Show 6 NN THE STORY THUS FAR while voyaging a I 1 rom england to america lark Sh shannona annons ship goes foes down she Is east cst upon open an all island and gait withe a bound servant rescues her lark Is made prisoner at the inn by cony and mag who are holding her for ransom rin soni she escapes and Is found by david north her sweetheart i disguised as a gipsy to get a tine line on the activities of one dr matson galt gait arrives on the scene and agrees to get lark to norfolk but on an entering the boat find and cony concealed in it the two men fight while the boat drifts back to the inn dr matson spares gaits life at larks pleading and later while uie in a gypsy camp dr matson endeavors to identify david CHAP CHAPTER TEXi XIV his face fell your thoughts be ever on him lark he said glumly and his but on his business no I 1 dont think we can overtake him not tonight twill be all we can do to save our own skins hes right ginko said cc forget about david and get a quick start before the alarm goes out take the downhill path and wark toward the beach matson like as not will think youve taken the highway to norfolk and search that first is for hours they raced their horses along the shore where the beach was firmed by the creeping tide red bed baskall was by far the swifter of the two horses and gait Galt had to shorten his stride so that the smaller black dosta might keep by his side As the sun reddened the eastern sky they reached cockle creek and the black narrows galt gait said he had fished all up and down this coast and knew every little bay and inlet here was a good place he told lark to water their horses and rest tin till noon gratefully they curled up in the sand and were soon fast asleep lark wakened first and rising on her elbow lay watching galt gait how long he looked lying there how relaxed how beautiful what latent strength he possessed what manliness she thought in a moment he opened his eyes and smiled at her im hungry he said simply starving looks like well have to find us some oysters lark do you mind anything would taste good she sat up and shook the sand out of her hair oh galt gait its so good to be alive to be free do you think those men will come back dodou think matson will send out others 1 I doubt find us galt gait said sturdily we can make a race for it if the they y do our horses are swifter than any of his and now that weve found our freedom both you and I 1 by god I 1 were going to keep it lark thought he said that not like swearing but almost like a prayer darkness found them skirting westward behind garmathy Gar gathy inlet once during the afternoon they had seen a lone horseman and crept into the tangle of undergrowth tin till he was safely past them theres a cottage yonder lark said maybe we can get into it it would be fine to make a fire in a fireplace and curl up on a dry floor in front of it 0 galt gait nodded and they circled the darkened cottage A shout from within stopped them chos there A sleepy voice called roughly and a man came out and stood under the gabled root roof protected the colo nade peering out into the night lark and galt gait crouched low in the tangled undergrowth thankful that they had left the horses horse tied some little way off in the woods the farmer stood for a moment listening intently as they clung close together scarcely daring to breathe 1 I heerd un he shouted 1 I heerd un plain joachin po achin and try in to find thet ole treasure thet ain aint t here ill get un swear to god I 1 will ill blast un surel he turned back into the house wed better make a run for it galt gait whispered if he gets his gun hell tramp about tin till daylight and find us sure they got to their feet carefully pulling their woolen clothes from the thorn bushes shaking the dried leaves from their hair they crept out through the broken down iron gate and ran across the patch of open ground that lay betwee ni them and the copse where the horses were tethered galt gait said wed best be off lark the stars are clouding over and it looks as a if we might have a smart shower of rain ill feel better if we put this place behind us soon 11 he deposited the knife and the coins safely lately in the pouch at his waist the rain caught them before they had gone many miles and forced them to seek shelter in a barn on the far side of longboat creek they were drenched and shivering but crept deep into the hay and found what warmth they could lark awoke next morning with chattering teeth and a hot flushed face her legs were cramped and her shoulders ached unbearably it took all the strength she could muster to suck one of the handful 0 of f eggs which galt gait found in the hay and to allow him to help her mount dosta in the early gray of the bleak autumnal morning the long days riding was complete misery and except for gaits kindly consideration would have been unendurable that night they we were re lucky to come on a hunters leanto lean to in the woods galt gait lifted lark from the saddle and carried her tenderly inside the little shelter piling what whal dry boughs and leaves he could finde find for a couch he laid a snare in the undergrowth and was fortunate enough to catch a wild rabbit he slivered and whittled a branch into fine shavings with his cobby knife and when he had started a fire with his flint and tinder nursed it along witti with infinite care until it would take hold of a sizeable dry log he had been able to find in a corner of the leanto lean to for a time the hot strengthening meat seemed to put fresh life into lark but toward midnight her fever rose and the chills gripped her anc once e more galt gait sat helplessly by chat 2 1 9 r r I 1 carried her tenderly inside the little shelter ing her cold hands and calling her name over and over again as she tossed and raved about the shipwreck and about that first dreadful night