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by IO?IS JOSEPH >M' HLUSTRATIONS/BY-' ELLSWORj?B^OTWC^^ "COTTTRTCHT 1909 fy LomyioszA^ - - '- g -*s "How can I say? Do ye, for the .love of God, get below and leave me to deal with these fiends In me own fashion." "Which," Bhe returned equably, "is precisely what I shall not do." "If that's the case," he said brus quely, "have the kindness to hand me the revolver by the captain's side, and -ye might see if the poor fellow still lives." He heard a quick rustle of skirts end the woman's hand closed over his, pressing into els palm the weapon he had desired. As promptly, without further words, she turned to Quick. . The adventurer deliberated briefly, while she bent over the captain, m?k . lng a hurried examination. "He is badly wounded," O'Rourke heard her say, as he arrived at his decision, "but cot dead." "Praise God for that! ... I must ask ye, madam, to hack me up. It is necessary to clear the decks. Are ye ready?" He saw, out of the tail, of his eye, that she had sprung to her feet "Now, ye curs," he thundered, with a menacing pistol in either hand, "get forward, the lot of ye. Move, ye blackguards!" They went expeditiously, crowding, between the deck-house and the rait huddling together as If for mutual pro tection. The Berang was the last tc* move, and went reluctantly, ox seemed to. Yet that was no time to juc*ge him. for a minor fault. O'Rourke herded^ the pack before him, watched tbemj scramble down fhe ladder to the fore deck, then backed to the spot where the woman stood above the captain. His arm was paining him somewhat, with the irritating, stinging ache that Buch wounds produce, and he thrust one revolver into his pocket, clasping; a hand above the hurt In a flash realization of his Joss came to him; he clutched the rail with a cry. The Pool of Flame, his sacred, trust, was gone! His eyes searched^ the deck wildly, but fourni no trace ot the round leather bag with Its preci ous burden. Despair gripped bis heart in a clutch of ice, and for a itpaoe tho phip reeled about him. . . . He found himself gazing blankly In-, to the woman's solicitous eyes. "What la it? What is lt?" he heard her voice, repeating breathlessly. He knew that bis own Hps moved for some seconda .without sound as he strove to answer ber. The words, when they came, should have* been quite unintelligible to her; he realized this almost as soon; as he had uttered them: "The Pool* of Flame! " Then he stumbled forward, crying* aloud for ike serang. Half-way to the? ladder he halted; that individual's* bead andjphoulders were lifting above tlie le4l*W the deck. O'Rourke coh ered him and called him aft as he? again retreated to the scene of tho, tragedy. Had he been in a condition to thinly coherently, he might have acted more prudently. But maddened, he was. able to grasp but one fact; that the? Pool of Flame was gone and must bei recovered at whatever hazard. The lascar came with what might Cave seemed suspicious alacrity, con sidering the fact that he was coercetf, that O'Rourke held him at the pistol's' point Gaunt and sombre in the moonlight, moving noiselessly in, his. bare feet bead up and arms swinging) limp, bf* advanced without a pause On til about six feet from the Irishman; et which distance O'Rourke, collect* lng bis wits, found voice enough to tief, the fellow, "Stop!" The aerang halted, Impassive, uns moved. i "The sahib has called," he said inj an eve? voice. '1 am come. What isl the sabib/B will with mer" His words, together with his hei#J indolent half-defiant, wholly contemn-* tuous bearing, supplied the on? fhlnj? needful to restore to the .edvenUjren his self-control. O'Rourke drew hims ?elf un, master of self ono? core, ?xnQi looked the lascar In the eye. "You stand," he said slowly, choosy tug hts words, "on the edge of. tba! .grave. Do you comprehend that aogr "Aye, sahib!" ' t nave called ye, then, tp dtmandj back that which U mime, the leather' jbag winch ye stele when ye- slewyouji brother, pretending falsely lt was be >jf/hxy had alain the captain. I counsels ye. speak truth and render back to* me Oat which ye hen* stolen." I Sba serans; m??i?m???Miim gunin emu? bx the moct?UghV TSaafblh be o!*d .? * bi sujifllBfltbav 1 **> wofds, dasi" carted O'Rourke, jBternfr. "Do as < bsa ygy ocamde the; Ireju* of <?aobodlaaasV.r "The sahib." seid tb? s?*ang sloan iryv *to full of ?yea sad ttJWob. Bei fleas wiatt no man- warddr behaver ne; leo?? flee, I am cxmteot 'Hlfl-botiredi tria bead wttb fM?km*mt???