Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1893 — In Sheep's Clothing. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

In Sheep's Clothing.

By Capt Ormond Steele

CHAPTER XX-Coatiaued. “Do you think, Captain, that that bloody Kidd is coming up this way?” “I am inclined to think he is.” “If ho does will you tight him?” “That’s what I am here for,” said Fox. By this time they had reached the shore, where Frenauld was waiting with the boat, and Fox and his party .started for the Wanderer. The man who had been favored with the captain’s replies at once became an oracle —the most important man in the town for the time, and a central figure about which wondering groups gathered wherever he went. The reason for Capt. Fox’s return was now plain to the dullest comprehension. He he had been sent from New York to meet and destroy Capt. Kidd, the monster pirate of the oceans. And it was the general belief that if Capt. Kidd had the temerity to come within sight of Capt. Fox’s ship that the fate of the former would bo sealed to a dead certainly. Hereto:ore Balph Denham had been the naval hero of Sag Harbor, but with an inconsistency and forgetfulness peculiar to the ra’e at all times and in all conditions, they forgot the old idol • in the glaring presence of this grand new one. Captain Fox was the man, and some of the more sanguine residents, Doctor Hedges among them, believed that he would have Kidd within the week, if he was within reach. Squire Condit never did run with the crowd; he was eccentric, and he had the boldness to assert himself. As a deacon he could not conscientiously lay a wager, but he told Doctor Hedges: “i’ll give you a farm of two hundred acres, doctor, if this fellow Fox catches Kidd; that is, if Kidd is in these waters, if you’ll give me one hundred acres of equally good land, if Kalph Denham catches him.” “I’ll agree to that,” said the doctor, eagerly. Squire Condit was sorely perplexed. Like .Lieut. Hedges and Lea Hedges, he was sure there was something wrong, and his wife and daughter were also sure, but neither one could say, even indefinitely, where that something wrong was. Telling Don to show Colonel Graham

to the cabin. Fox, on reaching the deck of the Wanderer, drew Frenauld to one side an 1 said, in a low lone: "That man Thrasher should be here by this time. ” “Y'ou mean he should have reached the town, sir?” “That is just what I do mean. Go ashore again; if he is there, bring him aboard at once; if not, wait till lie arrives. You understand me?" “I do, clearly. ” “And you will still maintain a strict reticence with the people ashore, unless you can add to the impression that we are hero to watch for Captain Kidd.” “All right, sir,” replied Frenauld, turning away with much admiration for the adroitness with which Fox was turning this report to his own account. Captain Fox was prevented from going down to talk to Colonel Graham by the arrival of a gig from the Sea Hawk, bearing Lieutenant Hedges, the officer in command. The instant Fox saw the fine sturdy sailor, he advanced to him with extended hand, saying, after the cordial salutation was over; “There will be plenty of work for both of us 'pretty soon, Lieutenant. Capt. Denham will be here in a few days with a supply ship for the Sea Hawk and Wanderer. In the meantime. how are you off lor ammunitloa?” “We have a lair supply, sir,” replied the Lieutenant, handing Fox what the brave fellow supposed was his own captain’s letter, instructing him to report 1o Fox. Without looking at the letter, Fox said;

“Ah, yes, Capt. Denham’s letter asking you to report to me. Well, we shall consider that done. Now, send me at once a list of all your arms, their condition, the amount and kind of ammunition on hand; the strength of jour crew, with a report on the general condition of the Sea Hawk. You sec, Lieutenant, while I am not in actual command, it is very essential for me to know exactly what I am responsible for. ” “That, Capt. Fox, is eminently right and proper,” said Mr. Hedges, much impressed with the precaution and evidence of executive ability evinced by his superior. “Might I ask, sir, if there is a possibility of the Sea Hawk being ordered to sea any time very soon?" “A possibility, but not a strong probability. My beliof is, that Capt. Denham will be back before your ship p oes to sea. But the chances are that the Wanderer may leave to-morrow or next day; it will depend on reports expected from New York. Should Igo to sea I will borrow all your ammunition, as I am about out, and you can get a replenish from the supply ship that Capt. Denham will bring on.” “I shall do as you order in that matter,” said Lieut. Hedges, saluting and turning away. Capt. Fox watched the commanding officer of the Sea Hawk until the boat that carried him came alongside his own ship. Fox looked pleased with himself and every one else, as he had good reason to be. So far he had succeeded with his customary luck; and the future looked golden with a harvest of rare promise. He was not the man to be carried away by success. So lar he had shown much of the character of the abused animal whosd name he had assumed, but to cunning he now added a v/onder..ful caution.

