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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 1900)
THE SUNDAY CVREGONIAN, POETLAND. MABCH 11, 1900. 22 The IS POCKETT LE of the c Pirtures by G.A.SMIPLEY Synopsis of Prcvlotm Chapters. Sir Jamc? Star.sr.tli. of New Mllns. in com pany -with hlB grandson, young Philip, meets in an Inn-house his oon Philip, and his eon's para mour, Janet Mark. They quarrel. Sir James goea home, taking- along his grandson. That night he is murdered by his dissolute ton nnd Janet Mark. They take his body outride and lay It on an Ice floe, in the effort to fasten the crime upon other shoulders. But the boy Philip has witnessed the crime. He tell his grand father's chief tenant. Umphray Spurway. and Spurway succeeds in having the real murderer brought to Justice. He lfl sentenced to be hanged, and his woman accomplice to be trans ported. Mysteriously. Philip Star.sfleld escapes tho gallows, hecks out hie wife, finds her in the company of Spurway, and trie to murder her. but docs not quite succeed. She Is taken away to Aborcalm for pure, leaving her pon. young Philip. In chnrge of Spurway, and in the company of little Anna Mark, from whom he learns that in some ways girls are worth quite as much as boyn. For example, in the time of the cattle driving, when Master Spurway bought his winter beasts in the mart. Anna beat Philip in helping to cut them out. Still, they are ex cellent friends, ex-en though she beats him at her studies in the eshool to which they go to gether. John Stansfleld. Philip's lawyer-uncle, brings m a new teacher. Dominie lUngrcee. a email man, with wonderful eyes. Shortly after his coming the countrywide U shocked and thrilled with a number of bloody and mysterious murders, evidently for the sako of robbery. Business calls "Umphray Spurway from home. In his absence a big packing case, purporting to be full of fine Spanish wool, is delivered to "Will Bowman. Umphray' clerk. He puts It in the weaving shed. That night Philip, playing about It. sees shining through the' gauze of the packing case a pair of eyes. He calls will Bow man, who counts three, then stabs the packing case with a wr.all sword. Blood flows; they open the case, and find Dominie Rlngrose Inside, ap parently dead. Shortly alter the house Is at tacked by roblcrs. whom Rlngrofe had meant to let In. They are beaten off, but afterwards Philip's mother refuseo to let him spend the hollduys at New Mllns. Returning from a day's visit to New Mllns. Philip falls In with Saul Mark. Anna's Siiy father, who, under pre tense of showing him Sir Harry Morgan's treas ure, makes him a prisoner. Anna flnds opt hlo plight, and leads Umphray Spurway on his track. By the help of hi silent partner. Provost Gregory Parian, Saul Mark, supercargo of the the ship Corramantee. Imprisons both Anna and Spurway, robbing Spurway cf much money and a portrait of Philip's mother. Philip, the elder, who la In ltague with Saul Mark, takes the por trait, and sends joung Philip away. Leaving Spurway imprisoned. Philip Stansfleld the elder goes out in Spurway's cloak to his wife's house, and by threats Induces her to go aboard the Corramantee. Anna and Philip make friends with Eborra. He shows them the secrets of the Island, and where Sir Harry Morgan's treas ure Is, guarded by Fr-de-lance and his hosts. Eborra has scented a boat, in which he plans to escape with Anna, Philip, Mrs. Stansfleld ard his mother: also 'Will Bowman, who is In the pirates' clutches. The pirates sail away with two or three ships, but a new difficulty arises it Is Mrs. Stansfleld'e fear to trust herself in the boat. (Copyright. 1B0S, under the name of "Little Anna Mark." by S. R. Crockett.) (Copyright. 1800. by S. R. Crockett.) CHAPTER XXXIV (Continued.) It was about 10 o'clock that I saw the beginning? of. a wondrous sight. The ship, which had been dismantled, was towed to the entrance of the channel, and set on lire outside the bay. She seemed to have been drenched with some inflammable ma terial, for the flames mounted with great rap'.dlty, so that by the time I could run to Anna and throw up pebbles of the ieacn' at her window, the fiery sheets were already licking the crosstrecs and tho spidery tracery of her tackling stood out against the lurid background of smoke and -flame. I have never set foot on any vespel since without thinking of thp terrible peril of Are at sea. In 10 minutes the lire burned through the thick planking of her sides The ribs still showed black and solid, like tho."e of some skeleton in hell-fire yet un consumed. She took ground on a reef, and canted over soon after. A secret, store of powder concealed somewhere In" her hold "blew up with a tremendous ex plosion, heaving tho masts high Into the air. I looked at Anna as she stood In her window, and saw her face crimsoned- w.th the fiery glow. "What think you now?" I said. "Does a picture over a bed make up for these things?" -She had her answer ready. "Your Bible says, if I read it right, Honor thy father and thy mother.' " That was all she said. She did not even- reach down her .hand to bid me good night, but shut the window and went "back to bed. CHAPTER XXXV. Dob: Eat Dopr. Nevertheless I did not forget Yellow Jack's advice, that if we wished to leave the island we must well provision the jol lyboat and prepare for a cruise of some length. On the beach that night I man aged to find a firkin of butter, which all unseen I rolled to a snug place beyond the village. The half-caste was also on tho lookout, and between us -we secured some smoked hams, suQlclent to serve for