Part 48 (1/2)

Feeling his way to her side, he placed an ar her away from the other man, waited for her to speak Then she explained in a voice shaken by tears

”It's Mexican Joe He ith our fathers on the _Gull_ No one knew it at Legonia He went out with theht and reached Diablo a little before daybreak They left him on the launch while they went ashore He saw them murdered on the beach The launch was run down a few minutes later Joe was thrown overboard He struck his head on the rocks When he carass and escaped to the other side of the island He's been living there ever since in a cave in the hills It was he who stole the gun and provisions froirl close as she told the Mexican's story For an instant tears dimmed his eyes, then melted away before the white-hot heat of the blood-lust which surged into his heart His father had been murdered at El Diablo By whohtened on his arm and she placed her lips close to his ear

”A number of men overpowered them on the beach and drowned theory's jaws locked and the rew tense Mascola had irl, he hurried over to the three rasped Hawkins by the ar for?” he cried ”While you're talking the et away”

”Just afine Billings and Slade are learning a lot froet hi to show us the wireless tower and the cove where the _Gray Ghost_ put in to-night He says there's a cave close by where he saw----”

Gregory shook off his restraining arm

”What is all that to me?” he flashed ”Don't you know that Mascolaafter Mascola”

Hawkins started at Gregory's words

”I didn't know, Cap,” he muttered blankly For a brief instant he strove to express his syave it up ”Brace up, old rip on yourself You can't do anything over here alone Beforerounded up and Mascola with theory shi+vered in his wet clothes and Hawkins pressed his slicker upon hiory found dickie Lang The girl ca close to him in the darkness

”Take me with you,” she pleaded ”Don't leave ently and shook his head

”No, dearest,” he said softly ”If you ith us I ht Stay close and keep under cover If the fog lifts, pull the anchor and drift in to the shadow of the rocks”

”Why don't you tell irl asked ”You know that----”

Gregory drew her closer

”I'et Mascola,” he answered in a whisper Then his voice changed suddenly ”And if I don't come back,” he went on ”You'll kno that I love you”

For an instant his lipsand joined the men in the dory dickie listened to the soft creak of the oar-locks until the sound was no longer audible

Mascola had killed her father and Richard Gregory His son had gone to bring the Italian to justice But what could five ainst the hordes of Bandrist and Mascola? Who were the onia? The questions crowded close upon one another as they raced through her brain Then her ht which war

”You'll kno that I love you”

She whispered the words softly through lips which were still ith the ed into her heart God was good

Breathing a prayer for the safety of the ht up her rifle and sat down to wait

The men from the launch landed silently on the beach and hid the skiff a the rocks Then they followed the Mexican up the trail Crawling through the brush, they halted at length at their guide's direction