The Message

s knees, and withdrew a strip of dried skin from its cunningly devised hiding–place. It was so curled and withered that it crackled beneath his fingers when he tried to unfol

ing his efforts to persuade th

commonly tough and

as forming in his mind, and he was u

very old,"

tique, I fancy. Have you

a small hussif with its s

pply of those superfluous pins that used to lurk in my sister's attire a

have a

usband ranchin

wholly interested now, knelt beside him. Any observer in a passing boat might have imagined that they were engaged in some profoundly devotional exercise. But the planks were hard. Miss

cs are beyond my k

ds are Latin-at least to some extent. Epistola Pauli Hebraicis has

and shouted for Chris with such

told to bring his father's Bible, for Peter read tw

arden's face, or so much of it as was visible. Then she turned away and gazed at the Sans Souci. There was a wistful look in her eyes. Perhaps she wished tha

ep, rather curt voic

f St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews. Our version runs: 'They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword ... they wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.' The remainder of the text is in yet another language-Portuguese,

make of it al

guese–English dictionary. Then I shall know more. Judging by

t of skin

ous of a curious searching quality in his

iteral truth, being fully assured that the shriveled parchmen

he went on, with charming disr

re was a real danger of the suggestive word which had so nearly escaped his lips being brought to her recollection. "You see, I have been able to identify the gentleman who served the artist as model," and

opean probably fell into the hands of West African savages year

adfastly at the malignant visage thus brought again into the full g

n I see that dreadful face. Please put it away. If you will no

. He disliked hysterical women, and, greatly to his surprise,

ence. "Where in the world did this varnish come from? It has all the gloss and smooth texture and absence of color that one finds on

of the question

y at school?" she asked. "If so, I can give you the year

Stradivarius was at the height of his fame about 1700. Now, if this is the varnish h

to do with it. Leave the matter to me, and that nasty calabash floats off toward the Atl

of your sight when I caught a g

s half–way down the hatch when his glance fell on the little square of skin on the deck. Al

le I am about it," he said, stoop

at," she cried, with a pout that was

he quip that might have affo

re much of a muchness

n, flushing a little, he seized it, and stuffed it into a pocket. Miss Dane missed no item of this by–play. But she, too, could exercise the art of self–repression, and lef

ct, there was some risk that the girl's intuition might read a good deal of the truth into wh

hose pins stuck into his foot as he was crossing the deck for his morning dip, and then he would s

ior," she said, "but I must admit that I should enjoy it immensely. Please bring me back here

canvas leaped to the embrace of the wind, and soon she was slipping through the water at a spanking pac

frica, when Warden gave a vivid description of the sensations of the novice who makes his first landing in a surf–boat. But Peter soon brought them back to the British Isles by his reminisc

roads on the turn of the tide, a steam launch approached the Sans Souci and deposited a lady and gentleman on the gangway. They were alone. The watchman helped them to reach the deck, a

hereupon the lady, to whom he was speaking, l

take me across in the dinghy at once? Then, if necessary, I can reac

yacht–owner and his wife they were absolutely alone on the vessel. Warden, un

t again. Remember, you have promised to write, and, in the meantime, do not forget th

eaving Cowes t

d Dover, and perhaps as far north as Cromer. After that, to Ho

pressure. She was not insensible of t

nly write to you. Good–by, Chris. Good–by, dear little ship. What a pity-" she paused and laughed with pretty embarrassment

voyage, and waved a hand to the man who was looking at her so stead

h a Continental affectation of amazement and ran into the deck cabin. To all seeming, she bade the launch await further orders. Baumgartner and his wife reappeared, they ind

smiled

fathoms deep before anybody interfered with them, they could hardly be more excited," he thought

Mrs. Baumgartner received her guest with voluble courtesy. Baumgartner, a French–polished edition of the bacon–factor type of man,

parties of diners from shore or yachts-but never a sign of life was there on board the Sans Souci. Peter, undisturbed by speculations anent the future of the young lady whose presence had brightened the deck of the Nancy during the afternoon, cooked an appetizi

the night was frequently disturbed by the flapping of propellers, his sailor's ear caught the st

omin' to? Quick with a light, C

was now fully a mile away from her usual anchorage. But the Nancy was safe enough. The imperial yacht stopped at a distance of three ca

ng a lantern, and his father

ard him mutter. "That nigger's phiz we shipped to–day i

es of a row of closed ports stared at him solemnly across the intervening water. As the principal living–rooms of such a vessel must certainly be the deck saloons, he was

did he lack the audacity of prompt decision when it was called for. He sho

sir?" cried the

's usual habit was to be asleep by half–pa

o pay a call.

take y

d for the Sans Souci. I ma

spoke to her, and, when she appeared, as his well–ordered senses told him would surely be the case, to frame some idle excuse for the liberty he had taken. She had talked of returning to Portsmouth that evening, and it might serve if he expressed his wil

ting a few minutes, so he altered the dinghy's course in such wise that the launch, if it were actually bound for the yacht, must pass quite closely, though he, to all outward seeming, was in no way concerned with its destination. His guess was justified. While the tiny steamer was still fifty yards distant, the quick pulsation of her engines slackened. She drew ne

Figuero in Cow

ge

n the heels of the discovery of that amazing calabash, the incident was almost stupefying. The presence of Figuero alone in Cowes was perplexing-the appearance of three Oku blacks was a real marvel-that all four should be visitors to the Sans Souci savored of necromancy. But Warden did not hesitate. He made ce

ur mind, sir," was

g a lookout, the

else to do, so

e the oars. I shall be

examined both weapons carefully under the cutter's light, and ascertained that they

he said. "When I reach the gangway, pull

d Peter, who was by

ead lend weight to an argument. But I am puzzled, Peter, and I h

I ever forget 'im?"-a

ader and gin–runner now known in West Africa, have just boarded the Sans

ung on

r the dinghy?" he said. "You may need

n lau

n the crackling skin of a man who had been flayed alive-and most probably so flayed by ancestors of the negroes who were on board the Sans Souci at that instant. The thought strengthened his determination to see and speak to the girl that night. At

impetus of Peter Evans's strong arms, the cruel goddess who pays no regard to human desires had already contrived the warp and weft of c

her bows. He twisted the dinghy broadside on, and both Warden and he saw two officers in the uniform of a foreign navy

d the first of his two latest visitors. He spoke in German, and Peter was none the wiser, but Warden under

they say in the States, I have bitten off mo

the litt

es

r of the Dutchman yond

t-that it behooves not a simple official in the Nigeria Protectorate to meddle with. God wot! I have earned a captaincy and a year's leave by serving my country in a humb