eeveral weeks, so that the question of food did not any more trouble us. All wo wanted was" sufficient water casks to escape the greatest danger of all voyages In open boats death by thirst. It was three nights before we could find, and quite a week ere we could ap propriate, without suspicion, a small but beautifully coopered barrel, which had contained some rare liquor. I do not know whether or not it had been emp tied before coming Into the hands of our buccaneers, but I do know that all the time we kept water in it the taste which it communicated to the vapid, luke warm brew was exceedingly heartsome and pleasant. Anna and I had spoken to my mother about our projects to escape, and I had soon to realize that one of our chief difficulties would -be with her. I think that anxiety and mental terror aaj brought about a certain relapse into In difference and apathy. Ard, indeed, at this time my mother appeared to be less herself than I have ever seen her. "Why escape at all?" she said. "Do you know where you will arrive at? Most likely among cannibals. And this is in deed very quiet and peaceful. "We have What we want to eat . If you are troubled outside, Philip, or if your house Is not comfortable, come and stay here with Anna and me. Toil can have Anna's room and she shall bring her bed In here be side rat" So we resolved to say no more to her for the present, and when necessity arose to get her to accompany us to the boat upon a pretext. With this in view it became our custom to call her out In the evening, and sometimes in the morn dible remarks, almost made her turn back. But gradually she became accus tomed to go with us. and after a while she began to like these little excursions, which broke the monotony of ner aay authority, though "as rank a pirate as stirred a keel through the Spanish "main. His position gave him a great ascend ency over the other buccaneers, and so when the Corramantee captured one of Yellow Jack, too, and his hook, were at', the chips of his "tail" he had sworn re flrst distasteful, but gradually she be- venge. There was not the slightest doubt came as rona oi mm as we were. j. think, however, she never trusted or liked his mother, whom the sailors called Witch Sally. Sl. averred that the negrcss was very like a certain an cient Sarah Grisby. who in tho sunny meadows about Clieveden had cast the glamour upon herself "and one other. ' as she said. Which made us Judge that the "one other" must have been that young Master Will Lucy, Squire's Master Will, of whom Caleb Cllnkaberry had spo ken, which thought took me back vividly to those terrible days after my mother's hurt, and I wondered whether Caleb still abode at the Yett House by the gate of New Mllns, and, as he promised, kept the nest warm for our homecomlrg. Anything served for a pretext for these walks, which, however, never led us very far from the settlement. We wished also to accustom .the liberty men and the buc caneers on shore to the sight of my moth er wandering about in our company. But romembering the guard which had been set at either end of the hut, I could nnwr feel that we were truly alone, though I could never catch any one in tho act of following us. It was a long while "before we got any onnortunity of carrying out our pians of I escape, and Indeed it was chance, and not any deep-laid plan, whh.h ultimately gave us our liberty, or at least delivered us from our forced detention on the Isle of the "Winds. But, curiously enough. It was Will Bow man who set all my mother's scruples at rest. She had always a great regard for Will. She never really liked Anna Mark, for reasons which have been indicated. But Will Bowman she looked up to as in some ways the representative of um phray Spurway, whose -will she had (save in one case) always submitted to without a murmur. Me. indeed, she loved entirely, but thought of me as no better than a boy .and infirm of purpose wherein she was completely wrong. Yet she 'gaed her aln gait,' so far as I "was concerned, and would have neither doctrine nor re proof from me. But Will she trusted, and after a while consulted as to many things. Now Will, being a friendly, active fellow and excellent with -tools, worked with 'great acceptance in the carpenter's shop. He had a natural eye for a boat, and was of great use to the men there, who worked well enough by rule of thumb, but had had no heads for drawing a plan or laying out a Job. It ma Will, therefore, who brought us the first true word about the late prize, and It lightened my heart greatly to know that the ship was no quiet merchantman but an armed vessel like our own. The Corramantee, indeed, had at first only .de fended herself, but after coming to close quarters the larger and stronger ship had been carried by the resolution of our men. led by the fair-haired Scot from Til licoultry. But Will brought other news as well. It was not often that the men talked" before him about any of their communal or priva teering subjects. But one day, while he was In the ship fitting up some shelves he heard a couple of them talking to gether through a thin partition. They raised their voices to make themselves heard, and the subject of their converse reached Will Bowman with equal ease through "another bulkhead. From them we learned that the captured ship was one of three or four that had been sent out to raid the Central American towns and that her consorts were ex pected to try for revenge upon the Isle of the Winds. "I'm no feared o' ony consorts." said Job Bone, the carpenter, a Scot from Galloway. "There s no man able to pilot a ship