Lincoln County leader., October 01, 1909, Image 3

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iWr SARGENT jnAtiJtaAA
HOLLAND X
Author of The Count at Harvard," etc O
The Pirate of
lastair
Copyright, 1908. by J. B." Llpplncott Company. At! rights reserved.
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CHAPTER X.
Signs multiplied. When Charles and
I returned to, the house we found muddy
footprints staining the dining-room floor
nd tracked across the kitchen. No in
truders were to be seen, nor other evl
donce of their visit, bat the mere fact
that the sanctity of my hotue hitherto
-always left open to the winds had been
Invaded, angered me. I bade Charles see
that the house was securely locked here
after whenever he left It in my absence.
Over the mantel in my den hung two
muskets, out-of-date but still capable of
boring holes in the atmosphere. My little
imory held a shotgun, for use in the
marshes, and . two revolvers, whose only
use heretofore had been for target prac
tice. I-took them from the drawer and
looked them over; they were ready for
work when needed.
1 sat on the poruu, auU cuuuucioii ila
situation. Something was about to hap
pen, something I could not tell what
that centered around this man who had
mysteriously taken possession of the
Ship and proposed to offer combat on
the sands. What be was or who he was I
could not guess ; speculation in these lines
brought me Immediately into blind al
leys ; but there was no doubt that in sit
uation and character he was certainly
the direct descendant of a more adven
turous age. I was unmistakably drawn
to him. I could see him as he stood on
"the beach, buffeted by the storm, gazing
t the men who were pulling away, and
as he had stepped from the hatchway, hat
In hand, bowing to Barbara Graham with
the chivalrous manner of a cavalier, and
again as he sat across the table from me,
his slender bands ready to seize upon the
pistols, his eyes, full of amusement and
audacity, looking straight Into mine.
There was no doubt about it, the Ship
belonged to him by right of Inheritance!
and his arrival had brought me strange
tldines. I thought over the matter a long
time before I went to bed.
Early the next morning I took my dip
In the sea, and was returning, clad In a
"bath-robe, when I caught sight of a man
peering at me from the pines. I waved
my towel, and he disappeared. As I was
finishing dressing, a little later, I stepped
-out upon my balcony, and I saw the same
man, much nearer now, gazing intently at
the cottage. I hate spies, so I spoke
-somewhat angrily.
"Hi, there 1 What do yon want?" I
-cried, beckoning to him.
He came forward rather sheepingly,
and touched bis hat.
"I was only taking a look at your
- louse, sir."
"And is that what you were doing some
twenty minutes ago?"
"Yes, sir ; that's all I was doing."
"Are you an architest?" I demanded.
He wore a plain blue suit, with an
old straw hat, and might have been al
most anything.
He smiled. "No, I was merely look-
Ing about to see what there was to see.
There wasn't any harm meant."
"There isn't any harm done, but, then,
there isn't anything to see. I'm npt
very partial to sight-seers, especially when
. they hide behind trees. If there's any
thing you want to ask me about, speak
out."
He hesitated a nutrient, "A stranger
tall man who speaks French -hasn't
topped at your house, has he?"
"No. Is he a pal of yours?"
The man grinned. "Not exactly. Well,
I won't trouble you any more. Good
morning."
At breakfast I again cautioned Charles
to remember that he knew nothing.
I could do no work in my present state
of mind, so I slung my field-glusses over
my shoulder and went to call on Dupon
cenu. He was sitting at the cabin table,
breakfasting on the remains of our last
night's supper. My heart smote me.
"Why didn't you let me know? I could
have brought you breakfast."
"It matters little ; yesterday I obtained
some food from a farmer, but that is too
dangerous." He smiled. "I'm quite used
to doing with little."
I sat down while he finished breakfast.
After that we walked the short length of
. the cabin, Duponceau asking me a 'great
many questions about the coast and the
country inland. I told him what I could,
and he seemed satisfied. Then I decided
to take my easel and paints and go up on
the cliff above the Ship to paint "I can
keep a good lookout from there of the
farther beach," I said. "One can sweep
It thoroughly from the cliff with a pair
of glasses."
