| Show IB G GOLF L CHAPTER X Continued X-Continued Continued 14 14 Still worse was to folio follow Caesar the second in command among the maroons owned a n nond nondescript black blackdog blackdog blackdog dog of ot the spaniel t type Pe which ranged over the Island as it pleased and on the very next evening shortly after dark we heard from the woods at the southerly end of th the Island n a sudden agonizing yelping which ceased almost t as abruptly as It began In the darkness darkness dark dark- ness Dess the sound was positively terrify- terrify In sU suggesting all kinds of ot unseen tortures tortures tortures tor tor- tures and Caesar by da daylight lIght as asbra bra brave ve a n man as you could find refused to go to th the rescue of his pet In the Uw morning we e searched for him but in n vain the do dog had vanished as completely completely com com- as though the earth had swallowed swallowed lowed lowed him unit The maid was triumphant her story was now substantiated and Ind Indeed d b by this time It did seem as If somebody or something something man man or spirit was spirit was haunting the island Yet realizing the tho difficulties of exploring the mangrove swamp we took no action save to be he beIn heIn In ln before nightfall to lock up the goats and the poultry and on the ground floor to make sure that door and windows windows windows win win- dows were thoroughly barred One thing however howe we did not doVe do I We Ve took no heed of our herd of half- half wild cattle which roamed tho the Island fat at will That they the also might be attacked attacked attacked at at- tacked never ne cros crossed d our minds yet et lit It was on the succeeding evening that another tragedy was added to the liste list We e had Just finished supper dusk was falling and Helen and I I. I were debating whether r or not we w would uld take our our customary stroll which we had abandoned since the night of the hur- hur She had asked me whether I really believed th there re was danger when her question was suddenly answered for her b by a great bellowing of cattle Running to the door I could see sec six for or eight of them barely visible in the dim light dashing at full tilt toward the house as If they felt that here at least they mi might ht find protection I seized my gun and went out wishing greatly that Cudjo the leader lender of the maroons were with me but there had been much talk of a fi a rebellion among the slaves and he had gone up the river the da day before on a n scouting trip to see what he lie could learn In time the way wa of news Caesar and Bill Bm h how how- w- w ever ler were already on hand like m my- my f self felt with their rifles In their hands I he three of us stood close together feasting casting doubtful glances gances at fit the black shadow of th the woods Caesar usually usual usual- fly ly I brave as a lion for once hesitated What hat think he asked me To tell the truth I should have hu been beeny very cry y glad to retire Into the house but since 11 he had appealed to me in in this way y I lid did not wish to be quoted afterward afterward after after- ward as having counseled prudence And nd as a matter of fact to retreat like frightened childen because of a 1 stampede of cattle In the darkness appeared the very verr height of cowardice And t so with a resolution I was far fm from feeling and amI with what was J I 1 7 Roar fear ar that species of false fulse bravery which comes from the dread of being thought afraid I replied I think we ou ought ht to go ahead Come on on boys j and we well we'll II clear up this mystery for good and all uti Thus Thins appealed to two old fighters like Bill hill and Caesar could not well lemur lemur and ami at once as the light was each irh tn Instant tant growing dimmer we walked rapidly toward to the border of o Jle the he trees At the edge of the thicket thickets t e e halted cocked coded our rifles rIlles mode made s bare b re that our knives es and pistols were n readiness then spreading out a ittle HUe slowly advanced ad among the ees There were no sounds an any any- here save pave the faint tread of our own and I was beginning to feol fel p newel mewed courage and rather to pride upon my decision when we ud nl emerged Into a n little clear- clear bg and ami as we did so I gave an nn un un- start tart I could not have that I had seen anything yet et fanas fan- fan ful as it may mas' sound I had a feeling feelings s mat some pome one hn had been in t that l t clear- clear s ng mu nut a moment ago nto anti and in spite t f m myself 1 I felt m my hair actually brist brIs bris- t I n nf on OIl m my scalp At the same mo- mo lent ent Cne Caesar nr whose e eyes es were as ns keen keens 2 s those of a n l lynx gave gme vent yent to a low At once I hastened to tos s side ship und find found him and Bill Hill P Pg peer peer- eer- eer g g Intently toward the time further side m the nearing l 1 Look like one of cattle said Cue Cue- V. V r 1 Maybe hc somebody hide m We Wego re ra go o f Br this time th though lIgh I am nm far from O v king ig the statement boastfully I had hadt t f come com wrought up to such a u pitch of i that now instead of being heing nr t frightened to death I was In ht a aate cf wt ate te of absolute recklessness With fth terse e ee e Come ome on I advanced taking h u i-u- of the faint light that still and r limned the clearing though all bend be be- mums End nd Its boundaries was dark arI and sit si- si t us the grave I did r n wait to see whether or not 0 ins vas followed for as I say I was fair- fair beside myself elf with the tension of oft t whole hole affair but j as a matter o of lr f ft t k l 4 ct h ei Caesar and Bill hill were close at ot aty y heels mid and in a n moment w wa tva were la m. b by the silent heap upon tin tIll d. d mo 1110 At jit Tt was one of the cattle no doubt W I that hut It la lay In a n strangely el conUS' conUS conned con- con ned CI position with forelegs extend US' US j 51 Jus mt If in a last desperate effort efort a n of t. i.