through the channels to the anchor age o' the Isle o' the Winds except Blackle wl' the Silver Wings." For so they called Saul Mark, whom at the same time they hated and admired. "Nay, Job." quoth Dick Okell, a Lanca shire man, "thou art a rare one for be llevln'! What's to hinder them to land over there and coom across to take u wheer a Scotch flea bites In the back? Ha! ha! crack that bone, wilt tha?" "That I wull." craled the Galloway man. "First, then, they wlnna land owcr there because the surf wad ding their bit boatles to flinders; secondly, they canna mairch across because they couldna get through the woods: and, thirdly, they wlnna toe able to get their course to the Isle. We're hidden in the secret places of the sea. man an the Almlchty hlmsel wad hae a salr job to lay his finger on us!" Will Bowman had been lying quietly listening. He had stopped his boring as soon as the men began to talk. But now he heard from above another voice which stopped the discussion, and answered Job Bone with dramatic appropriateness. "Sail, ho!" cried the lookout from the crosstrees of the Corramantee with start ling suddenness. Will Bowman heard, the men bound up the deck with quick, impulsive leaps. He could hear the clang of their tools as they dropped them on the planking. He rose and followed them, with great quiet ness, shouldering his straw sack of tools as if he had finished his Job. He found everything in confusion on board. Men were clambering up the shrouds and getting to the. highest points of the masts which could be reached, in order to obtain a view. "How many may there be o' them?" cried Dick Okell to Jon Bone, who had obtained a higher post of observation. "There's three o them big boats and pllln up fast wl the trade wind!" cried Job. "Faith!" returned Okell. "yo might 'a been wiong. owd bird, but I wur moan in slch a hangment o' a hurry to have it prqved!" Signals were being freely exchanged with the shore, and In a few minutes Captain Stansfleld and Saul Mark came on board with the full crew of the Cor ramantee. Saul at once noticed WrIll Bowman and ordered him ashore. But my father said, "Let the lad stay till we have brought the ship as near the entrance, of the reef as is safe. Then he can 'go ashore In the last boat." And as nobody questioned his will, fo It was arranged. Whereupon who more helpful than Will? nt the gett'ng up of the anchor, at the towing of the Corra mantee by her boats. Will was one of themselves, while all the tlra" h had his ears open to the free and excited talk that went on about them. He heard that their chief epemy was a certain Captain that the three vessels In the offing were those commanded by Captain Keys, and that he had come to avenge the taking of our late prize. Nothing was now heard save anathemas upon one who. having Deen a Drotner oi me coast had been cullty of discovering a my-mother sat calmly at her knitting. At first she would not listen to a word. What! would Ehe put on a child's cap and cloak? She might be In danger, but, thank God! ehe had garments of hor own, which she could wear without being be holden to any. Besides, what would she wear afterwards? If they should meet any one who knew her in the plantations, it was not Anna Mark's cap and cloak that she would care to appear In. The shame would cause her to sink into the ground. But Will 'reassured her by offering to smuggle anything she wished out for her. She went joyfully to make the bundle rrady. It proved to be almost a boatload of itself, and she was with difficulty ad vised to restrict herself to a cloak with a hood, a warm underklrtle. nnd a light muslin cown. which she selected from the vast store of women's clothes which Captain Stansfleld had put at her disposal. ' Anna's only haggage wag a store of white kerchiefs. It was curious how little thought my mother gave herself about some matters. But then she had nlways expected to be provided for, and took all the gifts as her due, having been an only child, and (save In tho matter of marriage) allowed her own way all her life. As for Anna Mark, she would not ,have tbuched a bonnet string in all the pirate's hoard with a pair of tongs. But my mother, on the other side, wns proud and satisfied, and Indeed had spent a great deal of her time since we came to the Isle of the Winds remaking and em bellishing the wardrobe which she found ready for her use. I do not suppose it ever crossed her mind to ask who had worn them before. CHAPTER XXXVI. I Elope "With Mr Mother. So it was arranged, and to me the task of eloninir with my own mother was com mitted. We waited till It was dark, and rfiirrp Ifo to the enemv. and even of taking service under a Government. If the then, as was my custom, I began to hang vessels had been his majesty's ships of I about tho house, as if waiting for Anna. ymAmv.ztt?