I settled down on the cliff, and for half
an hour forgot everything but the scene
In front of me. At the end of that time
I looked up the distant beach with my
glasses. Some one was sitting there, half
way up. I studied the figure and decided
that it was a woman, no other than Bar
bara Graham.
Pride is a curious quality. Sometimes
it will not even last overnight My one
" desire now was to have a few words with
Miss Graham, so I left my easel .as It
stood, and went towards her.
She was half lying, half sitting, in the
. soft sand, some of which she had moulded
Into a cushion for her back, aad a book
lav open at her side, but she was not
reading. She was gazing at the sea.
"What do you think of our pirate?"
She started, looked round at me, sat
up, and clasped her knees with her hands.
I eat down on the sand beside her.
"I was just thinking of him. I was
thinking that I like him tremendously."
. "Naturally. He rescued you from a
very disagreeable fellow."
"Yes," she agreed, without looking at
me; "and a girl can never forget a debt
of gratitude for that sort of thing."
"I must apologize," I said, "for my
rudeness. Of course it was no business
of mine whose portrait yon had in your
locket."
"Of course not" she agreed ; "although
it happens that was just the reason why
I put It there."
"Put what there?"
"Put Rodney's portrait in the locket
zvA th !vVf whr von wonld find it"
"You did? Why?"
"Oh, just to see what you would do
and you did it.
"Yes. I did," I admitted. "Then you're
not but she interrupted by turning
to me.
"Monsieur Duponceau was as polite as
he could be, and laughed at all my pro
tests on the way home, but I think he
was running Into some danger on my ac
count I believe he has come to AJastair
to hide."
"I know he has."
"Oh, tell me all about it !" sh hegged,
"I know very little. Jle's an adventur
er, and he's fled from Europe, and there
are people very anxious to take him back,
and he's going to live in the Ship. More
over, it seems reasonably certain that
there s going to be trouble.
"Is there?" she cried, half In excite
ment half In delight "Oh, let's help
him!"
I found that I only needed this chance
to avow myself openly.
"We will. I've decided to stand by
him, whatever happens.
Barbara looked exceedingly delighted.
"If I were only a man 1' she exclaimed.
"As it is, I'll have to do everything by
proxy."
"You can help us a lot"
"now?" -
"By coming to see us often and bring
ing us news of the outside world." ' I
instantly identified myself with Dupon
ceau. "That is, if it doesn t begin to look
too dangerous," I added.
She turned to face the ocean again.
"I should like to do something to help
him," she said, "because I like him. Sup
pose we go to see him now.
I picked up my easel and paints on the
cliff, and we boarded the Ship.
At the foot of the cabin stairs Barbara
saw the silver-mounted pistols blazing in
the sun.
"Oh 1" she said, looking at Duponceau,
who stood in the door very - tall and
straight. "Shall you use those V"
"I should not be surprised," he an-swered-
gravely.
"Against whom? I haven't seen an
enemy on the beach."
"You will see," he answered. "They
will come secretly perhaps to-night."
"To-night!" she echoed. "And how
many will there be?"
There was a grim little smile about his
Hps now. "I cannot tell; perhaps a doz
en, possibly a' score ; that depends on how
resolute a man they think me.
"I think you very resolute," she said
soberly; "quite the bravest man I have
ever seen."
Unquestionably there was no logic in
this remark, and yet I couldn't but own
that I agreed with Barbara.
"To-night," she mused, her eyes deep
with the deliberation of a general, "now
will you defend the Ship one against a
dozen?"
"You forget Charles and me," I put in
""Will you fight, too?" she asked.
"Surely. I looked up my weapons this
morning and put them in ordr. I will
bring them on board this afternoon and
add them to Monsieur Duponceau's."
. "And you, too, believe in the enemy?'
she inquired.
"Most certainly. I saw one of them
tills morning."
Barbara sat down on one of the chairs
I had left. "To think," she said, "that
Captain Kidd should come to life again I
But where is the burled treasure?"
I thought of the chest I bad seen car
ried into the woods on the night of the
storm, but said nothing. When I glanced
at Duponceau he was smiling at Bar
bara. "This Is a very desperate matter
for me," he said, "but even the most des
perate affairs are brightened by a worn
an. You are my good angel, mademoiselle."
