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THE RED >KNE TRAIL Crittenden Marriott SYNOPSIS CHAPTER I.—Thrown from his auto In a New York village, a man is car¬ ried unconscious into the home of a Miss Edith Grant. A doctor discovers he has been shot, fatally. Conscious¬ ness Morbach, returning, the man gives his name as and babbies of "millions." He begs that Henry Archman, million¬ aire resident of the vicinity, be sent for, declaring he has an important mes¬ sage for him. Archman cannot be reached by 'phone, but word is sent that his secretary is on the way. A man announcing himself as Archman's secretary, Akin, arrives, talks with Morbach, and leaves with a package he gives him. CHAPTER II.—Morbach dies. Arch¬ man's arrival, with his secretary, re¬ veals that the man posing as Akin is an Impostor and has escaped with the papers Morbach carried. Archman de¬ nounces Edith Grant as a girl endeavor¬ ing to snare his son Harry. CHAPTER III.—Archman, his mil¬ lions made in Chicago, has yielded to the importunities of his family—his wife, daughters Nellie and Bessie (sev¬ enteen years old), and son Harry—and moved to New York in an endeavor to gam They recognition by the Four Hundred. have not succeeded. Mrs. Arch¬ man is bitter over her failure, particu¬ larly mourning the fact that she has not been "taken up" by a Mrs. Van Kull. CHAPTER IV.—Archman orders Nel- 1 lie t > get ready for a long journey with i him, “starting in an hour." He refu'ses i to reveal their destination to his wife, I declaring tells it is “not his secret." Nellie Bess she is in love with James ! Carr, a youth working on Archman's ship, El Rio. She gives Bess a message ; for him. Archman and Nellie depart. CHAPTER v. —Harry tells Bess of fcls determination to marry Edith Grant. \ Mrs ArcUmai receives a map, with the explanation that it was among Mor bacti's papers, and suggesting she for- j ward it to Mr. Arch man. Lord George Ca ruthers, traveling Englishman, ar¬ rives at the Arehman home, by invi taUbn. * CHAPTER VI.—The Archman family, with Lord George, visit the Ei Rio. Bess meets Carr and teils him of her Bister's departure. She learns from him that "Edith Grant" is his sister. Mrs. Archman decides to take Bess and Harry and sail with Captain Bunker on the El Rio to meet her husband, Caruthers accompanies them. Bunker has sealed orders. CHAPTER VII.—-A Miss Denslow, en¬ gaged as governess for Bess, and Akin, sail with the party. Miss Denslow and Caruthers, it appears, keep have met before. They decide to it a secret. CHAPTER VIII.—Bess finds a note urging her to warn Captain Bunker to guard his instructions. She thinks It a joke, but playfully warns the cap¬ tain she will see them before he does. Bunker finds his orders have been tam¬ pered with, and accuses Bess. Con¬ vinced of her Innocence, he realizes a spy is on board. CHAPTER IX.—The ship arrives at its destination at night. At the mo¬ ment of anchoring, someone on the El Rio sets off a red flare, evidently to show the pursuing ship their position. CHAPTER X.—Mrs. Archman, Bess. Harry, Lord George, Miss Denslow and the first officer, Collins, are landed. From a height they discover a torpedo boat destroyer evidently watching the El Rio. Wigwagging the information to the ship, those ashore witness a commotion on board, which they rightly Interpret as a mutiny. CHAPTER XI.—Price, ship’s steward, leader of the mutineers, comprising practically the whole crew, tells Cap¬ tain Bunker, wounded and helpless, their object is the treasure which they believe Archman Is seeking. Nellie ^rchman comes on board. CHAPTER XII.—Price reveals him¬ self as the fnan who, impersonating Akin, secured Morbach's papers. It was he who sent the map to Mrs. Archman. planning to follow her if she attempted to join her husband, as she did. Price leaves Nellie and Bunker, bound, for a short time, and, returning, finds they have disappeared. Chapter XUI-Continued she murmured. “I knew they couldn’t desert us. Call to them, Bess. Call to them.” “Walt!” Miss Denslow and Lord George spoke together. ‘‘Wait and see whtwhey are first.” “Bu’s?’ God’s sake be still!'’ breathed George. “Silence! Keep well :k under the ledge, for your life’s e.” . ] Lwed by his tones, all shrank back, tening themselves against the ks, and waited, listening. ’he sound of the oars against the locks had ceased. Another Instant I a low order, followed by a con ted rattling, showed that the crew the boat had shipped oars with n-of-war regularity. Other orders owed, and other movements. The Ined ears of Lord George and Ool ! made out that most of the men 1 landed, but that one or more had off In the boat ,to lie away from shore. A shuffling of feet and a r click of metal on metal showed t those on land had formed into rough column and that they car- 1 rifles. As they moved up the ft, more than one of them growled a curse as he barked his shins an unseen rock. Only one of the o ners. - recognized— the. language. “Danish!” breathed Lord George, as the steps of the last one died away. The next moment Lord George stepped out. “Follow me, quickly and silently,” he breathed. “Don’t lose an instant.” He waited while the others emerged from beneath the ledge, and then he set off up the path, following hard on the trail of the mysterious column. Ten minutes later he paused by the side of the break in the wall, which was plainly perceptible in the greater light that had come from the shallow¬ ing of the gully. Silently he deflected each of his companions up It. When the last one had passed he drew a deep breath. “Checkmate," he mur¬ mured, as he followed. The trail around the mountain proved to be eusy to follow despite the difficulties of night travel. It was, in fact, a real trail and not, like the first they had followed, merely the rock-strewn bed of a torrent, which had happened to coincide more or less closely with a fanciful red line that Price had drawn upon the forged map. The party made excellent time along It and would have done even better had it not been for Mrs. Archman, who was utterly exhausted and positively refused to consider even a suggestion from Collins that he and Lord George should push ahead on a reconnoiter ing expedition and leave the others to rest and follow later. As It turned out, however, the party did not have very far to go. About midnight, just as the men figured out that they must be very near the inter¬ secting red line that ran up the moun¬ tain, the trail began to slant steeply downward, so steeply that Lord George, who was leading, stopped and peered doubtfully downward Into the pool of blackness that yawned before him. The moon, though probably above the horizon, was behind tie mountain and threw only a reflected light over the spot where the party had halted. “Stop here till we can find out where we are going," directed his lordship authoritatively, but In a low tone, when the others came up. “This path seems to go far down, and I’ve got to reconnolter before I take you along It.” He peered to the right, whence came the murmur of the sea. “We’re near the water,” he added. “Maybe the path goes down to It. We’re only guessing that the map Is right, you know. Mr. Collins, you’d better go inland, I fancy, and see whether you can get around the head of the ravinei Maybe the red-line trail comes out at Its bead and you can find It. Mr. Arch¬ man, you’ll stay here with the ladles till we come back or call to you.” No one seemed to resent Lord George’s direction. The others seemed to have Instinctively recognized that he was the best fitted of the party to lead. Even Collins, who might have claimed the right to control, made no objection. With a nod of comprehen¬ sion he turned off to the left and tramped away; while Lord George al¬ most as quickly took the road down¬ ward and disappeared. Despondently the four who had been left behind waited. Mrs. Arch¬ man sat down on the bare ground and went to sleep almost Instantly, with her head pillowed on Bess' lap. Miss Denslow walked to the very edge of the ravine and tried to peer down; and after a moment Harry joined her. Suddenly a low call sounded from dead ahead. “Hello! Hello! Mr. Archman,” It came cautiously. Harry straightened up. “Hello!” he called. “Who’s that T “It’s me—Collins," came the answer. “I thought. I