&mai SmmmWY 'tmm&Lfflsyvm&ammmmn TUB SENTRY "WAS PERFECTLY SATISFIED. the line, it would have been quite fair. I spoke to both of the men on guard. T-hnt tv-o ibPiT-hnslnivi. hut to be attacked' whom I knew well. To one of them 1 by Captain Keys was quite a aiixerem matter. Will Bowman came ashore about 4 in the afternoon. By this time the Corra mantee was stripped for fighting, and the guns were trained on the narrows of the passage, which were within easy range. Captain Stansfleld had resolved to let the ships come on without opposition till they were well within the grasp of the reefs, knowing that there was no turning about among these Intricate channels and dan gerous knife-edges of sunken reef. But the enemy, who were now close In to the Island, had evidently no intention of coming further at present, but contented himself with firing a shot from his flagship at the Corramantee, which fell far short, skipping among the outer reef bars like a flat stone sent edgewise from the hand. Of this direct challenge Captain Stans fleld took no notice, but grimly awaited any development of the attack upon his stronghold. f When Will came on shore he found Yel low Jack and his mother waiting for him in great excitement. "The time had come." Eborra declared. Never would there be a better chance. All the buccaneers were busy, and the attack upon the island would keep them on the alert for several dayb. For It was certain that so large a force would not abandon Its purpose without making an attempt in some quarter. Anna and I were, of course, ready for anything. But my mother was more difficult. Will Bowman went to break the news to her, and before he went he asked me if I thought he might say that Umphray Spurway would assuredly be fitting out a ship to seek ror us in tne plantations, and that we would be sure to meet him there. As the matter was urgent, and a He In a good cause has, after all, something to say for Itself, I thought that he might. Besides, It was not exactly a He, for there was no doubt that "Umphray Spurway, If he had eacaped, would most certainly do what he could to find us. So Will Bowman departed, and after an absence of more than an hour re turned with the Joyful Intelligence that my mother would come with us gladly, if she was not required tc sit beside the witch-woman, who reminded her so of Goody Grisby, the witch-woman of Great Marlow. This Will had promised readily enough, for we thought that we could stow away the light weight of the old negro woman In tho bows without altering the trim too much. But as a more imminent peril Will re ported that the guards were still set over my mother's house, being two liberty men who had not gone aboard with, the crew of the Corramantee, having been slightly wounded in the last encounter. This was a dlfllculty Indeed, for my mother, being delicate of body and timid of spirit, could not make a dart for it, as any of the rest of us might have done. Besides, she was liable at any moment to stop short for the purpose of explaining to us why .she could not go any faster, and In her English fashion to ask pardon for It which, though pretty nough to hear, would prove exceedingly fatal to our project. But a plan came Into my head, which I mentioned to Will and Anna, who thought that it might be worked. This was, to keep Anna out in the woods where she was, my mother to dress in Anna's hooded mantle, In which she had often de scended from the window at night to wan der the beach with me. The sentinels were quite accustomed o this. Indeed, It had become a jest among them, and they had enough of good humor to keep the matter carefully from our respective fathers, who, though hardly strait-laced In their own conduct, might not have Kovf, who hnd been wounded on one oo- shown the same leniency toward the es- lng also. In order that she might get i caslon In !url at the Dry Tortugas by j capnden of their children. accustomed to walking with us. At first the astonished faces ard 111-concealJd ad miration of tho men on shore, and yet more the curiosity of the alack women who flocked about us, making very au- Captaln Stansfleld nnd hart sworn re verge. Captain Keys, as they phrased It. had "played booty.' and !n some way arranged matters w'th the Colonial gov ernments that he was under protection of My mother wns of about th- fame hrlght as Anna, and if she could be kept from speoch, might very well pass for her. So with this plan to rehearse. Will went back Into the pleasant and quiet room where presented a large piece of tobacco, which I asked him to divide with his knife and give, a part to his companion. "Goin' a-sweetheartln tonight?" he asked with a smile, after he had pouched the gifL "I shouldn't wonder," I replied, kicking tho ground as if embarrassed. "What is that to you, if I am?" "Nothing to me," he laughed. "But what will the old man say if he sees you? Put a ball In you. most like. You'd better keep friends with old Dick and me, or we will split on you, that we will!" "You would not do that," I said. "Be sides, I have a father, as well as Anna; he may chance to prove as useful to you as Saul Mark, any day." "Aye," said the man, "and that's as true. The captain always comes out a top, whoever goes under. Well, go on courtln; I'll shut my eyes. Take care of that fool Dick, thdugh; he's ticklish in the temper is Dick, and pulls trigger easy." "Why not calj him down to the hedge," I Bald, "as If to give him some of the to bacco? Ask for his lantern to seo and cut It by. Yours ha3 gone out, you know." And having made sure by bribery and corruption of one man, I opened his lan tern and let the candle fall on" the dew wet ground, where it Instantly went out with a fizz. The sentry swore profusely at the acci dent. "Insolent young dog!" he called me, with worse names. Dick heard the noise at the other end of the enclosure, and called out to know what the matter was. "Hold your tongue and do what I say, and you will soon not need to mount guard any more. I promised you that, when my father has settled with Captain Keys." And, indeed, it was easy enough to promise, and would prove a fact, too, If we got my mother safe away, for there would be no guard-mounting then. "I've doused my candle, Dick." returned my friend. "Come about and give me a light from yours. I have some tobacco, too, If you would like some." "I take