He said it in such a way that Barbara
could not but be pleased.
"Thank you, monsieur; and what' plans
have you made for defense?"
Duponceau outlined his ' plans. First
of all he would stay well hidden from
sight; then if "bis enemies should find
him, there were three points ot attack)
from the open sea," from the cliff above
the eausaway, and from the beach be
yond the protecting circle of rocks. We
studied each In turn, and planned how
three men, well armed, could hold the
Ship against a score. "I should like more
ammunition than I have," Duponceaa coo
fessed.
"There Is plenty In my cottage," I toU
him.
'Let's get H now," cried Barbara, "ani
some of tie guns."
We went to the cottage, and Barbara
in her interest forgot what she would
have termed the proprieties, and entered
and looked about my dining-room while I
collected cartridges and pistols. She In
sisted on helping Charles put up a quan
tity of food to carry to the Ship, At last
we started forth again, she with the pro
visions, I with a shotgun and two revol
vers. Half way down llie beach two mei
came out of the pines and walked dowi
to meet us.
"Where are you going with thost
guns?" one of them, a surly faced chap
demanded.
Wrbat business Is that of yours?"
asked.
ne changed his tactics. "We're look
ing for a man who's reported to havt
landed somewhere on this beach a nighl
or two ago."
"Yes," I said pleasantly, gazing absent
ly at the sky.
'Well," went on the other, "where art
you taking those guns?"
I looked at him angrily now, but befort
I could And words Barbara was speak
ing.
"If there is one thing I particular!)
dislike," she said, "it is curiosity. II
you must know, we came out here to hunt
sand-snipe, and we're just about to be
gin. That's all; you may go now?' and
she waved her hand towards the pines
The men were clearly surprised. The
were mors so whan they saw the girl
calmly sit down on the sand, motion me t
do likewise, and proceed to load one of thi
revolvers. Shortly alter, luey whuuivw,
whispering to each other.
In order to disarm suspicion, we sal
there some time, and I built miniaturi
sand fortifications in order to teach Bar
bara the art of war.
"I wonder if I can learn to shoot?"
she said presently. "If I meet many mon
like those, I shall be tempted to try."
I handed her a loaded pistol. "Aim at
that rock out there," I said, pointing at
one showing above"the water.
She took aim, did not close her eyes
pulled the trigger. The report, sharp ani
clear, cut the silence of the beach like l
knife. We saw the water splash when
the bullet entered. A frightened gul
screamed loudly away.'
The little puff of smoke faded; all wai
still again.
Barbara looked at the revolver, then at
me. Her lips were smiling, but her eyei
were deep with excitement.
"The war has begun," I said. "Thai
shot was to let the world know that Alas
tair is armed."
(To be continued.)
Maraschino Cherries.
Pit the cherries and weigh them,
saving all the juice. To every four
pounds of fruit there must be two
pounds of sugar and a cup of liquid.
Enough juice should exude during the
stoning process to furnish the liquid,
but if not add a little water. Make a
sirup of the sugar and water, set at
the side of the range and bring to fho
boiling point. Take from the Are and,
while still warm but not scalding hot,
pour the sirup over the cherries. Set
aside for half an hour, then put over
the fire in a porcelain lined kettle and
heat slowly. Boll ' for five minutes,
take out the fruit with a skimmer,
boll the sirup for twenty . minutes,
skimming off the scum as it rises
and, just before taking from the fire,
add a pint of Maraschino cordial tor
every four quarts of fruit. Pack the
cherries In jars, fill each Jar to over
flowing with tho liquid and seal.
WAS A TRIFLE SLOW.
Citron Preserves.
Pare the fruit and cut it into slices
about the size of a caramel, weigh the
fruit and to each pound of it allow
one-half pound of sugar. Put the cit
ron on to cook In fresh water and
boll until quite clear, remove carefully
to a colander and drain. Wet the su
gar with clear water and boll until
reduced to a sirup, add to this sirup
one lemon, sliced thin, and a piece of
ginger root for every pound of sugar
that has been used. Put the citron
into the sirup and boil together for
twenty minutes. Fill jars with the
fruit, pour in the sirup and seal.
HB BXVAX3.
