Show f A M 4 THE STORY THUS FAR voyaging from england to america lark shin shan arica noni ship goes down ah she li Is cast upon an island and gait withe a bound servant ger vant rescue rescued her lark li Is made prisoner at the inn by C cony ny suit and nag mag who are holding tier her loi ransom lark tries to run away but cony catches her and she Is locked in an attic she escapes again and I 1 Is found by david daal no north th her lover disguised as aa a gipsy galt gait arrive on oil the see scene lie and agrees to get lark to no norfolk but when they enter the boat they find ua cony concealed in it the two me men fight 0 while tho the boat drifts back to thein the inn n lark pleads with or dr 5 matson atson to spare go balti ufa ills maon ga gait t and lark make a trip to G ghost ost island CHAPTER XIII in this case that was a mere theatrical gesture tor for every eye was already following the slightest movement of his catlike cat like body every breath was clamped by the vise ot of fear ear and unknown ascending 1 horror with delicate quick precision he drew his rapier from its slim castillan castilian sheath and stood on tiptoe reaching up to the swinging figure lark have moved the he tiniest muscle of her little finger it if her life had on the tip ot of the rapier caught the tha firelight and gleamed like a silver bead flung against the sun aim it reached up through the dark reached high till it found the hollow beneath the chin of that pitiful swaying figure and then slashed downward with the quick and delicate exactness of a tigers claw the jacket fell back in a wider V lark still did not understand she could not grasp wh atthe point was in Ws this particular savagery and desecration ec ration and then the body swung a little into pr profile and she saw the swell of a womans comans breast its rounded defenseless curve her eyes studied the face once more mor the e chan high cheek bones the rounded chin wildly she looked at matson took hold of his arm and shook it without knowing what she was doing why lark cried out its DOS ata to dostal do you wonder vender that I 1 laughed at you you little fool it is amusing is it not when lark answer matson continued unabashed that thief was david north the man I 1 loveal he mimicked h her er words in a high falsetto voice that la Is a jokel ile he turned to the gipsies lau laugh it you dogs laughl laugh matson raised a slim white hand and hushed it with a sharp gesture of command one woman could not stop she swayed back and forth in a very ecstasy of abandon beyond all human control oi or dignity her white locks streamed to her shoulders and her head rolled from side to side in a spi spasmodic frenzy dosta she moaned dosta my dearle dearie a own A man beside her slapped her I 1 open mouth hard with his big square hand and she stopped suddenly in the midst of laughter high and shrill as the nei weighing neighing neigh alling ing of the little wild island ponies the silence was thick as log fog pervasive as the stench near the mountainous heaps of oyster shells which dotted the lower beaches matson let the silence lie there like a heavy blanket smothering them tor for a long moment then he spoke aside to lark but loud enough for the others to hear bear little liar he said sitting down on the ground beside her pretty little liar I 1 have one further test for you you failed me signally at first let us see what you will do now he motioned to a graybeard gray beard herne he said come herel and when the man bent down whispered a word in his ear the gipsy nodded sulkily and with obvious reluctance went back to his group and began to weed the younger men out from the older ones lining themus them up in a row perhaps half a hundred stood there some cringing some defiant matson turned to lark and s smiled m fied in as friend friendly lya a fashion as if this were a parlor game that was to be played for her entertainment give me your hand my dear he said and when she comply reached over and took it placing t in his lap letting his slim fingertips finger tips rest delicately on the pulse in her wrist now he continued in the casual jocular tone of a master of ceremonies all of our possible davids will pass slowly in front of us you will say as each goes by that Is not david north andi will know tf ti the throb of your pulse the one particular time you are lying to me the first man in line paused in front of them it was ginko the fiddler he showed his white teeth in a flashing smile his eyes narrowed intimately and there was a provocative swagger to the swing owing of his red cape as he bowed low to lark fool bool matson said harshly 1 preserve your play acting for a filly of your ybur own breed this one is a thoroughbred say the words lark klark that is not david I 1 demand the a password as sword tor for this man as tor for each of the others that go by that Is not david lark said laid in a low voice her eyes straining into the darkness so that she might see the next in line and attempt to discipline her quickening pulse the next man the she saw with relief as he came forward into the lighted circle was scarcely more than a lad a lad obviously ot of th the E english race with skin as blond as gaits matson smiled and his fingers on tier her pulse grew lighter 1 I know that one he said ile he was stolen by an old gipsy beldame bellame when he was a child on exmoor heath hes had chances enough to return to his own people but this Is the only life he knows or cares about the password quickly lark and we will allow him to move on lark gave it and glanced swiftly at the figure next in line it was a man much me like davids build who wore the red baskall pulled down low over aver his head as it if to shield the lighted side of his face her heart m missed a beat and she felt the skip in her pulse the spanish cats fingers tightened on her helpless wrist the mans rolling walk was like davids too larks breath shortened in her chest she had not the strength of faith to pray she began to count to herself her lips forming the syllables slowly and uncertainly one two three four five six seven by the seventh count she knew it was not david her throbbing eyes had dad tricked her into magnifying the resemblance she released her tortured breath to in a little choking gasp latsons Mat sons tautened figure relaxed that gave you a turn it he ha asked pleasantly now at least I 1 have in mind the general outline of the traitor broad shouldered well I 1 4 4 V ff 14 1 0 01 1 3 the little tool fool walked right into the trap built in the first strength ol of his manhood ill let you rest for or a moment my dear while I 1 have a word with ginko dont think you can escape I 1 have but to ito give the order 1 the next