-t. t t. t and ami with head thrown back a us as III tamed 1 to t me me unnaturally fur far I 1 Ito U soh to set net If It the animal aulma won were Ur IY d l atm 1 and 11 then n In n my may y min minI mingled t Jr nt n 1 h horror orlO I uttered u cry cr for i 0 By ELLERY H. H CLARK Copyright 1928 by Bobba Merrill Co service Its strange and unnatural attitude was now explained the heifers heifer's neck had been heen broken Its throat was torn and bleeding terribly so that the ground about was soaked with blood With courage suddenly evaporated I threw a terrified glance at the forbidding blackness of the woods Surely this was not the work of human hands and at the moment I could have sworn that I saw something moving In the trees tree and heard beard the snapping of a twig It was enough Thoroughly panic panic- stricken all three of us dashed headlong headlong head head- long across the clearing and through the woods beyond nor did we stop there but kept on running until WP we were once more within a n stones stone's throw of the house Then Indeed we pulled up and gazed at one another not 1 think ashamed of ourselves es but thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- demoralized and at a loss to account for this new tragedy We found McAllister en eagerly erly awaiting awaiting await awalt ing us but there was little we could do to relieve his anxiety For a n lon long longtime longtime time we talked McAllister held stubbornly stubbornly stub stub- to the theor theory that this was the work of men who came carne from the mainland mainland mainland main main- land In a boat yet this seemed hardly possible for besides the strong probability probability ability of our seeing them there was the added puzzle of the heifer with Its broken broken neck and bleeding throat But to this McAllister answered that the time animals animal's neck neele was broken by Its fall Caesar and Bill laid the whole blame on evil eyll spirits In some way conjured conjured conjured con con- hither IJ by the murdered obi man possibly all the way from Africa I for my part was frankly dy puzzled and could suggest no theory at all With morning and the cheerful sunshine sunshine sun sun- shine the events e of the nl night ht seemed Incredible and It was without fear that we started to revisit the grove I To my relief Cudjo had returned from his scouting trip reporting all quiet among the slaves and he disposed to I ridicule out OUi stor story went with us to th the tha woods Ills face as he bent over the body of the heifer helfer was a study for he was a man of unusual Intelligence and the superstitious Imaginings Imagining of his race meant nothing at all to him Yet Y-et while he hc discarded the Idea of ot an anything anything any any- thing supernatural he was at a loss to tell who had done the deed The Time heifers heifer's neck Interested him Immensely Immense Immense- l ly and over o It he shook his head This Timis afternoon he announced we hunt Island All An men nIl all armed all keep together If nothing then come evening I watch here lere I and andone andone andone one other man If get him I admired his courage and his decision decision decision de de- de- de and felt that with him as a companion cor com com- 1 pan panion ion I was read ready to take the risk But when I volunteered he shook his head Master no let you he lie said decisively Think too much danger Master no let me If tell him So no tell him hin No get other man luau come corne alone But this doubt of getting another man stung Caesar In spite of his belief belief belief be be- lief In ghosts I go he announced quietly and Cudjo nodded well pleased That afternoon with the consent of Andrew McAllister we made careful preparations and explored as thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- as we could the mangrove swamp with the exception of one particularly particularly par par- tangled spot to the tIle westward of the house which McAllister promised promised prom promised prom prom- to make his special care When we wended our om wn way homeward without without without with with- out results we felt feH tolerably certain that it was not In the swamp that our foe was lurl lurking ln But where then on the Island could he conceal himself The treetops Indeed would serve wr but their smooth trunks trunk's rose without u mm branch for ninny many feet and we we had only to stand awl aid look 1001 upward to know that the tile most skillful of us could not scale them No the time ster m mystery remained remained remained re re- re- re unsolved and Its shadow cast casta a gloom over oyer the time entire household Nor did lid I