Train Schedule of a Certain South
ern Railroad Beaten by Hob;.
"For several years I have been h
commuter on the Erie," snld the sun
burned man. according to the New
York Herald, "and I have joined in
the general raillery at the expense of
that unique system. But never again
I have Just come from Florida, where
they have railroads compared with
which the Erie is the personification
of rapid transit. If you get off the
main line of travel In Florida you are
up against it good and plenty.
"I wanted to go from Tampa over
to the east coast, and part of the It
inerary took In a branch road from
Orange City Junction to New Smyrna.
The distance is twenty-seven miles.
You leave Orange City Junction at
4:35 p. m., and if the train is on time
It. gets you to New Smyrna- at 7 :1Q.
Only two hours and forty-seven min
utes to come twenty-seven miles!
Thnt's all! Two trains a day are op
erated over this road combination
passenger and freight trains.
"There used to be an englnee.
named Bill Rogers who ran this after
noon train. He Is dead now. I un
derstand the strenuous ' life was too
much for him. Bill used to be greatly
annoyed by the razorback hogs that
roam at large through the . country,
branded just like cattle. There was
one hog In particular that gave BUI
a lot of trouble. Every evening he
could be found lying comfortably be
tween the rails at a point about two
miles outside of New Smyrna, and
Bill would have to climb down from
his cab and pry the hog off with a
crowbar. You can kill a negro down
In that country and nothing is thought
of It, but you mustn't kill a hog. If
you do, you are liable to go to Jail.
"Well, Bill Bad a grouch on one
day, and when he saw the hog stretch
ed out In the usual wallow he deter
mined to defy the law. So, instead of
stopplpg to pry the hog off the track,
he opened up his throttle and started
for the obstruction nt full speed. Just
as the engine was almost upon him
the hog seemed to realize that some
thing was wrong. Not waiting for the
usual assistance, he got - up, shook
himself, and started down the track
ahead of the engine. And I have -the
assurance of at. least a dozen respecta
ble witnesses that the hog beat the
train Into New Smyrna station by a
fraction over three minutes!"
Boiled Raisin Cake.
Cover one and a half cups ot raisins
(seeded) with boiling water and sim
mer twenty minutes. Cream three-
quarters of a cup of sugar with a
quarter ot a cup of butter, - and add
one and one-half cups of flour, half a
cup of the raisin water and one egg
beaten light, but not separated.-' One
teaspoonful of soda should be sifted
with the flour. Season with one tea
spoonful each of nutmeg and cinna
mon, add the raisins, well dredged
with flour and bake one-half hour. An
excellent cake, cheap, easily made, and
with a' flavor of Its own.
An Assured Faet.
"Do you think that man who talks
bo much is really acquainted with hli
subject? .
"Well, there can be no doubt thai
he is on. speaking terms with it"-
Washington Star.
Watermelon Pickle.
Use one melon. Cut out heart, peel
rind, cut Into squares and soak over
night In strong salt water, rut one
nuart vinegar on to boil, stir In live
coffee cups sugar, one teaspoon cloves
and five sticks of cinnamon, one
erated nutmeg and one-half lemon.
Add rind that has been rinsed in cold
water. Boll ten minutes, put in jars.
Not necessary to seal.
Cooking; New "Potatoes.
Place them In boiling water with
two or three sprigs of mint. When
they are cooked and drained pour over
them some melted butter. The mint
adds a more delicious flavor. New po
tntnpn should have the skins removed
by rubbing them with a brush. When
rubbed they will be white and smootn.
Kin Caroline Won, but 8 ha Waa
"Saar Sport."
Miss Caroline and Miss Matilda Bar-
gle, of Old Hentley, were notable work
ers for church fairs. They desired
earnestly to help in a good work; bnt,
also, they so arranged their labors a
to add undoubted zest to the monot
ony of their quiet lives. Always each
sister selected a special article, of the
same value as the other's choice, of
which she made as many as she could.