$t+tr9tmt .fletching forth bl? peina as if ia tdfeflo of surrender. (Wtanto oausjhtat has e-th He> bad scarcely hoped for thia* he bad measly called the ?eran? aft a? th? loader of the lascars^ hoping to fright en him into revealing whichever of his comrades had stolen the great ruby-if he knew. "Ye have, then, the leather bag?" he demanded, exultation la his voice. "Aye, sahib; or, If not that, I have that which was therein," "The Btoae?" .Aye. sahib." "Then give lt me." "I am the sahib's slave." The Be rang Sashed a strange smile at the revolver in O'Rourke's hand. His at titude puzzled O'Rourke; he would hardly have believed this of the man; rather he could have conceived of him as den/ng the theft to the last and fighting like an unchained fiend to re tain his booty. His present pose vas out of character, or the Irishman mis judged him. Out of character or no, lt was com fortable. The serang, with head bent, was tumbling in the folds of his sash; O'Rourke thought him over long about lt, yet waa inclined to give him time in view of his abject surrender. At length, still smiling oddly, the man lifted his eyes and stretched forth a hand tight closed. "The sa hib," he said gently, "shall see that bis servant spoke truth. Let this weigh with the sahib for mercy. Be hold P The brown fingers unclosed and in the hollow of his palm trembled that which seemed a ball of cr y s tall 2 ed rose fire, toe stone that man has named the Pool of Flame. O'Rourke uttered a loV cry of satisfaction, step ping fbrward to snatch op the jewel. Simultaneously he was aware of a Quick gasp from the direction of the woman, followed, ere he could account for them, by two pistol shots. The adventurer groaned, pitching forward blindly, one side of his head, from tho ea? to the temple, a-quiver with aa agony aa If a white-hot iron had seared him. there. He stretched forth an arm afhueesly and gripped an Irbn^tanchlon, stopping his fall, and hung there for what seemed an eon, sea and sMee swimming blood-red he lore his eres, m his ears a tthunder-j DUS rushing as ot mighty -waters. By a supreme effort ol wUl*he kept himself, haikerees? oh aging to the rall, and opened his eyes. Bo briefly had pain. blinde* him that it was patent barely a se&sif-fead olaf sed since the firing of the aaota To his left a striokee lascar VMS SU3 flt the*act of falling; before, bim Mrs, Frynne stood njodoplass^hes hsoe a mask of horror, revolves- s Ai poised; to the right the sepaofi dcKftng 3 kris, was smiling sardo?fcnlly, h& eyes fixed upon the woman who- fceA ans oa naught his plans. CTOoorke CsJeft to call a warning to her, for it wae ?*&itt that she was ap palled by what aha had done, heedless of all but the maa she had killed ; but j lt was as if tie oulkit that creased his temple hod fcemporarfly paralyzed him j his tongue ciare to the roof of his mouth and be couM neither move nor spealL Refertera ?tievta?leved}, he watched the serong gaiter himself together, like some gaunt oat, acd spring*, in two stride? be would have been upon the woman sod the night had been crowned with fte most pitiful crime. Yet ia midair, O/Rourke saw the nan faltar aod fail heck, dropping the j kris aod chitekims frantically at noth ing. Stupidly ti*3 adventurer saw the I smrjke rrteKmg- dom de muzzle of bia aamM&mtogr SC ? knew that, some how, he had mneeg?d io pull the -trig ger. His beert"'**?* in' fate breast, so keen waa his g^ajUiuda. Trembling in ar?cy' fl roly tia onnp j^d a second time tv Orv> a?3 $p? & Sbal period to the Sensal nona*. But his shot went wttb TO W csf&der jammed SD tlttf tt^?tittfe* ?h?A not rise a s&txs? Chue' W3a> sn oath he let go tte sap w&. ?Recortad? to bridge the <fjp4s3*ce> t?39?$?s> t?^Bseif and the , ti& a* occastdera. the &x?n$te> sapped ??iJnM. egid- mal-1 , ?JtO tba serang, new pcwr?t ^^??OS^f??i h& final fl Ajjffjtftyk (Irtcc?ig Jtf?JD^lfl?V* 'Che man iavUflf atfe^tacfl^v^ufepSp, staggered tfoy.JfStafc.Till liIWfcjKft, film? the ?xi os SkStSfrtasgfr ali bis mistriw O-acwS^ caut^^l with, de? Vte&toji?tft. ?lh??ng , tn th^mc-pnU^:f&? tfe*tap heart of tfc-fc Gsac?be?tiLflaming sm aatf . . . tK?M^-gm n?vwith>?a -^^^to^w^ftw Kona to&& tQ?m betqtSto fl? the fi?rMt Thu Wt 1 fe* ?fM, By m sqpse^fcyStot <tn* rang selaed tba rail, lifted Hmm*t m> on it, and dropped over the rf?a> foi? lowing that to win vsttcfc be Bad gtr enrinVltta? _ % (Continued on next page.) Wood and Coal. I have opened a wood yard and am prepared to deliver wood any size or length anywhere in town at reasonable prices. Can also fill orders for coal. Will move my saw cut wood where lots of four or more cords are offered at one place. I also run a public dray. Ring me up. My phone is No. 32. J. R. TOMPKINS The J. Willie Levy Co. is after you, Mr