that right friendly of you. I'm coming," said Dick. As soon as I heard him come tramplnc down from the back of the house I slipped away Into the shadow. ".Seen anything o that brat o' the Captain?" growled I?ick. ns ho directed the light of the lantern on his companion. "Nix!" said my man, succinctly. "He'll get a shot in his locker one of these nights, hanging about the house after that young wench o Saul's." "He's after no harm, Dick." returned my friends. "Didst never go after the girls theysel', Dick, when thou wast young?" "Aye, that were Just the trouble," said Dick. "I went onest too often. But why should he have a maid as white as a lllv when his betters have to put up with doxies as black as the pot?" "Come, lad." said the more easy-tempered sentry; "thy old Dinah is a good sort. It would go hard wl' thee to part wl' her." I left them talking and was at the win dow in another moment. I dared not call "mother." lest the sentries should hear, and I "durst riot say "Anna" as for appearance sake I ought, because I was certain my mother would not answer to that name. So I whistled a low catch, and in a moment my mother was at the window. I had her In my arms In another mo ment, nnd she felt no heavier than a partridge, so small and light a thing she was. "Come," I whispered, "please do not speak a word. Wo will soon be In safety." I heard my man at the other side tnlk Irg In a loud tone to t-onceal our move ments, for they were so near he must have hcrrd the window open. "I think I see a light down on the I shore," he said. "Dick, jump over and see If you can place It. Perhaps 'tis -captain's gig coming hack with news." I heard Dick scramble over the prick ly peara with an oath, as he Jagged him self even as I had done the night Jim Pcmbury ceased from troubling. My man being faithful In his heart, flashed a lantern at us furtive!- behind, Dick's back. The light dwelt a moment on Anna's hood and gray cloak, and then was shut oft again. The sentry was perfectly satisfied. I was carrying my mother In my arms, whereat, I doubt not, the connoisseur In courtship chuckled. I hurried my mother Into the bush, where Will and Anna already were wall ing. Wc found Yellow Jack and hla mother outside the settlement. And so, still more than half carrying my mother In our arms, and with Anna carrying a bundle and assisting as best she could, we set off In the direction of the jolly boat. It was lucky that the shore road was not a difficult one; at least, in comparison with that through the High woods. But in passing through the last great debacle or bowlders and fallen cliff the half-caste lit a candle, which he carried In a natural kind of dark lantern called a pot lid plant, from having a top which exactly simulates that grimy protective. It wns with a sense of relief that we found ourselves at last in the little shel tered bay. The Jolly-uoat rocked gently beside its natural pier In a dim kind of phosphorescence, like moonlight seen through frosty glass. The mast was In its place, the sail ready for setting, but not a breath of wind blow. I could have held the candle in my hand unprotected by any lantern, so still and breathless was the night. There was not a sound to be heard, except that a bird with a clear, short song like that of a Scottish robin trilled at Intervals In tha woods, and from the short grass a shrill cicada answered. Wc placed my mother carefully In the 'stern, with Will Bowman beside her to steer, while In the bow Yellow Jack stood up to con the boat through the difficult pascage. Anna and I were to row as we wero bidden. We mnde for the entrance of the little harbor, and as soon as we es caped out of the loom of the land It grew a little brighter around us" so that we could see the reefs black on either side. We were puzzled by a muffled hum, which was not the surf on the bench, but which carried a suspicion of something myste rious and human in it. People seemed to be whispering all, about uo. But gradually we made our way Into opener water, Eborra dipping his oar softly and alternately like a paddlo on either side the bow. Anna and I rowed as he signed to us. and we drifted rather than moved toward the outer sea. So far all .had been favorable, and we kept to the left, so that, as soon as we rounded the point, we should be out of sight even of the lookout on the topmasts of the Corramantee. When once we had made sure of that we breathed more easily. For the dawn was beginning to break, and a lucid eye of the morning began to form on the horizon, where .the sun was to rise. "Surely tho reefs extend a long dis tance out In this direction?" whispered Will to Yellow Jack. The half-caste did not reply. He was gazing with a fixed and horrified attention to seawards. The light now rapidly Increased. The apparent reefs reoolved themselves Into nearly a score of heavily-manned boats, which lay waiting, like ourselves, for the morning. They were not more than half a mile from us. There was not a particle of wind to help us to escape them. They were a little longer in seeing us, for we were within the dark shadow of the land; but we had not time to turn back before the sun rose. We were instantly spied,' and, with a unanimous yell, the oars dipped into the water and the nearest boats dashed at us. "Captain Key's pirates! We are lost!" I think tho cry came with one accord from all within the Jolly-boat. In escaping from one trap we had fallen Into another far more terrible. For. they said, these men gave no quarter, and even our Cor ramantees shuddered as they spoke of their cruelties. The oars dropped