Adventure Magazine Cover, October 10, 1921 — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Lord Julian alone who has stood between this rascal Bishop and his hate of you. If now he can show that a “What if he can?” Blood interrupted carelessly. ‘‘Shall I be in greater danger there than here aboard, now that we’ve but fifty men left and they lukewarm rogues who would as soon serve the king as me? Jerry, dear lad, the Colleen’s a_ prisoner here, bedad, ’twixt the fort there and the fleet yonder. Don’t be forgetting that.” Jerry clenched his hands. “Why did ye let Wolverstone and the others go?” he cried with a touch of bitter- ness. “What else could I do in honesty?” And as Pitt did not answer him— ‘Ye see?” he said, and shrugged. “‘I’ll be getting my hat and stick and sword, and go ashore in the cock-boat. See it manned for me.” “Ve’re going to deliver yourself into Bishop’s hands,” cried Jerry. “Well, well, maybe he’ll not find me quite so easy to grasp as he imagines.”’ And with a laugh, Blood departed to his cabin. Jerry Pitt answered the laugh with an oath. A moment he stood irresolute where Blood had left him. Then slowly, reluc- tance dragging at his feet, he went down the companion to give the order for the cock- boat. “Tf anything should happen to you, Peter,” he said as Blood was going over the side, ‘Colonel Bishop had better look to himself. These fifty lads may be lukewarm at present, as you say, but—sink me!— they’ll be anything but lukewarm then.” “And what should be happening to me, Jerry? Sure now, I'll be back for dinner, so I will.”’ Blood climbed down into the waiting boat. But laugh though he might, he knew as well as Jerry that in going ashore that morning he carried his life in his hands. Because of this it may have been that when he stepped on to the narrow mole in the shadow of the shallow outer wall of the fort through whose crenels were thrust the black noses of its heavy guns, he gave order that the boat should stay for him at that spot. He realized that he might have to retreat in a hurry. Geo WALKING leisurely he skirted the fast embattled wall and passed through ! the great gates into the courtyard at the rear of the fort. Half a dozen soldiers lounged there, and in the shadow cast by 10 The Hostage 145 the wall the commandant himself was slowly pacing. He stopped short at sight of Colonel Blood and saluted him, as was due, but the smile that lifted the officer’s stiff mustachios was grimly sardonic. Colonel Blood’s attention, however, was elsewhere. On his right stretched a spacious garden beyond which rose the white house that was the residence of the deputy- governor. In that garden’s main avenue that was fringed with palm and sandalwood he had caught a glimpse of Miss Bishop sauntering alone. He crossed the courtyard with suddenly lengthened stride. “Good morning to ye, ma’am,” was his greeting as he overtoek her; and, hat in hand now, he added on a note of protest— “Sure it’s nothing less than uncharitable to make me run in this heat.”’ “Then why run?” she asked him coolly, standing very slim and straight before him, all in white and very maidenly save in her almost unnatural composure. “T am pressed,’”’ she added. “So you will forgive me if I do not stay.” ‘““You were none so pressed until I came,” said he, and if his lips smiled, his blue eyes were oddly hard. “Since you perceive it, sir, I wonder that you trouble to be so insistent.”’ ‘“‘Because the reason for it escapes me. And I’m by nature inquisitive.” Her breathing unhurried, her clear hazel eyes quite steadily, considering him, she answered: “T should have thought that I had made the reason clear.” “Meaning, now, that I am a thief and a pirate?” She shrugged and turned aside. “I desired to avoid repeating words that seemed to-offend you,” she said coolly. ‘So that ye can be charitable in some ways.” He laughed softly. “Glory be, now, I should be thankful for so much. Yet I can’t forget that when I was no better than a slave in your uncle’s household in Barbados ye used me with a certain kind- ness.” = “You were different then. You had been transported for rebellion. But that was your only offence, and it is possible to respect a rebel. You were just an unfor- tunate gentleman.” , | ‘And what else would ye be calling me now?” “Hardly unfortunate. We have heard of. Ccomicloooks C©