saw you.” Simultaneously Miss Denslow clutphed Harry’s arms. "There he Is,” she murmured. “On the other side of the ravine, a little higher than we are. He's gotten completely around It. Yes, Mr. Collins r “Nothing doing over here! No path! Have you heard from Lord George?” “Not yet." “All right. I*m coming back.” The almost invisible figure rustled Into the deeper shadows that lay behind it It was growing decidedly lighter. The moon was climbing behind the mountain and Its rays were pulsing overhead, making the sky faintly lu¬ minous. Suddenly a confused noise from seaward broke on the night and the two turned to look. But the edge of the cliffs cut off all view of the »ea. THE PBLHAM JOURNAL “fll go—” began Harry. But Miss Denslow stopped him. “No!” she said. “Stay here. We must be ready Is Lord George calls. Listen, Don’t you hear oars?” “Yes! I—” Below in the darkness of the ra¬ vine a stone rattled downward, fol¬ lowed by another and another. Some¬ one was climbing the rocks recklessly. While the two waited, a form sprang into view and Lord George’s voice, cautious yet vibrant with excitement, rang out. “Quick I” he called. “Come quick, all of you! Danger 1 Come quick 1” CHAPTER XIV A Little Surprise As the door closed behind Price, Nellie turned to Captain Bunker with a sob. “What shall we do?” she cried. “What shall we do?” Bunker shrugged his mighty shoul¬ ders. “Don’t you fret," he said cheer¬ ily. “I’ve been in tougher places than this and I’m here to tell it. It’s mighty hard on you, but—” "Oh I” Nellie uttered a cry. "Can we trust him?” she quavered. Captain Bunker sniffed. “You can trust him just as far as you can trust a rattlesnake, and no farther,” he grunted. “He needs that map bad and he’s trying to get It. I guess he doesn’t remember it as well as he makes out. And he’s worried about what he’s got to face and wants to find out; and he’ll promise anything to get you to tell. But you were right in what you said. Once he gets what he wants, it’s all up with you and me—and with your mother and the rest, too. He can’t let us go to set the dogs on him later. He just can’t. And his men wouldn’t let him if he wanted to. By the way, I don’t want to be inquisitive, but how about those forty millions he’s talking about. Are they there?” The girl shook her head. “I don’t know,” she answered hesitatingly. "Father—Mr. Archman—spoke once or twice of a lot of money, but I didn’t pay much attention. Forty millions Is a lot.” Bunker nodded. "Rather!" he agreed. “By the way, where Is Mr. Arehman? How did you happen to come on hoard alone?” “Because I was a fool. When word came that you were lying off the shore father was busy with—with some one. So I sent him word that I would come out to welcome you. I sent the man with me back to tell father and I Jumped Into my boat and rowed out. I was going back for father almost at once—as soon as I got the mall.” "But why didri’t he follow?” “There’s only the one boat. That Is, there’s but one available until the tide goes out. So be can’t come out for hours and he—look 1" A section of the paneling between tw r o of the dead eyes that lighted the cabin was swinging outward and a man’s foot was appearing beneath It. The next moment it was followed by the rest of his body. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “It’s only me.” “Mr. Carr!” The w r ords sprang from Nellie’s lips, mingled with something suspiciously like a profane exclama¬ tion from Captain Bunker. "That's me I” The newcomer hur¬ ried across the room and began to un¬ tie the cords that bound Nellie to her I ”III: I: [43.5%,] '555‘IIr. . . I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII;I9-'II5I;I”II.v , 3125’?,II’I5IIIII;I:I7“QUIII I; I I III ‘35 ' I " IIIII'IIIWIIIIII/m I “I", I"? . g I It ,1. i',‘ ‘ ,I'I-III' ‘ 5- [MI5/ m : III ;~'«.