The Courage of Captain Plum

that he could feel her heart beating against his own and her breath sweeping his face. Then there came a pressure against his breast, a gen

of the first to make him regret that he had kissed her, that he had kissed her mouth and her eyes. He loved her, and he was glad that in those passing moments he had betrayed himself. For the first time he noticed that her face was scratched and that the sleeves of her thin waist were torn to shreds; and as she drew away from him, steadying herself with a hand on his arm, his lips were parched of wor

ped!" she brea

a whisper. The beautiful eyes so close to him drew his secret from

ames. With a frightened cry the girl staggered to her feet, and as she stood swaying unsteadi

il?" she moaned. Her breath was coming in sob

her waist to support her trembling form and to his joy she did not move away from him. His hand was buried in the richness of her loose hair. He bent until his lips

ot in words, and he knew that the girl understood him. It did not occur to him in these moments that he had known this girl for only a few hours, that until now a word had never passed between them. He

w came like a dash of

ld hear the tremble of it in her voice. "The Typhoon has been captured by the Mormons and those guns are-guns of tri

sey is

, and as silently the girl stood and watched him. She guessed the despair that was r

g Obadiah's words. "Marion, will you come with me?

is heart was crushed as Mari

adied her voice. "Tell Neil that he has been condemned to death.

nd

aw his arms stretched l

d y

could hardly hear the words she sp

do this thing for me. Go to

luster of the eyes that were turned up to him Na

wil

your brothe

stasy of gratitude she seized one of his

u-I wil

r m

ir from her brow and turned her face until what dim light there still remained of the day glowed in the beauty of her eyes. "I

urged, as

not marry Stra

of hope? She sprang back a pace from Nathaniel and with clenche

save me from Strang

rection of the path. In an ins

ck in St. James," he declared. "

d his way

can n

hy

ened flutter of her voice again

reathed in her hair was

oke her name with faltering tender

o," she sti

-yes," he

nt Marion's fate would depend on him alone. If he could locate a small boat on the beach back of Obadiah's; if he could in some way lure Marion to it-He gave an involuntary shudder at the thought of using force upon the girl at his side, at the thought of her terror of those first few moments, her struggles, her broken confidence. She believed in him now. She believed that he loved her. She trusted him. The warm soft pressure of her hand as it clung to his arm in the blackening gloom of the forest was evidence of that trust. She looked into his face anxiously, inquiringly when they stopped to listen, like a child who was sure of a stronger spirit at her side. She held her breath when he held his, she listened when he listened, her feet fell with velvet s

ence for many minutes

r now," she whispe

tle farther

on, more slowly than before, until they came to w

st go," whisper

reast, his body throbbing with a wild tumult, and a half of

ave revealed his secret. He lied now for the love of this girl. "Neil is out there waiting for me in a small boat," he continued, pointing beyond Obadiah's t

ll pr

midn

twelve

n who came to him. Her

land," she said softly, "when I meet

lled back, in a low voice, "Tell Neil that he must go for Winnsome's sake. Tell him that her fate is shortly to be as cru

iveness he was thrilled by the memory of that last look in her eyes, which had spoken faith, confidence, and perhaps even more. What was that something she would tell him if he got Neil safely away? It was to be a reward for his own loyalty-he knew that, by the half fearing tremble of her voice, the sobbing catch of her breath, the strange glow in her eyes. With her brother away would she confide in him? Would she tell him the secret of her slavedom to Strang? Nathaniel was conscious of no madness in the wild hope that filled him; nothing seemed i

of Obadiah's home a narrow footway led toward the lake and Nathaniel followed it, now as warily as an animal in search of prey. For half a mile it took him through the forest and ended at the white sands of the beach. In neither direction could Nathaniel see a light, and keeping close in the shadows of the trees he made his way slowly toward St. James. He had gone but a short distance when he saw a house directly ahead of him, a sin

im he pulled an eighth of a mile from the shore and rowed slowly toward the head of the island. There was no moon, but countless stars glowed in a clear sky and upon the open lake Nat

sk his assistance? As the minutes passed and these thoughts recurred again and again in his brain he could not keep the nervousness from growing within him. He was sure now that he would have to fight his battle without Neil. He saw the necessity of coolness, of judgment, and he began to demand these things of himself, struggling sternly against those symptoms of weakness which had r

he had seen in the window, was burning on a table in the big room but the voice came from the little closet into which Obadiah had taken him the preceding night. For several minutes he crouched and listened. He heard the chuckling laugh of the old councilor-and then an incoherent raving that set his blood tingling. There is a horror in the sound of madness, a horror that creeps to the very pit of one's soul, that sends shivering dread from every nerve center, that causes one who is alone with it to sweat with a nameless fear. It was the voice of madness that came from that little room. Before it Nathaniel quailed as if a clammy hand had reached out from the darkn

s of the little room. By inches Nathaniel drew himself inside the door. His heavy boot caught in a sliver on the step but the rending of wood brought no response. It was the quiet of death that pervaded the cabin, it was a strange, growing fear of death that entered Nathaniel as he now hurried across the room and peered through the narrow aperture. T

Hello-hello!" he

e-to speak, but the terrible face that stared up into his own held him silent, motionless. He had heard the voice of madness, now he looked upon madness in the eyes that glared at him. In them was n

cilor stretched out his

at-don

d wet the old man's head. For a long time Obadiah did not move, and when he did it was to reach out with a groping hand to find Nathaniel. A change ha

n. Excitement-great excitement-" He straightened himself for a moment and stood, sway

ble approach of Mormon visitors. But he did not remain long. He struck a match and saw that it was nearly eleven and a sudden resolution turned him back to the cabin door. He believed

he first until its brazen thunder rolled in one long booming echo through the forests of the Mormon kingdom. There came a shrill cry at his back and he whirled about to see the councilor standing in th

of vengeance! The hand of God is

n a gasping, but

ed forward, his voice crooning a wi

hem, and the tolling of the bell was lost in a sudden t

leaped into the room and caught

e coast! The Lamanites of the mainland are descending upon the Mormon kingdom as the hosts of Israel upon Canaan! Strang is doomed-doomed-doomed-and to-morrow I shall be king!" His

too late! Ho, ho, it is too late, Nat-too late!" He staggered back, gripping his throat, and fell upon the

rough his body and