tell the truth feel entirely entirely en en- easy In m my mind over Cu Cudjo jo and Caesar yet et they were both mature mature ma mn- ture men expert and resourceful and andI I 1 did not dare to offend them b by In InformIng Informing informing In- In forming McAllister of their plan Fortunately Fortunately For For- for its success McAllister retired retired retired re re- re- re tired early earl and watching not without anxiety from th the doorway y I saw the two figures emerge e from their quarters quarters quarters and melt silently into the dark dark- ness For some time indeed I waited outside half wishing to go unbeknown unbeknown known to their assistance and to take up h n position near them In case cuse the they needed reinforcements But after an nn hour had passed and no sound broke the time stillness of the night I went In and was soon sleeping soundly I do not know what woke me It mn may have been a u pure coincidence or It ma may have been t through rough some mys rays mysterIous mysterious n agency enc which we do not wholly understand but in an nn Instant I way was broad awake It was vas perhaps an nn hour before daybreak I calculated and feelIng feelIng feeling feel- feel Ing that Cudjo would no longer disapprove disapprove dis dis- approve m my coming I decided to dress steal out and Join them In the woods to hear henr the stor story of their vl vigil As I left the house honse a n shadow from the time maroon maroon maroon ma ma- roon quarters Joined me and I was not sorry to recognize Big Bill the lie rifle In his hand Ills His face look looked d troubled and anxious and when I asked him why he was abroad so carl early earls I r discovered that he lie hud hind been await awak- ned ened in to the same strange manner as us IU myself E Evidently too he felt that It foreboded evil elI for he muttered apprehensively ap ap- Im h Something bad happen soon Noon I We Ve had tra- tra traversed perhaps half halt the distance to the woods when of a sadden sudden sud sad den and the time more dreadful because without warning there arose on the morning air a most frightful shriek pitched high-pitched heartrending the scream of a man In agony Then came the sharp report of a n rifle and a second later an Imploring cr cry rang out twice repeated Help I Help I Oh God God God- and then absolute silence It was too much for overwrought nerves coming as the climax of a n series of lesser misadventures misadventures misadventures mis mis- adventures It was Indescribably terrifying terrifying terri terri- and I felt no surprise as ns I saw sawBill sawBill Bill turn and fairly take to his heels And though I did not follow his example example example ex ex- ample I take no credit to myself I would gladly have done don so had not pride prevented and stubbornly with teeth set and heart henrt hammering against my ribs I pressed on toward th the woods thankful that at last a n faint light ht was beginning to show around me If I was to die I wished to meet death faces facE to face not to be struck down In the dark I reached the ed edge e of the clearing without mishap and peering forth knew Instantly that the worst had happened In the center of the glade face downward lay Iny the body of Cudjo a n little nearer Just on the edge of the time ec I Do Not Know What Woke Mo Me clearing a head and shoulders projecting projecting projecting pro pro- from the undergrowth betra betrayed betrayed be be- tra ed the bod body of Caesar A hast hasty examination destro destroyed ell th the last vestige vestige ves yes tige Uge of hope mope hope both men were beyond beyond be be be- yond rond all an aid ald Caesar I Judged had been struck down from behind with awful awful force while it was only too evident that Cudjo had met his death b by th the same hands that had slain the time hapless heifer I felt my brain going never before had I believed in vampires vampires vampires pires or warlocks yet et now I did and for an instant I I. I was actually convinced convInced convinced con con- vinced that here was the work of some sonic ghostly visitor from beyond on the grave Then In a Hash clash of reason renson I somehow somehow somehow some some- how regained m my power of control We had searched the Island nothing was there This deed had happened within a n few moments If done b by visitors from the mainland the they could not yet Jet have escaped As As' fast as us m my legs would carry carr me mc n I 1 dashed through the strip of woods that led to the seaward point and there I there I could have shouted at the sight of It there It-there there was a canoe of cottonwood Its single o occupant making his paddle n lly ily It was light enough for me to see that he wore a scarlet handkerchief about his head and even In n the dim light I had hud the time Impression that he was vas not a negro but a white man inn I threw m my rUle rifle to tom tomy tomy m my shoulder aimed aimed- at the base hase of the theman's mans luaus neck and pressed the trigger ger My I aim was true for at the report ne tie half halt leaped to his feet dropping his paddle and clutching at nt the air then plunged over the side up upsetting thu time canoe In his fall and ond floated struggling struggling gling feebly but without as ns it seemed to me any real notion of what he wat was doing With Ith a feeling of relief |
