The Courage of Captain Plum

ed a slow, heavy step on the stair outside. The young girl

edly. "It is the king! Quick-you stil

pull him acr

gh that door

is heart leaped to its own conclusion who that person was. He had heard the rustle of the girl's skirt. He had seen the last inch of the door close as Strang's wife pulled it after her. And

" he whispered. "Just now it

terror of his power. He was a massive man, with the slow slumbering strength of a beast. He was not much under fifty; but his thick beard, reddish and crinkling, his shaggy hair, and the full-fed ruddiness of his face, with its foundation

recovered himself. He adva

a short time ago and was directed to your office. As a stranger on the is

A

y the crown of his hat. When he raised his head the aggressive stare had gone out of

o see you, C

warm hand of the king clasped his own Captain Plum knew that he was in the presence of a master of human destinies, a man whose ponderous red-visaged body was simply the crude instrument through which spoke the marvelous spirit that had enslaved thousands to him, that had enthralled

ll do your best to right. Perhaps you are aware that some little time ago-about two weeks back-you

d drawn a

t!" He repeated the words, this time so gently that Nathaniel could scarcely hear them, and tapped his heavy stick upon the floor. "No, Captain Plum, I was not aware of

e king

m, that it was my people who attacked your sh

any miles from the mainland," said Nathan

A

e farther end of the room and motio

them are robbery, piracy and even murder. The people along the coasts are deadly enemies to us-who would be their friends; they commit crimes in our name and we do not retaliate. It was not my people who waylaid y

the hands of this man who had so quickly and so surely blocked his claim. His quick brain saw the futility of argument. He possessed no absolute proof and he had thought that he needed none.

nemies and have done us wrong. But to you I give the freedom of our kingdom. Search where you will, at what hours you will, and when you have found a single proof that your

token of acceptance of the king's terms. And as Strang gripped that hand Captain Plum saw the young girl's fa

and avarice; where the Indian is brutified that his wife may be intoxicated by compulsion and prostituted by violence before his eyes; where the forest cabins and the streets of towns are filled wi

aside his hat as he paced back and forth; his shaggy hair fell upon his shoulders; huge veins stood out upon his forehead-and Nathaniel sat mute as he watched this lion of a man whose great throat quivered with the power that might have stirred

our women; wild wifeless men, Captain Plum, who have left families and character behind them and who have sought the wilderness to escape the penalties of law and order. It is they who would destroy us. Go among my own people first

gislature, a governor, a dozen juries-and of human souls. And as he stood silent for a moment in this attitude Nathaniel rose to his feet, subservient, and believing as others had believed in the fitness of this man. But as his eyes traveled a dozen paces beyond, he saw

I shall certainly take advantage of your kindness for a few hours, as I want very much to witness one of your cer

emeanors in our kingdom, Captain Plum. It is an illustration of our intolerance of evil-doers." He turned suddenly

t she could not be under fifteen-perhaps sixteen. Her whole attire was one to add to her childish appearance. Her hair, which was rather short, fell in lustrous dark curls about her face and upon her neck. She wore a fitted coat-like blouse, and knee skirts which disclosed a pretty pair of legs and

hildish joy in making other people read it. But I see this is not in proper shape, so you have escaped. It is a brief history of Beaver Island written at the request of the Smithsonian Institute, which has

found himself smiling despite the varied unpleasant

of God as it appears in a book which I have written. Ah-I had forgotten this!" From among a mass of papers and books on the table he drew forth a blue-covered pamphlet and passed it to his companion. "I have only a few copies left but you may have this one, Captain Plum. It will surely interest you. In it I have set forth the troubles existi

and as if in echoing mockery there came from the ope

the land of the Lam

that the little old councilor's eyes glittered boldly as they met the prophet's and that in their glance was neither fear nor servitude but rather

iel Plum," called Obadiah. "I will

added Strang. "To-day he carries wi

irl's eyes. As he hurried down the stair he heard the councilor pause for an instant upon the landing

rtunity to kill you. You will never leave the island alive-unless you

o his coat pocket as Ob

lt his hand trembling violently. "Come this way, Nat-beyond the temple. I have things to say to you." His voice was strangely unnatural

my skin. Obadiah Price, I

opped, hidden from the view of the king's office, Nathaniel c

on to kill you

muscle of his face quivered as the

the first sign of danger to myself,

ce that carried conviction to Nathaniel's heart and he released his hold upon the councilor's arm. Regardless of the mystery that surrounded him he believed in Obadiah. But there rose in his breast a mad desire to choke this old man into telling him the truth,

t I was your friend," continued Obadiah. "She would have come to

ad it aloud. Obadiah smiled gleefully when he noticed

n his old tireless way. "You would not betray pretty little Winn

ng's

o set my old legs a-running for

chuckling and grimacing and rubbing his hands

" he gurgled with a sudden up

d Captain Plum. "What

e your sloop. They had been robbed by the Mormon pirates! They cursed Strang. They swore vengeance. And your cautious Casey cursed with 'em, and fed 'em, and d

tell them?" ga

nched his

fool them, Nat, we'll fool them! You shall board your ship and hurry away with the

red blood surged into Nathaniel's neck and deepened on his bronze cheeks. Slowly the reaction

ith me, Counci

s he watched the change. Sud

t! Don't show any excitement or fear.