Man. We want to sell you and your boys your summer clothes, so we are tempting you with a store full of uncommon values.] Come and see us before you buy-make our store your Augnsta headquarters. Our ladies department is replete with Ready-to wTear shirt waists,suits and dresses. The newest only The J. Willie Levy Co., 822-824 Broad St. AUGUSTA, GA. FOR SALE-HOGS In order to make room for a herd of celebrated large Berkshires, which Everson Bros. well known breeders of Wellington, Ohio, will bring to Clark's Hill on May 1st, and one of which firm will remain permanently to raise with me large Berkshires of the best type, for sale for breeding pur poses in the Southeast, I am selling my present herd and offer the follow ing at bargain prices: 1 registered Berkshire boar, 2 years old, from Sel wyn farm, Charl?te, N. C., $30; 1 registered Berkshire sow, same age, from Selwyn farm with pigs by above sire, $30; 2 41-2 months old sow pigs by above parents, $15 each; 1 pura Duroc sow, 2 years old, with pigs by above sire, $25; 1 year old sow (by above Duroc mother) with pigs by above sire, $20; several 11-2 year old sows, Berkshire, Duroc, and Chester White mixture (with pigs by above Berkshire pure-bred sire) $15. Also several 4 months old sow pigs, above mixturef, $5 each. All good stock in good condition. After May 1st pay me a visit and inspect my fine herd of big Berksh?es and speak for your pigs. R. H. MIDDLETON, MGR. CLAJRK-SHIIiL. S. C. -1-: Guano! Guano!! We handle Southern States Phosphate & Fertilizer Co's. Goods. P. & F., A. D. Bone Augusta High Grade, Acid of All Grades. These goods are row in the warehouse ready for delivery Jones & Son BaSMMBMHSaSiaiWIiW'l H1SJMUIIII Billi.IIISMIIIIHSM-BMM Patapsco, Mastodon, and other famous FERTIL IZERS of the Georgia Chemical Works of Au g asta have an established position which is unequaled by any other goods on the market. 38 years of exper ience and careful study of the fertilizer question back up every bag of these goods. No such reas surance as this can be/furnished by others. Then why experiment with the'uncertain? Fer prices, terms, eto., call en TBE ED6EFIELD MERCANTILE CO. Edgefield, S. C. ?Whose Fault?" If yeu do not get value received for your money. If you get inferior goods for which you pay as much as we charge you for the good kind, you can blame only yourself. Our 20 years experience in the grocery business and our %<square deal" policy in worth some thing to the prospective buyer and all we ask is a trial. "We can deliver the goods." Groceries and feed for man and beast. ERRINGTON BROS. & CO. Augusta? Ga. Office and salesroom 863 Broad Warehouse Ga. Railroad tracks. P. 8. Mr. M. Gary Batcher is with na ead will ba glad to aaa ala friends 1 They interlock and overlap each other in such a way that tho hardest driving rain or snow cannot sift under them* Won't pulsate or rattle in wind-storms. They're also ?re-proof, will last as long ss the building, and never need repairs. Stewart & Kernaghan EDGEFIELD, S. C. A Dainty Desk is a necessity for the woman of affairs. It is a present all will ap preciate more and more every day. Our showing of desks is very at tractive and complete. Come asd select one for your wife or sweet heart. You can pay about any price you like for it, so great is the choioe and range of prices. Picture the best groceries at the littlest prices. Isn't that a pros pect to make your housewifely heart glad? Well it needn't re main a mere prospect. Just give us a trial order and the prospecl will become a reality. UNDERTAKER'S SUPPLIES We carry a large stock of coffins and caskets from thc cheapest to the highest grade. Our hearse responds prompt ly to all calls. Edgefield Mercantile Co. Edgefield Restaurant Meals served at any hour, from 7 in the morning till io o'clock. Orders for special dishes or fui a la carte meals tilled promptly. Ladies who come to town are invited to take din ner or lunch with us. The best of everything to eat. Prompt attention, polite service. Edgefield Restaurant We Like You to Examine every part of our wagons and ca ri ages. Dap't ask you to buy fro a picture book, but from the vet clea themselves. You know wh you are getting when you buy hei and if anything turns out wron we are right hoe where yon ca make us live upfio our guaraatee. A Collar That Fits your hone is of vital importance, so that comfort, ease and freedom from ohafiing ii assured. We give special attention to this point, as well as that nothing enters into the manufacture of our fine harness out the very best materials, and that it is put together by the best skill in the country. Wilson & Cantelou