from our hands. We wero paralyzed by th very impossibilltv of doing anything. The wind wan dead, and there wns no time to set the sail. If it had blown like the roaring forties. For mo, I could not even pray. Yet I ceased gazing at the approaching enemy, who were making their boats surge through the water. In order to watch the weird figure of the witch woman stand ing with her hands outstretched over the prow. Invoking some demon of her own out of the deeps. And even as I did so. at first slowly and mysteriously, and then faster and faster, the jolly-boat began to move through the water. We sat dumb and si lent, understanding nothing of what was happening, while the woman gesticulated and laughed in triumph In the bow, now looking down Into the sea. and anon straightening herself up to shake her fist at tho approaching enemy. And thus began a chase as strange and terrible ao any I have found written of In any book since the rebellious prophet was cast Into the sen, nnd the whale sned toward Nineveh with Jonah In Its belly. CHAPTER XXXVn. I, Philip Stansfleld, the younger, have In my tlmo been In many strans-e places, some of more Instant and dreadful peril than that in which I found myself that summer tropic morn. But there Is noth ing In all my life which I think of half so often or remember so acutely. I will try in a word or two to picture it forth. We were still in a belt of shadow by the shore edge, which, however, every moment grew smaller as the sun rose. Northward the sea basked, clear and calm, as a mirror, to the horizon, save where about our Jolly-boat It dimpled, bubbled and boiled, as with the unseen rush of a myriad great unknown crea tures under the water. Wo heard the dull resonance of a cannon-shot come over the water, and a wave seemed to Tush upon .us out of the narrows of the channel which 'led to the anchorage of tho Isle of the Winds. Anna Mark and I had already dropped our useless oars as tho pirate boats converged upon us. They were so near that we could see the naked, glistening backs of the men as they bent to their oars, making the water foam from the bows. We could discern the bearded chins of Cap'ain Key's red-capped officers, ns. seated in the stem, they directed their boats upon us. In the first access of terror my mother had dropped limp and helpless Into the bottom of the boat, murmuring only: "Did I not tell you? Would that you had listened to me!" Will Bowman was bending to lift her up. Eborra looked over tho stern, watching with a strange eagerness the boiling- swirl which seethed around our boat In the bows the wltch wlfe stood erect, and laughed as she waved her hands like one who In he cantrips could call up spirits from- the vasty deep. "Aft! Aft! Go aft!" cried Eborra, sud denly. Anna and I both obeyed without ques tion, and in a momont more we had un shipped our oars and were seated in the bottom of the boat at the feet of my mother nnd Will. The bows of the jolly-boat had been pul'ed almost to tho surface of the water, but our movement somewhat re laxed tho pressure. When we had time to look about us we found that we were now rushing due north, with two white wings of spray at either side of us, and leaving behind an undulating- wake of creamy foam that stretched back appar ently to the shore itself. "What i3 It?" I asked of Eborra, who still peered over the side downward Into thovwater, with the same look of pride and alert curiosity. "Devil fish!" he answered, with a kind of impatience In his voice, "a school of devil fish one has caught hold of our anchor chain!" "But this is rank witchcraft!" I cried. "This Is the blackest of black magic!" Eborra shrugged his shoulders. "It Is my mother," he said, as If the explanation were sufficient; "my mother and Obeah Obcah always" great magic." Even' as he spoke we were forging rapidly ahead, keeping ftie middle of the water lane between the mangrove thickets on the shore edge and the ap proaching lino of our enemies. These all at once stopped their rowing, when they saw us moving through the water without sails or oar3. for the fear of witchcraft was strong upon them. It was not. Indeed, until we were almost out of range that they recovered themselves and sent a volley after us. which whipped the water astern In white spirts, but did us no damage whatever. I glanced cautiously over the side of the boat, following the direction of Dbor ra's eyes, and there, not three fathoms beneath, the keel, I saw a huge, shadowy shape a whitish, rounded snout, which vanished into the filtered haze of light ahead, and great batlike wings, that un dulated and flapped on either side and ex tended far out Into the sea. I could Just catch a glimpse of a similar monster rush ing along on my left, keeping touch with that which was dragging our boat, as sol diers do on a place of arms. But already our pursuers had had enough. Wo could see the leading' boats of Cap tain Key's fleet swerve and turn about as on a pivot as soon as the wave caused by the passage of these huge sea creatures heaved from stem to stern, and the seetho of the bubbles broke milky all about. To them the thing was even more mysteri ous than to us. For none of them knew what Impelled us forward, nor that a school of devil flsh, frightened probaby by guns and rockets flred by tho Corra mantee, had, according to their custom when alarmed, rushed seaward in a body wlth sufficient fury to raise a wave al most Hko a "bore" of a tidal estuary. Ono of these had caught tho anchor chain of our boat in. the pair of horny arms which grows out from its snout, This great sea beast was