man was chi chal a his taca face was a mask of sullen and vindictive anger lark was sobbing now her tears wetting her cheeks and railing failing unheeded in her lap matson laughed softly the likeness is remarkable it dosta pleasured me for or a time on the runny but then she got to be a nuisance an inquisitive little pickpocket rifling my portfolios and stealing the very jewels out of my ears as I 1 slept his free hand sought the lobe of his ear and fingered the golden loop which dangled from it naturally he continued when I 1 found the lock on my brassbound brass bound box had been tampered with I 1 set a watch and the little tool fool walked right into the trap it was an easy thing to have her dressed in her brothers clothes and string her up to givs give me a little sport with you when lark made no answer he motioned for the line to proceed the next eight or nine passed swiftly with no comment from either of the watchers lark repeated the words that is not david each urne time and latsons Mat sons finger on her pulse was light but steady at last there was only one more man standing back there in the semidarkness that would be david was bound to be him the man drew nearer it was not david the bulk of this mans outline loomed huge and rotund against the golden background of the firelight the spanish cat drew nearer to lark she wrapped her cape tight about her arms and breast and drew back standing a little distance from him under tinder the drooping branches or of the great oak tree lark felt the world falling failing away from her A blessed blackness rose to meet her mind and engulfed her Z latsons Mat sons v voice olce was the last thing she heard latsons Mat sons silky voice saying pleasantly ginko the pretty little bird has fainted take care of her when lark opened her eyes she was in a tent and the white haired gipsy woman was bending over her the hanging light was dim and cast grotesque shadows on the crimson wells walls the comans womans face was ra re mote and passive and yet there was in it such suffering as lark had never seen behind her stood ginko and a tall slim allm figure red and blue jacketed galal why it was galt gait truly it wool was I 1 1 I was dreadfully frightened about you galt gait what happened larks voice was a whisper those two slaves grabbed me on the path and gagged me so I 1 call out they dragged me off to the dungeon but I 1 managed my way out lark the lock was old and rusty and the guard cause me much trouble he spoke with the pride of his new manhood 1 I found ginko and he brought me here to you in mother egypto tent but what happened lark asked where Is matson did he find david why you are the man who betrayed him she said with horror drawing back from him as the full realization of her last memory came back to her the fiddler laughed softly little foolish one that was a clever trick on my part I 1 am so wise a me man that I 1 desired for the spanish cat to be distracted that I 1 might be able to get you away from him and plan for your escape your david has no snore more snake on his heel than I 1 have david has not been frundl found lark repeated her bar question anxiously her eyes going from giankos face to gaits she was still not altogether certain of ginko but knew that gaits word could be trusted implicitly no galt gait said briefly been beating the bushes tor for the last half hour but have come on no sign of him the shout would have gone up had they done so my daughter was a princess the woman who watched her said in a proud and sorrowful tone dosta T Is dead and god himself can not bring her back to me in her name 1 I have befriended you the horse is waiting you must make haste the horse red baskall Ra lark glanced at galt gait it Is arranged galt gait said 1 I am to ride him I 1 know where he is stalled there is only one guard on duty the little black mare DOS tos tas namesake is to be yours lark walt wait the woman whispered raising a detaining hand here are costas clothes let this girl put them on if she Is seen then she will pass in the darknell dar kneis kneLs for one of our band ginko said 1 I will make sure there is no one about and with quiet care slit the b back ck of the tent he and galt gait slipped th through rough the opening outside galt gait was waiting with ginko who flashed his shaded lantern for a moment on her figure and nodded as if satisfied when he saw aw that dontas clothes fitted her well enough and that she had twisted a red baskall completely over her golden curls in the moonlight her white skin and blue eyes were scarcely noticeable she might have passed at a casual glance for any of the gipsy girls galt gait smiled at lark admiringly y and whispered it will be safer it if we separate ill go to the stables and get red baskall Ra while you and gink 0 get the mare ill meet you beyond the corral ginko nodded and hurried lark around the corner of the castle no one was in sight now though off to the left they could hear the men pursuing the search calling back and forth to one another as they came on broken branches or toot foot prints to in undergrowth after another careful hundred yards or so they reached the corral where the gip gipsies horses could be seen in the moonlight mostly they were sorry enough looking beasts with hanging heads and manes but even in the moon moonlight ligh t the beauty ot of the one little black mare could be seen she was lying a asleep s leep by herself in a tar far corner of the paddock and they un latched the tha gate and went softly to her instantly st at their approach she was on her feet with quivering nostrils and rolled back startled eyes ginko gentled her with a soothing hand and a soft spoken word as she tossed her head and flung back her mane she was small boned and daintily made her coat had the fineness of shining satin larks hand stroked the arching neck she whispered dosta in the pricked ear as the lovely creature feeling a strange hand on her shied and danced her bridle and fine embroidered blanket and saddle hung bung near her on the limb of a tree ginko reached tor for them and with tender caressing words had her ready in a mol ment cupping larks foot in hit his hand as she mounted he ha slapped flapped the mare softly on the flank bank as he be led her through the gate toward galt gait who was waiting there on red Ra baskall galt gait was smiling good news new for you lark he said gently 1 I found an empty stall and the groon lying there thera unconscious davids david got away oh galt gait are you sure nobody else would have taken a horse tonight hes had the start 0 ot f an hour on us perhaps can we catch up with him oh galt gait do you think we could rd fd feel so much better to know for sure TO BE CONTINUED |