move save w

e added in excited haste. "Appear friendly. Agree with what I sa

he approaching figure. And he whis

he shores to turn white and on whose head the men had secretly set a price in gold! Without knowing it his hand went under his coat. Obadiah saw the movement and as he advanced to meet the officer of t

he greeted,

rning, C

el Plum, master of the sloop Typhoon. Captain P

er, the king, was short and of massive build, though a much younger man. He was a dark lowering hulk of

stranger, C

lor replie

shot a suggestive look at the Officer. "By the way, Croche, I want you to see him safely aboard his sloop to-night. Hi

his spine at the satisfaction which bet

r," he interrupted. "I shall escort you m

u," said

day," added Obadiah. "Come at seven-to my place. A

"You will see the whipping within half an hour, Captain Plum." He turned away wi

aniel when the officer had gone beyond hearing. He laughed, and there was a kind of wild exp

man. "Ho, ho, we are playing at his own game-treacher

lone, and in the woods. God-I know a man at

councilor. "Would you kill

animal! That mur

ike a miser ravished by the sight of gold. "She was beautiful-as beautiful as a wild flower, and she killed h

lives w

y guarded by Strang, Nat! Yes, I gues

And you-you live in this cesspool o

reward there shall be great. Ho, h

ng had his office. Several score of people had already assembled about the prison and stood chatting with that tense interest and anticipation with which the mob always awaits public infliction of the law's penalties. A third of them were women. As Nathaniel had previously noted, the feminine part of the M

eye for beauty, Nat-wonderful eye! He orders that no skirt shall fal

usiasm that the latter jumped as though

en caught him staring at them, and one, who was the

diah, catching the look. "That'

ite teeth gleamed in a laugh, as though sh

Nathaniel, played with the luxuriant curls that glistened in the sun upon her breast.

ay from the smiling

hy

short skirts and let their hair hang down. For every soul o

g circle of men. Within this circle, in a small open space, was a short post with straps attached to an arm nailed across it, and leaning upon this post in an attitude of one who possesses a most distinguished office was a young man with a three thonged whip in his hand. An ominous silence pervade

ial whipper and caretaker of the slave

ave a start

unds!" he

isted his hands, in enjoymen

," he continued, so low that only Nathaniel could hear. "S

ked and his b

in the South," he said.

r caught him

are co

he spectators. One of these, who walked between the other two, was stripped to the waist. About each of his naked wrists was tied a leather thong and these thongs were held by the man's guards. The prisoner's

he councilor. "It's he who said his

rept over Nathaniel as he saw the red gashes thicken on the white flesh. Five times-six times-seven times the whip rose and fell and he could see the blood starting. In horror he turned his eyes away. Behind him a man grinned at the whiteness of his face and the involuntary trembling of his lips. Again and again he heard the lash fall upon the naked back. From near him there came the sobbing moan of a woman. A subdued movement, a sound as of murmuring wordless voices swept through the throng. A st

!" gasped

old man. The councilor's face was ghastly. His mouth twitched

tter go, Dad?

s-it's-Neil now and I must

as flushed with excitement; his head was held high; not a sign of fear or hesitation shone in his eyes. As he glanced quickly around the circle of faces the flush grew deeper in his cheeks. He nodded and smiled at MacDougall and in that nod and smile there was a meaning that sent a shiver to the whip-master's heart. Then his eyes fell upon Obadiah and Nathaniel. He saw the counc

t Nathaniel heard a smothered sob at hi

oftly. "I can't stand

's voice, and with a snarl like that of a tortured animal the old man struck down Nathaniel's arm and clawed his way back to the

ried Nathan

ont of MacDougall and threw her arms around the kneeling man, her hair covering him in a glistening veil. For an instant her eyes were raised to Nathaniel and he saw in them that same agonized appeal that had called to him through the king's window. The striking muscles of his arms tightened like steel. One of the guards sprang forward and caught the girl roughly by the arm and attempted to drag her away. In his excitement he pulled her head back and her hair trailed in the

re sounded a shout and he caught the gleam of naked shoulders as the man who had been at the stake rushed to his side. Together they tor

outed Nathaniel. "Th

window a few feet away, hidden from their eyes by a high desk and masses of papers and books, Winnsome Croche was crumpled up on the floor hardly daring to breathe through fear of betraying her presence. From these windows they had seen the girl run from behind the jail; they had watched her struggle through the li

vertake those me

e words of God and that if the prophet said kill, he would kill. For a full minute she crouched in her concealment, stunned by the horror that had so quickly taken the place of the joy with which she had witnessed the escape. She heard Strang leave the window, heard his heavy steps in the outer room, heard the door close, and knew that he, too, was gone. She sprang to her feet and ran to the window at which the two men had stood. The chief of sheriffs was already at the jail. The crowd had begun to disperse. Men