on ghost island when she had found clink Sw alters and h had ad been unable to save him next morning there could be no thought of their continuing their lourney journey lark was dreadfully in ill that was plain to be seen and ga gait was in a frenzy of anxiety I 1 his it S nursing was awkward but tenderly loving it comforted him considerably that in her raving she made no mention of david norths name when night came he knew he would have to have help if he were to save larks life she seemed asleep for the time being or else she was sun in a dreadful deep unconsciousness ness he sure but he had to leave her for awhile he had scarcely thought what st story 0 he would tell when the man of the house confronted him with the suspicious surliness accorded stra strangers ng in this section of the country my wife is sick galt gait heard his own hurried voice mumbling those words wo ds and knew in that instant that he wished they were the truth were ere headed north from norfolk toward snow hill landing where her h er folks live can I 1 buy a blanket and some food from you un dont look old enough to have a wife the man said bring her here now do A kind ly faced small woman pushed up behind him and peered out at galt gait now dot do listen to the woman wo manitt the man grumbled how in land sakes do we know this boy aint a thief how do we know he aint that very chap sheriff told us to be on the lookout for who stole a horse up horntown way fellow in town thoth day tole me to be on the watch come inside 1 now an let us get a good look at un url he held the door wide open galt gait felt the red blood mounting moun tin 9 into his unshaven cheeks he took a step back out of the light do I 1 speak like a bound boy he said haughtily haughty ay my wife and I 1 are gentlefolk both of us if you yo of u have food and a blanket to sell what price un give me the man asked his face lighting up with greed his suspicions now evidently allayed til ill pay you fair galt gait said the woman said ive got an extry homespun blanket and plenty meal an larded fowl tom we could use a bit of cash money with the taxes coming due I 1 could add a bottle of my root tonic its mighty good for sick folks she smiled at galt gait when tom answer her but just stood there considering she fetched the th things ings and tied them in a bundle which she held out with some eagerness to galt gait when the man more slow witted than his wife still s say ay anything galt gait held out one of his coins the woman smiled contentedly and passed him the bundle as tom suddenly coming to life snatched the coin and slammed the door in gaits face her chills and fever ran their course for ten full days and she was weaker than a newborn new born kitten by that time anxiously galt gait guarded her for another three or four days until he felt her now returning strength would make it possible for them to continue their journey at last on the fifteenth day she said galt gait I 1 can make it now really heally I 1 think I 1 can let me try she stood up and took a few wobbly steps his arm was around her supporting her and giving her courage he swung her up and into costas saddle steadying her for a moment as she swayed weakly and clung to him he patted her knee and spoke as if he were talking to a small child youre all right lark you can make it darling it wont be very long now tonight will see us at the ferry tomorrow well be in norfolk david win will be there waiting for you david lark repeated the name slowly stupidly david will be there waiting for me david here he been here lark asked anxiously oh im so dreadfully worried she sat on the very edge of mara hastings horsehair sofa in the prim parlor of the house set a little way back from the tree lined street in norfolk david captain north is not here mara pursed her lips and tranquilly continued to net a small silk purse 1 I thought I 1 made myself quite clear on that point a few moments ago I 1 did not say he had not been here you did not ask me that 1 I would have thought miss galt gait said with obvious irritation that you would have volun volunteered volunteer tee red the information when lark first asked you captain north was here last week mara said 6 he has gone back up the coast now looking for us of course lark smiled at galt gait poor dear david im sure he was frantic with worry I 1 was ill you see miss hastings and that delayed our arrival mara smiled patiently as if she were humoring an excitable child you worry she said with a slight edge to her tone captain north did not go back to look for you miss shannon he went to baltimore to attend to important business for the cargie riske company 11 important business oh I 1 see lark said flatly she glanced down dejectedly at her hands which she was twisting in her lap she felt suddenly very tired and very weak you will both want baths she said with her hand on the pain painted ted china doorknob door knob 1 I will have warm water sent to your rooms nii your rooms nii and will find some more suitable garments for you miss shannon lark bark glanced down in quick confusion f at her tattered gipsy finery oh she said im so dreadfully sorry weve disara disgraced ce d you by coming here like this ha ven t we we stop for a minute to think we were so tired ive been so sick 1 I hope that no one saw you enter mara led the way up the narrow carpeted ca stairs 1 I believe all the children were engaged in their classes and there are not many of my friends on the streets at this early morning hour one does have to be careful of appearances when their school has as select a reputation as mine you understand that of course miss shannon 11 galt gait stepped stopped stock still a few feet below them on the landing lark 11 he 1 said since david here I 1 id 1 d say we tell mistress hastings 1 g goodby and take our toot foot in hand 00 tto BE CONTINUED |