now rushing northward with us. What Eborra's moth er had to do wK!h the matter, or whether the whole was simply an accident, I have never yet wholly made out. During my later and longer sojourn in these lands I have seen many of these creatures, though perhaps none quite so large as that which now sped seaward with us out of the grasp of our enemies. Tho "devil-fish" -of the western seaa is simply a great ray or skate, as large in spread of wing as the weaving-room at Umphray Spurway's, and of such a ilerce and sullen temper that what thing soever they seize that they will hold to till they are torn to pieces. But to my tale. As the last ineffectual shots from the muskets of our enemies spirted in the water behind, the black witch woman turned her about In tho bowa, and In a strange guttural language railed upon and cursed our pursuers. For by her flarce gestures this Is clearly what she was doing, though not a word could I understand. We were now far enough out to Include in our view the three shirs which had como to attack the Isle of the Winds, and also the tall masts of the solitary Cor ramantee guarding the reef passages. The boats had apparently given up the attack for that morning, after their fruitless chase of us, and were now beginning to make their way back to the ships. Sig nals fluttered from the topmasts of the flagship, and we saw the white smoke spout from her side as a gun was fired by Captain Key In token of recall. In half an hour we were safe from all pursuit so far as the pirate boats wero concerned. Tho Isle of the Winds Itself was sinking slowly Into the sea ns we "receded. In two hours we saw only the high woods stand up darkly against the sky. By mid-afternoon even these had grown gray and Indefinite In the heat haze. But still the great fish which had clasped our anchor chain lashed and threshed Its way turbulontly onward through the water, gleaming beneath the boat in flashes of fitful phosphorescense as the light began to fade. This "devil fish" or monstrous ray, as I now knew the flsh to have been, must have measured at least 40 or 50 feet across. Far out on either hand we could catch anon a flash of chilly white, as the under side turned half over, now a glimpse of a huge flat head. In front, over the bows of the boat, stalked eyes glared at us through the creamy green of the backward-rushing water, with the devilish suspicion of a sneer. Looking behind, between my mother nnd Will, Anna and I could discern a serpentine tall, twining and thrusting Its way through the still water. My mother, to whom It was not more strange that the boat should move of it self than that It should movo at all, was not greatly frightened. Indeed, not near ly so much as she would have been had she discovered a mouso in her bedroom. Will Bowman arranged some cloaks for her In the bottom of the boat. On these she lay down, willing enough to be car ried away from the Isle of the Winds, and yet somewhat 'regretting the quiet of tho parlor, tho lmpractiblllty of her afternoon slestn, and most of all the fact that In her haste she had forgotten her knitting needles. The night fell upon us sharply a tropic night, brilliant with stars overhead, the water quiet all about save where It bub bled and heaved with the tumultuous passage of the sea beasts. Tho air was mild and soft as we say In Scotland, "lown-warm." By this time I had over come the first great terror which had ta ken possession of me when I saw the ter rible devil-fish threshing and wallowing beneath us. carrying the boat none of us knew whither. Anna showed no ter ror at all, save so much as might have been evinced by a tighter clasp upon my arm. As for Will Bowman, he said noth ing, but steered as best he might with an oar, though it was little he could do to 'change or modify the direction of the strange charger on whose back (or at least above It) we were riding. "When will it let go?" I asked Eborra, as I saw the one-armed lad come gliding back from the boat's stem, where his mother lay crouched, prone like a toad, with only her head over the boat's edge, watching the devll-ilsh waving like a fiery banner beneath. She was mum bling something in her barbarous Jargon. Indeed, the only sounds which broke the stillness were the backward rush of our wake and the monotonous Insistent mut ter of the witch's Incantations. "Jack," I whispered again, more anx iously (for apparently he had not heard me), "will It ever let go?" But the half-breed seemed more careful to approve his dignity than to set my mind at rest. "Here I am no moro Yellow Jack," he answered sharply. "I am Eborra, of the blood of kings!" "Well, then, Eborra," said I. willing enough to humor him, "will the beast ever let go? Can we not fright it some how? Are we not being carried out to sea. where we may all perish of hunger and thirst?" "In the morning, about the time of tho false dawn, he will let go." Eborra an swered, without looking at me. like one who gives superfluous information to a troublesome child. "We are running due northward.' said Will Bowman, as he looked upward. He had learned from Umphray Spurway something of the stars. By this time my mother was asleep, and even Anna, after drowsing once or twice, allowed her head to drop down on my shoulder, where I drew my cloak about hr nml was well content to let her sleep. For me. I had no thought or desire of slumber. That which was happening about me was too strange and entrancing. It Is curious that one naturally so tlmorsome as I should yet bo able to pass outwardly unshamed through so many and so vari ous perils. Perhaps