\...:{/I:‘>' 1,. VI - I IIIII/Ji ,\- I‘I“ I III—m " I WI I .5 ’vi ‘ I .. I 25', -"I-y ., Ii "<7 gig): " 7"-\/ 11;; ,/ " I “II. p , - \N | ' “1‘2“. ‘ I . V I’I I I 5- 5/’ a- “That’s Me!" The Newcomer Hurried Across ths Room and Began to Untie the Cords That Bound Nellie to Her Chair. chair. “Gee! I thought that fellow never would go,” he declared, "and I wasn’t sure he had gone at first. It was close quarters, waiting. Still—” He broke off, for Nellie had dropped her head and was sobbing as If her heart would break. Carr dropped the cords aod bent over her. “Nellie I Nellie!” he cried. “Please don’t Oh, please don’t I Oh, I’m such a fiat-footed Idiot I I was talking like a fool beeanse I thought U wonld startla vn le a s p and here l ve frightened you so! What is it, dear?” The girl was muttering something through her tears. The y*ung man bent down to listen, and she spoke again. This time the words came clearer. “I'm n-not startled or frightened nor—nor anything,” she sobbed. “I’m crying because I—I’m so glad to see you again.” Carr jumped. Then he dropped on his knee beside the girl and threw tils arms around her—and the chair. Cuptain Bunker was watching the scene in profound disgust. “Belay there!” be roared. “This isn’t any pink-tea party, ftreak away and cut ime loose quick. D—n it all, do you know that h—1 is likely to pop around here any minute?” j Carr jumped up. “Right-o, captain!” he cried. “Right-o! I’ll be with you In just a minute.” Nellie’s loosened bonds fell at her ifeet; and Carr turned to the captain and quickly set him ut liberty. Then be turned buck to Nellie and held out his arms. , The girl walked into them and had her weeping face on his shoulder. It was a very dusty and uuronmntic shoulder, too, but neither of them [thought of that. Captain Bunker thought of It, how¬ ever. He was stretching his limbs and feeling his cramped muscles, '.meanwhile contemplating the proceed¬ ings with profound disfavor. I Curr caught liis expression and [laughed happily. “Captain Bunker,” he cried. “If this pains you, kindly turn your back and scrutinize the ond porthole on the starboard The Final Good* ness of your Baking depends on the flour you use. RISING SUN S^SS FLOUR Contains many pleasing combinations that can be served at every meal. Severe Pains in Side HAD had quite a bad rested better. I kept tak¬ spell and sickness,” ing it and my skin and writes Mrs. Emma flesh took on a more Patrick, of Caney, Ky., healthy color. I felt “and it effort for stronger and, as the nerv¬ was an ousness left me, the pain me to go about my home. in my side was less severe. I had a very severe pain After taking nine bottles, in my left side that almost I eat anything, go any¬ I took my breath at times. where arid feel fine. I lost my appetite. I grew weigh I 160 pounds I and am it thin, pale and lifeless. I well. feel that owe fell off till I only weighed all to having used Cardui.” about 115 pounds. Pain, in certain parts of “Cardui was recom¬ the body, is a sure indica¬ mended to me and by the tion of female compli¬ time I had taken one bot¬ cations. The treatment tle I saw it was what I needed is not the use of needed. I ate more and narcotic drugs, but— CARDUI PELHAM CAFE For ladies and gentlemen. Hot lunches served quick. , Cheapest place in town to get your meals. CLEAN AND SANITARY G. W. CROSBY, Prop. ter. We’ll call you later.” But It was Nellie and not Bunker who acted. Half laughing and half sobbing, she pushed Carr from her, and turned a rosy face toward the captain. “Never mind, captain,” she said. “You may look all you like.” “Never mind!” roared the captain. “But I do mind, miss. Where do you think you are? Stand back, Carr, or I’ll put you in Irons. What the devil are you doing on my ship, anyhow?” Carr laughed. “That’s a long story, captain,” be said. “And I’m afraid I haven’t time to tell it now. Your friend Price may be back any minute. I’ll just say that when I found out that you were coming to meet Nellie and her father I determined to come along—the more especially as I wasn’t altogether satisfied with some of your prospective passengers. So I came—” "**’ i CONTINUED NEXT WEEK Mr. Ford Owner. I will be glad to do your Ford work. 1 sell gasoline and oil. Qas 24c per gallon, day or night. Come to see me. SSIgfca tf CHAN LAIRD. For tin or plumbing work see J. H. liollin - head, old reliable. Wotk guaranteed. Shop iu rear of post office building. In or out of tcvsn calls given prompt attteniou.