of you, though what do they call It? Cedar Inlet, that Is the mime. How kohii, I -otiuVr, could I ship some goods on eoine craft bound for the Indies?" Proud to be of service. It was I my-ir my-ir who answered this query. "You would have to wait." I answered, "bo- cause the bark Eastern Star sails from the Inlet tomorrow, bound for Jamaica, Jamai-ca, and probably there won't be another an-other vessel clearing for some little time." He looked his disappointment "Are you sure of that?" he asked. "They may not have finished loading her. Do you really think she sails so soon?" "I'm positive," I maintained. "She sails shortly after midnight, on the turn of the tide. I was told by the son of one of the owners." This evidently convinced him. "Then I lose my chance," he said regretfully. re-gretfully. "Well, 'what can't be cured,' as they say, 'must be endured.' And now I must be going. Master Og-den, Og-den, I am much In your debt for the Loan of your white mare, and my score with you, I believe Is settled In full. And as for you, young man" and he singled me out flatteringly from the rest "I shall not soon forget your prowess with the rifle. I should not like to be the duck that comes within your range." "Aye," Aaron broke In, "and he can wrestle, too. Can throw anyone In the vll village." The stranger regarded me with admiration. ad-miration. "I have always wondered at "That's What the Black Panther Is." the craft of the wrestlers," he said simply. "Would you object to showing me a sample of your skill?" More gratified and proud than ever, I assured him that I would gladly comply com-ply with his request. "But most of them," I explained, like the young cub that I was, "don't like to try It any more. Because they always get the worst of it." "I would not think of troubling them," he declared. "You may throw me instead. Let us go outside on the turf, where I may fall softly. And take care that you don't break my bones." Nothing loath, I followed him outside, out-side, and the others, nudging one another an-other slyly, formed a ring about us. I removed my coat and waistcoat, and the stranger did likewise, his breadth of shoulder and depth of chest showing show-ing to advantage as he stepped briskly forward. Indeed, If I had not known that he was a peaceful merchant, unused un-used to athletic sports, I might readily have regarded him as a worthy antagonist. antag-onist. But, as It was, with the kind-heartedness kind-heartedness of confident youth, I felt that while I must still retain my prestige pres-tige as the village champion, my real concern must be not to Injure him or to cause him to fall too roughly. And therefore I may fairly say In my own behalf that I did not begin the encounter encoun-ter with my usual vigor, but sought only to come to grips quickly and bring the unequal contest to an end. And truly the bout was an unequal one, though not In Just the manner I had anticipated. Exactly what really happened I have never been able to recall with distinctness; In fact, I cannot can-not take oath that I ever laid hands oh the stranger at all. But that he laid hands on me was certain, for the next moment I found myself flat upon my back, with both shoulders pinned neatly neat-ly to the ground, while my conqueror, with on agility unusual among peaceful peace-ful members of the merchants' profession, profes-sion, leaped lightly to his feet, leaving leav-ing me to follow suit as best I might. If I had not been completely overcome over-come with surprise, I am sure that I should have enjoyed the expressions on the faces of the audience, for their countenances displayed varying degrees de-grees of amazement and consternation. Final! Aaron spoke, with hesitation, as though doubtful whether or not he was telling the truth. "Dick got thrown," he announced; and as no one contradicted him (for there was, Indeed, In-deed, no possibility of contradiction) he concluded that the phenomenon had actually occurred, and Immediately Immedi-ately hazarded, "Try It again, Dick; try It again." But the stranger shook his head, i and begun putting on his outer gar-! gar-! ments. "We would If I hud the I el-I el-I sore," he said, "but unfortunatelj I must be on my way. The lad Is a born wrestler, though ; anyone could see that. His foot slipped on the grass; otherwise I should have been the one underneath." This diplomatic explanation removed all traces of gloom from the faces of my friends; and although It did not deceive me, I concluded, wisely enough, that If he chose to put It In this light, that was his concern and not mine; and so followed his example by slipping on my coat. Forthwith he thrust his arm through mine, and drawing me a little to one side, said In a low tone: "I have driven the mare some distance ; It would scarcely be right to use her again. But I have Just remembered a matter of Importance. Impor-tance. Have you, by chance, a horse and wagon, and could you drive me a few miles before sundown? If so, I shall be glad to pay you well." I answered that I had a conveyance such as he desired, and that I would gladly drive him as far as ho wished to go, but that I had no wish to be paid. For instead of sulking at having hav-ing been thrown in the wrestling match, I had the good sense to perceive per-ceive that this man knew much more than I did, certainly about wVestling. and I shrewdly suspected about most other things In life as well. Twenty minutes later we were Jogging Jog-ging to the south'ard. The stranger had fallen silent, and as I knew enough not to chatter but to wait until spoken to, we were both of us left free either to enjoy our own thoughts or to delight the eye with the beauty of the evening. Yet after we had traversed some three miles In this manner, my attention was suddenly attracted elsewhere else-where as we came abreast of Curlew Island. Ever since we left home, Indeed, In-deed, I had noted the shrill whistling of curlew and plover, and had realized that a great flight of these birds was in progress ; and now, as we came opposite op-posite the Island, I could see, even at that distance, that many of these flocks were alighting there for the eight. And Immediately I resolved to rise before daylight the next morning and secure a bag of these