Then It was a race to sea who should
make the most and earn the most
At one fair, for which Miss Caroline .
was making clover-leaf penwipers and
Miss Matilda tomato pincushions, thi
finish was unusually exciting. The day
before the event Miss Caroline, who
was slightly the swifter needlewoman,
had thirteen penwipers to her credit,
and Miss Matilda was but half a pin
cushion behind. Then the telephone
rang; Miss Caroline answered It
On returning, her first glance show
ed her Miss Matilda Just biting off the
final thread which attached a green
velvet stem to a scarlet satin fruit.
Miss Caroline resolutely caught up the
materials for a new clover-leaf and
missed her spectacles. She hunted
through her work basket, then through
the room, then through the house, In
growing exasperation and misery.
A hasty look during her wanderings
showed another tomato ripening rap
Idly under Matilda's fingers. Her
search grew Into nervous frenzy; but
till the frlnsRAs were not to be found.
Then, peering wildly for the third
time under a big four-post bed from
one side, a despairing Caroline met the
eyes of an intent Matilda, crawling
sympathetically on the other.
"You go straight back to work, Ma
tilda!" she commanded, sharply. "This
Is too ridiculous! I can find my own
spectacles, I should hope!"
But she could not; It was Matilda
who found them, nearly two hours
later, clinging to a curtain. Two ex
hausted sisters hurriedly resumed
work In the waning afternoon, and
by sundown Caroline had caught up
with Matilda, and passed her.
When the receiving committee count
ed the fourteen pincushions and fifteen
penwipers, they smiled, and somebody
said, "Miss Caroline Is , ahead, as
usual."
"No," said the chairman, "an order
has been left for an extra pincushion
for the parsonage, to be made after
the fair. That makes them even; and
won't Miss Matilda be pleased! You
know she lost two hours at the last
minute, too, helping Miss Caroline find
her spectacles "
The ypungest member nodded appre
ciatively. "Then that's why Miss Car
oline gave me the order, and the pin
cushion to be sent anonymously the'
dear, queer, square old thing! Good
sport, Miss Caroline!"
"My dear!" protested the chairman,
with . a shocked laugh. "But well
really, I suppose she is. Don't forget
to put that extra tomato on the order
Mat." Youth's Companion.
Fruit Cookies. " '
Cream one cup of butter with one
and a half cups of sugar, add three
beaten eggs, a level teaspoonful of
baking soda dissolved in two tame
spoonfuls of sweet milk and, -last of
all, stir in a cup of chopped raisins
that have been rolled in flour. Mix,
roll out and bake in a hot oven.
Filling (or Cake.
One cup of sugar, four tablespoon
fuls of water boiled till clear. SUr
into the beaten white of one egg quick
ly and add one-half cup seeded and
chopped fine raisins and one-half cup
chopped hickory nuts or English wal
nut meats.
Loosening Cakes from the Pana
After baking a cake and If It sticks
to the pan, the easiest way to take
It out without breaking It Is to wet
a clean cloth and wrap around the pan.
It will ,come out all together.
Carried Erki.
Four eggs, one ounce of butter, one
ounce ot chopped onion, half an ounce
of flour, one gill of milk and water,
one teaspoonful of curry powder, the
Juice of half a lemon, boiled rice.
To Improve Coffee.
Add to the pot of coffee when ready
to serve a halt teaspoon of vanila and
a pinch of baking soda the size of
bean. The soda destroys the sour taste
caused by the free acid In the coffee.
Short Snffirestions.
tTaon a hnir nf milnhur in the bird
cage to drive away lice in hot weather.
Ice cream becomes butter if it is not
allowed, to chill before the can la
turned In the ice.
To preserve pineapple, allow only
three-quarters of a pound ot sugar to
each pound of plneapola-
Familiar Sarins:.'
From hand
13 W
To mouth.
Shakespeare Vindicated.
"I think that Shakespeare was
wrong." . '
"As to how?"
"Does anyone ever really have great
ness thrust upon him?"
"It often happens. Thero's the vice
presidency, . you know." Louisville
Courier-Journal.
Small World.
Bore - and I have always re
garded it as a somewhat singular cir
cumstance that whereas my father was
born In India, and my mother in Bel
fast, I myself was born In London.
She (doing her best) Rea-a-a-a-llyt
Mow strange you should all have met.
War to Improve,
It Is Impossible to make your con
duct perfect, but It la easy to make It
better than It has been Atckisoa
Globe.