OCR Text |
Show H-..IH.W iilil.Hy .ppn,.,., in .,., -...T..Wfy..i-;rl llHMt ,:1&W4 x K ARTHUR. D. iXW ?T7 MOWDEN - Sll VlHf SMITH . W.MU.SERVICE Sk.saOaiS4 ARTHUR D.HOWDEN SMITH "How matters IT what we bellev or others? There'll be talk, and people peo-ple will say Inglepln and bis daughter daugh-ter are disloyal. But that Is said already. al-ready. And talk Is not legal evidence." evi-dence." Mrs. Rhodes, listening to their debate, de-bate, struck in swiftly: "1 dunno buout what other folksll b'lleve, b,ut I can tell ye right naow, Nlmrod Sopher, Miss ain't nappy over what she's done or ain't done. She didn't want for me to take that letter, let-ter, not one hit." "Ah' 1 think I'll return It to her." fellowes said, and walked down the iiall to the parlor door. "Come In," Cara IngleplD answered uls knock. She was sitting on the sofa as when ne hn first seeu her, driuklng a glass f wine. The duenna was beside her, dumbly protective Her father and Chaler. talking restralnedly in far " "1'is (ii.v wits tell rue we must have documentary proof of all that" the lawyer retorted doggedly. "But argu ment will carry us no whither. Do you search Inglepln, and I will takp Chafer." Their prisoners submitted with an III grace, both, however, In no wise disturbed seriously which wasn't odd, for nothing of moment was found on either of them. A search of the house produced a quantity of correspondence, corre-spondence, and a map of the country showing the rough division of political politi-cal sentiment; but not a line of mat ter more offensive' than was openly preached In every Federalist news paper. Descending the stairs, very mourn fully, they encountered Mrs. Rhodes. corner, met Fellowes with frankly boa-tile boa-tile glances. , "Is it necessary for you to annoy us further, sir?" demanded Inglepln. Fellowes Ignored the question. "1 regret we felt obliged to take thl from you, ma'am." He placed the letter let-ter in the listless band she put out for It "You have my apologies for the Intrusion. I am confident Captain Colllshawe Is too honorable a man to have Intended It should be used to cover a political tntrigue." The startled look she gave him was his reward. "Tour confidence does you honor, sir," she acknowledged gratefully. "And, oh, Captain Fellowes " "Daon't ye talk to him, Miss Cara," Chater Interrupted. "I'll thank ye to git out o' my house, and stay out, Fellowes. te ain't got no excuse for bidin' a mlnit I'll have the law on ye. If ye bothei me ag'ln." "Try the law, you fool," Fellowes retorted contemptuously. "I'm done with It" ' Passing out the parlor door he beard Cara Inglepin catch her breath, and understood she was shocked anew at the spectacle of his scarred back. But be was puzzled that this sign of remorse re-morse should Inspire him with pity rather than exultation. He resolved to root out all pity from his heart, lest it undermine the strength of his hatred.' Fellowes awakened slowly, conscious of an unaccustomed sense of luxury. Sunshine was warm in his face, soft linen caressed his body. It was very different from the berth-deck of the Badger. He was In his own room at the Manor. A suit of clothes hung on a chair, all brushed and neat Towels were draped on a rack. Evidently, some one bad been busy putting a disused dis-used house In order while he slept He learned who that some one was ! when the Widow Rhodes' voice drifted in to him through a door that stood ajar. "Come right in, Nlmrod. If he ain't up yet, It's time he was rlz. A man can't more'n sleep the clock 'raound In comfort" ' Fellowes slid out of bed, chuckling, languidly satisfied. The world seemed good after twenty-four hours' rest And he was home. He strolled to the window, and the world turned gloomy In a moment Beyond Uie maples, and the creek fields and the creek. Itself, he saw the lane winding from Chafer's house to the South Country' road, and rolling along In a shower of 'dust a cumbersome post-chaise. While he watched, It lurched around a corner and vanished under the thick leafage of the trees lining the main road. His face was so grim that when Sophet entered the room the lawyer nodded understandingly. "Good morning. Lion, good morning, my dear fellow 1" he exclaimed with a patent effort at cheeriness. "Yon are the better for a proper sleep, I see. And watching our ah antagonists antag-onists departure. Returning to the city, 1 believe. Let us hope, a thought chastened by their experience." "You may hope it" snapped Fellowes, Fel-lowes, beginning to dress. "1 don't They are on their way to do whatever they arranged with Colllshawe." "Oh. my dear Lion 1 You are unreasonable unrea-sonable We have no evidence" "We have plenty of evidence. What e require Is a method of exploiting exploit-ing It I think Joshua Inglepln Is the man for my purpose. If be Is, and sees it we'll lay the story before the federal authorities and the governor. Is Jeff Higgle still In the village?" "Yes, he waited on the possibility you might wish his services." "Send word to the General Armstrong Arm-strong we'll drive west In an hour. Have you any money for me? Enough to buy a ship?" (TO BE CONTINUED) K)0X0000XK)00)000XK1M STORY FROM THE START Cap'. Lion Fellowes American merchant ship Is sunk by a British Brit-ish frigate on" Portugal in the Wai of 1812. Fellowes' life is saved by an English-speaking grlrl, who conceals hej Identity. Fellowes goes to Lisbon where he meets an acquaintance, Capt. Chater of the American ship True Bounty, who offers him a berth as a mate, but knowing