it was because I had in me something of my father as well as the heritage of my mother's weaker na ture. This is the way it ever was with me. If I were told of a peril beforehand, I would tremble all over and be utterly unmanned. But when one arrived, as it wore. In the way of huslness, or sprang tongue of which Is touched, why. then a kind of cold indifference took hold of me. I had been lucky before, I said to myself. So would I be again. This passed gradually Into a feeling entirely .rejoice ful, almost triumphant, especially when I had Anna Mark in my company. For. Indeed, her presence and the need of pro tecting her (not always very evident) steadied me like a draught of strong wine. (To Be Continued) THE PALATIAL OREGOHMi Wl 'Sot a darlc ofuce la the bnlltllnjei absolutely fireproof; electric lihi-i nnd Artesian water; perfect anlta tlon. and thoroosli ventilation. Elc TB'orx run ilnjr and nleUt Hoozsa. ANDERSON. GUSTAV. Attorney-at-Law 613 ASSOCIATED PRESS; E. L. Powell. Mr: ...SO BANKERS' LIFE ASSOCIATION, of Des Moines. la. ; C A. McCargar. State A:ent..502-J BEHNKE. H. W., Pi In. Pernla Shorthand School 211 BENJAMIN. R. "W.. Dent!t 31 BINSWANQER. DR. O. S.. Pays. A Sur..4H-113 BRUERE. DR. O. E.. Phyilclan 412-413-4U BUSTEED. RICHARD. Agent "Wilson & Mc- Callay Tobacco Co C02-G03 CAUKIN. O. E., District Azeni Travtlerj Insurance Co .......... 719 CARDWELL. DR. J. B BOO CLARK. HAROLD. Dentist 3U CLEM. E A. A CO.. Mining rropertIes...515-514 COLUMBIA TELEPHONE COMPANY 604-603-006-607-013-014-010 CORNELIVS. a W.. Phys. and Surjeoc 20t COVER. F. C., Cashier Equitable Life 20U COLLIER. P. F.. Fuollsker; S. P. McGulre. Manager .'... 415-418 DAY. J. O & I. N 313 DAVIS. NAPOLEON. President Columbia Telephone Co 007 DICKSON, DR. J. F.. Physician T13-714 DRAKE. DR. II B.. Physician ..012-313-314 DUNHAM. MRS. GEO. A. 717 DWVER. JAS F. ToDaccos 403 EDITORIAL ROOMS Eighth floor EQUITABLE LIFT: ASSURANCE SOCIETY: L. Samuel. Manager; F. C Cover. 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Manager Pacific North west Mutual Reserve Fund Life Asso...6O4-C03 LAMONT. JOHN. VIce-PreIdnt and Gen eral Manager Columbia Telephone Co. ......603 LITTLEFIELD. H. R-. Phys. and Surgeoa...203 MACRUM. W. S.. Sec. Oregon Camera Club..214 MACKAY. DR. A. E.. Phys. and Surc.,-.711-71J MAXWELL. DR. W. E.. Phy. A Surg... 701-2-3 McCAROAR. C A.. State Agent Bankers Life Association 302-303 McCOY. NEWTON. Attorney-at-Lavr 713 McFADEN. MISS IDA E.. Stenographer 201 McGINN. HENRY E.. Attomey-a:-Lw..31 1-313 McKELL. T. J.. Manufacturers' Representa tive - 30J MILLER. DR. HERBERT C Dentist and Oral Surgeon 6OS-G03 MOSSMAN. DR. E. P.. Dentist 312-513-314 MANHATTAN LIFE INSURANCE CO.. of New York. W. Goldman. Manager 200-210 Mcelroy, dr. j. o.. Phys. & surg.701-702-703 MeFARLAND. E. B.. Secretary Columbia Telephone Co.... 0OJ McGUIRE. S. P.. Manager P. F. Collier. Publisher 413-4H McKIM. MAURICE. Attomey-at-Latr 300 MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.. of Ne-ar York: Wm S. Pond. State Mgr. 404-403-403 MUTUAL RESERVE FUND LIFE ASS'N: M. T. Kady. Mgr Pacific North west.... 604-603 NICHOLAS. HORACE B.J Attorney-at-Lavr.. 713 NILES. M. L.. Cashier Mnnhattan Life In surance Co.. of New York .......201 OREGON INFIRMARY OF OSTEOPATHY: Dr. L. B. Smith. Osteopath 408-403 OREGON CAMERA CLUB 214-215-21C-217 PERNIN SHORTHAND SCHOOL: IL W. Rehnke. Prln ...211 POND. WM. S.. State Manager Mutual Life Ins. Co. of New York 404-405-401 PORTLAND EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.. Ground floor. 133 .Sixth atrett PORTLAND PRESS CLUB 711 PKOTZMAN EUGENE C. Superintendent Agencies Mutual Reserve Fund Lire, of New York an PUTNAM'S SONS. G. P.. Publishers 3It QUIMBY. L. P. W.. Game and Forestry Warden : 710-717 REED A MALCOLM. Opt!c!an..133 Sixth street RFED. F. C, Fl.ih Commlsloner ....407 RYAN. J. B.. Attorney-at-law 417 SALISBURY. GEO. N.. Section Director. U. F. Weather Eureau 010 SAMUEL. L.. Manager Equitable Life 303 KANDFORD. A. C. ft CO.. Publishers' gts313 SCRIBNER'3 SONS. CHAS.. Publishers: Jesse Hobon. Manager 313-510-517 SHERWOOD. J. W.. Deputy 3upreme Com mander. K. O. T. M 317 SMITH. DR. L B.. Osteopath 40S-409 SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION..5O0 STARK. E. C. Executive Special. Fidelity Mutual Life Association of Phtla.. Pa 001 STARR ft COLE. Pyrography 403 STEEL. G. A- Foreot Inspector 213 STUART. DELL. Attorney-at-Law. ..C13-010-617 STOLTE. DR. CHAS. E.. Dentist 704-703 SURGEON OF THE 3. P. RY. AND N. P. TERMINAL CO, 7W STROWBRIDGE. THOS. H.. Executive Spe cial Agent Mutual Life, of New York 4M SUPERINTENDENTS OFFIfE 201 TUCKER. DR. GEO. F.. DenMst 010 011 U. S. WEATHER BUREAU 0O-OO7-0O1-W9 U. S. LIGHTHOUSE ENGINEERS. 13TH DIST.. Captain W. C Langfltt. Corps of Engineers. U. S. A 801 U. S. ENGINEER OFFICE. RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. Captain W. C Langfltt. Corps of Engineers. U. S. A 31 WATERMAN. C. H.. Cashier Mutual Life of New York 401 WATKINS. Miss. E. I. Purchasing Agency "1( WEATHERRED. MRS. EDYTH. Grand Sec retary Native Daughters 710-711 WHITE. MISS L. E.. Aas't Sec. Oregon Cam era Club 21 WILSON. DR. EDWARD N.. Phys. A Sur.304-3 WILSON. DR. GEO F.. Phys. A Surg. . .700-707 WILSON. DR. HOLT C. Phys. A Surg...507-303 WILSON & McCALLAY TOBACCO CO.: Richard Bustccd. Agent C02-C03 WOOD. DR. W. L.. Physician 412-413-414 WILLAMETTE "VALLEY TELEPH. CO.-... 611 A feTV more elesrnnt offices mnr te hrwl ly applying to l'ortlnnil Trnsl Company of Oregon, 100 Tlilril t.. oi out upon me suddenly as from a trap the I to the rent cleric in the building J