long-legged waders, delicious enough to delight the most exacting epicure. The stranger had for some time, as It seemed to me, been watching the coast line with close attention, and now all at once he laid a hand on my arm. "My boy," he said, "I am greatly in your debt, but the hour Is late, the road none of the best, and I cannot have you risk an Injury In the darkness dark-ness to the legs of your good horse or to your own neck. Also, for reasons rea-sons of my own. I wish to enter the Cove on foot. So here we will part." Once In the road, he thrust his hand In his pocket, drew out a couple of large coins and handed them to me. "Not as payment, my lad," he observed, ob-served, "but as a token from one man to another, and in memory of your shooting, at whiclt" he added with a smile that spoke volumes "you are even more expert than you are at wrestling. Good-by ; perhaps some day we shall meet again." He waved his hand, walked off briskly down the road, and left me gazing after hlrn, until presently I glanced at the coins, which I learned later that evening from my father were the beautiful golden doubloons of Spain. As I reviewed the events of the afternoon It seemed to me that a merchant's life was more varied and Interesting than I hail Imagined It to me. Indeed, It seemed such a busy existence that I wondered where the merchant had found time to learn the art of wrestling with such skill. And so, still deep in thought, I turned around and squared away for home. CHAPTER II Out of the Fog. By the time I had reached home and eaten my supper, thoughts of the morrow's mor-row's sport hail driven all else from my mind. With a relish which any bunter can appreciate, I made reidy my shotgun, powder-flask and shot-pouch, shot-pouch, and laid beside them my favorite fa-vorite rifle. These preparations completed, com-pleted, I walked to the beach to look at my dory, and finding that everything every-thing was In Its proper place, I returned re-turned to the house and went to bed. Never a heavy sleeper at any time, but being able to doze, as the saying is, with one eye open, I was always, before a shooting expedition, more than ever on the alert. Half a dozen times In the night I stirred, wakened, and once or twice even rose and walked over to the window, to admire the ocean sleeping so peacefully under un-der the stars, which shone In multitudes multi-tudes In the Infinite distances of the sky. Toward morning, however, keenly keen-ly alive as I was to the weather and Its varying moods, I sensed, even in my sleep, that a change had come; and when next I opened my eyes I saw that the starlight had faded and was conscious that a faint, almost Imperceptible Im-perceptible chill permeated the room. "Fog," I thought to myself, and hastening has-tening to the window I found that a light northeast wind had blown in from the ocean this chilling, all-pervading blanket, covering everything with Its mantle and blotting from sight every landmark around the house. At first, with that ebbing of courage which comes with the early dawn, I decided to abandon my trip; but when my eye chanced to fall on my gun and rifle, they fired my enthusiasm anew, and with a shrug of my shoulders shoul-ders I determined to make the best of It, calculating that the sun, later In the day, would In all probability burn away the fog. I dressed as quickly quick-ly as I could, breakfasted with great relish on some pilot biscuit and a glass of milk, and with gun and rifle under my arm, mademy way out-of-doors and down to the beach. There I found the dory, her rail, sides and thwarts gemmed with moisture, and, as I had done so many times before, I seized her bow with Joy In my own strength, ran her down to the water's edge, and a moment later had seated myself at the oars and was pulling away, with long and steady strokes, for the Island ; taking care, for the present, to keep close to the shore, which was dimly outlined through the fog. since I knew from experience how easy it is In such weather to lose one's bearings completely In a very short time. Far Inland, from some distant farm, an Irrepressible cock, after the Immemorial Im-memorial custom of his kind, shouted aloud that day had come; and almost at once a rival, with no less vigor, flung the challenge back again. Then, suddenly, far away from the east'ard. there came to my ears, dim and faint, another sound which I could not comprehend, com-prehend, but which seemed, had such a thing been probable, like the muffled reports of firearms. Instantly the memory of yesterday's talk In the alehouse ale-house came to my mind. "The Black Panther," I repeated whimsically to myself. "He Is lurking and prowling out there In the fog." Tills sound, whatever It was, soon died away, and I continued, without more thought of It, to cover the distance dis-tance In fine style, and presently, with great suddenness, as Is always the case with objects In a fog. the shore of the Island sprang Into being before my eyes; and an Instant later I had driven the dory's b'ow deep into the yielding sand, and Jumping out, had hauled her a boat's length up the beach and planted the anchor at the base of the reeds. Impatient for the morning's sport, I took from the dory's bow a dozen wooden decoys, rudely whittled to represent curlew and plover, plov-er, each supported on a long stick to be firmly Implanted in the sand. Then, with these lures In one hand and with gun and rifle In the other, I made my way across the Island to the easterly shore, set out the decoys, head to the wind, on a tempting sand spit; and a gunshot away, at the edge of the undergrowth, un-dergrowth, scooped out for myself a narrow blind just deep enough so that, when seated, my head was below the tips of the surrounding reeds. Then I loaded both gun and rifle with the utmost care, and at last was ready for what might befall. For some time yet, however, I was doomed to wait with Ill-concealed Impatience. Im-patience. I knew that It was either sunrl.se, or very near It, but no light as yet could penetrate this barrier of fog. And to render nie more restless still, the ceaseless whistling of the shore-birds told mo that though they wore hidden from my sight, they were I all about me In myriads. (TO BE CONTINUED.) |