Chater Is disloyal In trading with the enemy, he refuses He meetB the grirl who saved his life, Cara Inglepln, daughter of the owner of True Bounty She is bound for hor.e and Induces Fellowes to sail as mate. He is In love with Cara. The vessel ts stopped by the British frigate. Badger, Captain Collishawe. Fellowes Fel-lowes Is taken aboard the Badger Badg-er a 'pressed" man Maddened at what he believes is Cara's and Chater's treachery he strikes Colllshawe, who orders him a hundred lashes with the "cat." Fellowes' hatred of the three becomes be-comes an obsession. Oft New York Fellowes escapes from the Badger. He scents a plot in a meeting to be held at Chater's home and gathers a company ot militia to circumvent the plotters. plot-ters. In a fight between the militia and British sailors Colllshawe Colll-shawe escapes. At Chater's home Fellowes finds Cara, her father and Chater Fellowes scoffs at the girl's denial of conniving at his kdnaping. CHAPTER VII Continued 12 A sneeze from Miss Inglepin under un-der whose nose the duenna was burn lng feathers attracted Sopher's at tentton to the couch. "I trust the lady Is uninjured?" he asked, with a suspicious glance at Fellowes' companions. "She fainted. An excess of shall we say contrition, Mr. Inglepin?" "An excess ol abominable misus age," flared her father. "What woman wom-an wouldn't faint after such a niKht?. A pitched battle outside ber windows a mangled body before her eyes-naked eyes-naked men forcing themselves Into her presence !" "You overlook a period ol captivity captiv-ity In the hands of ber country's en emies." remarked Fellowes. "And I must add still another to your list of outrages. 'Twill be necessary to search her. as I have said." "You'd miss no chance to humiliate humili-ate her," returned Inglepin. " 'Tis to be expected, sir." Yet, for all his bluster, Fellowes detected in the merchunf's bearing an aspect of relief. Chater, too. re sutned his position by the mantel piece, a fleer o) derision (n his green tsh eyes. Could It be that they had no documentary evidence to conceal and accepted the threat ot search as admission his case against them would collapse without It? His Hpc tightened; his voice hardened "Send a man for Mrs. Rhodes. Niin rod." "She's outside. She came up from the village when she heard some of the men were hurt." "Have her In. I want her to search these women." Sopher flung up a window. "Corporal Eachesl Ask Mrs. Rhodes to be good enough to step In side." She bustled In the door, and stood for a moment blinking ber eyes at the compuuy. "A reg'lur party," she commented "Waall, squire. 1 see ye lost yer shirt. 'Must have be'D a real battle; hy all accounts. What's wrong with the gal tnar?' "She'll be nil right," Fellowes an swered. "1 want you to search her Mrs. Rhodes. The Portuguese worn an, too." Mrs. Rhodes planted bersell In front of the sofa, arms akimbo. "And whut do I s'arcb 'em for?' she demanded. "Papers. Anything, except the clothes they wear and make certain no documents are concealed in seams or pockets." "Leave em to me," the widow returned re-turned briskly. "And cl'ar out all these meufolks." As Fellowes herded captives and caplors Into the hall, she was already al-ready at her task, closing the doors that connected with the dining-room, her lips moving In prayer. Sopnei dropped back beside Fel lowes. a worried look In the lawyer's horsey face. "I'm not entirely positive as to the '""' legality of these measures. Lion." he remarked confidentially. "If we find nothing" "Man. I saw Miss Inglepin coming out of British headquarters In Lis bon with Lord Wellington talking treason, if words mean anything I saw her exchanging documents with Colllshawe In Chater's cabin and was I crimped by Collishawe simply because he needed another hand? Use your wits. Nlmrod I A Search ot the House Produced a Quantity of Correspondence. waiting outside the parlor door, a til umphant smile on her angular features. feat-ures. "Thar wore Jest this," she an nounced, extending a single sheet of notepaper. "In the lady's bodice." Fellowes accepted the sheet from her, and carried It to the open front door to examine, Sopher peering over- his shoulder. The letter-flap was unaddressed, unsealed and un-franked. un-franked. On the Inner side was writ ten : H. M. S. Badger, On Station on New York, July 8. 1811 Dearest Cara: It we are denied a word alone, J write this to substitute for tbe plea 1 would prefer lo ofer with my Lips. Tie the Plea has been In my heart Sini'.e we met first at the Rothsays' In London Will you Marry me? 1 have little to Ofer, save a fond Heart, and 1 see no chance of Coming off the Sea short of a General Peace, and God knows when That will bee. If ever. But there you are. Prithee be kind, and send ne Hope of the future. Wether you Do, or don't, tho', I subscribe sub-scribe myself with All good Wishes, Yr obt hble svt, James Collishawe, Bewildered, reluctantly abashed. Fellowes was yet entirely skeptical. "I'll not believe It" he cried. "Tis a blind I Can't you see that? They are clever, abomlnubly clever." "1 grant you, Lion," returned Sopher. So-pher. "but 'tis the one piece of evidence evi-dence we find, and It upholds Miss Injilepln's story." Fellowes studied the letter through narrowed eyes. " 'Tis honest, but Do you believe. Nlmrod. that the captain of a British man-o'-war came ashore with rweuty men and a boat-gun. to pay a call on a woman? Po you believe that oth ere will believe It?" Sopher shrugged bis shoulders. iMVVVOOO0000000OKK)000: |