His immediate plan was to capture the Sea Hawk, and fill her with his own and such of Denham’s men as could be induced to embark under the black flag. But fearing that he might be detected before he could perfect his scheme, he arranged to have the Sea Havk depleted of ammunition, so that she could make little or no resistance should it become necessary to appeal to Lis last resort —force. By fair means or foul he should get Lea Hedges and Ellen Condlt on board the Wanderer, with such other maidens as had struck the coarse fancies of his other officers, and then put to sea with two fleet vessels that would enable him to plunder right and left without fear, and to destroy any force that might be sent against him. He felt sure thatßalph Denham, in the power of the Jealous Montauk chief, was as good as dead, yet be alive long enough to keep him In reserve as a

means of terrorizing Colonel Graham, ,or Lord Paliton, should he refuse to accede to his additional terms. So far, everything looked to the carrying cut of this bold programme with success. The most difficult part of the work was already accomplished, and he was a strong believer in the proverb 'hat “what is well begun is half finished.” Feeling very much pleased with himself, as from his peculiar standpoint he had certainly a right to be. Captain Fox w< nt down to the cabin, where sat Colonel Giaham, looking anything but haopy. “You don’t look well, Colonel,” said Fox, with more familiarity of manner than he had ever be:ore as-utied to the man who now felt sure that in law, as well as in fact, he wai Lord Paliton. “Y'ou know I have been sick.” “I know that, my lord.” Colonel Graham waved his hand in a deprecatory way, and continued: “That idiot of a Doctor Hedges drained me of my last drop of blood—curse his barbarous method —and I did not then and never had any blood to spare for these leeches.” “But what blood you have in your veins, Colonel, is the best in England,” said Fox, with a sly wink. “Y'ou persist in bringing in matters that I would rather not have discussed. Now, will you permit me to speak for a while without any of those irrelevant interruptions?” asked Graham, pettishly. “Certainly. Are you not my guest? Therefore, talk all night if you find the exercise pleasant and healthful.” YVithout heeding the rudeness, for Graham, villain though he was, had the breeding of a gentleman, he went on to advise Captain Fox. “Y'ou have finished your work here, Kidd ” “I beg your pardon, Lord Paliton; sorry to interrupt you again, but my name is Fox, F-o-x. Captain Kidd is another fellow. He is a cursed pirate out on the raging seas. He’s a man that a thousand gendarmes are creaking to hang. He’s a man that Lord Paliton could not associ ”

“Well, well, I ask your pardon,” said Graham, with a smile as grim as the pirate’s humor, “I am at fault there. But I was going to say that the rumor is out that Kidd is in these waters, and very soon there will be a hot chase. My advice, therefore, is to show your heels while you can do so with safety. I will remain here a short time on a little private mission, and if I do not succeed 1 will go to New Y'ork and tlionce home to England.” “He ore you go I have some more business with you,” said tox, with that startling, decisive manner which he could so suddenly assume. “But before see ng to that I have business of great importance to myself to attend to. I came with one ship; I propose to leave with two. I came here a single man; I pronose to go away with a wi;e ” “With a wife?’’ echoed Graham. “Certainly; I am old enough to marry, so are you. The faco of the charming Indian princess—l admire your taste — has struck your fancy; the face of the daughter of the man that bled you so freely has impressed itself on my too susceptible heart. The father is willing, and the lady will be; but if she is n t, why. I’ll play the part of Komulus and the Sabine ” “I beg your nardon. sir,” said Don, putting his head inside the cabin do tr, “but, sir, Mr. Frenauld wants to see you at once." “Tell him to come here.” Frenauld came in looking very much excited, and sfid: "I have brought'Thrasher on board, sir. ” “That is right. Has Thrasher frightened you that you look so ashy.'” “No, Captain; but there has a postrider just come through from New York with letters for Captain Denham. He swears that Denham never was in New York ” “Hold!” thundered Fox. “Back to your boat, at once, man, and away to arrest this fellow, and bring him on board. Tell the people he is a fraud and an impostor—the murderer of the post-rider. Do not lose a second. This should have been done at once.” Frenauld sprang into the boat, and the puzzled sailors rowed back with all speed for the town, over which the shadows of night were settling. And Fox went baek to the cabin, but there was a cloud on his brow, and his confident manner was gone.

CHAPTER XXI. CAPTAIN' DENHAM'S GHOST. Uncas, chief of the Montauks. was to remain in Sag Harbor until he had had another meeting with Captain Fox. It may be said, not in extenuation as much as in explanation of the Indian’s conduct, that he believed in Captain Fox as a friend, as did Doctor Hedges, and lhat is saying a great deal for his credulity. Until recently.lie had kept his dislike for Captain Denham, a disliko born of his impetuous love for Lea Hedges, to himself. But Fox bad discovered his feelings, and with that rare skill he had for binding men to him through their weaknesses, hp availed himself of the passions of the Montauk. It had been Uncas’ desire to meet Captain Denham in combat, man to man and blade to blade, foolishly believing—as had been the custom of his barbarous ancestors —that the hand and heart of the lady in question would be at once given to the victor. Captain Fox destroyed his thought, or rather supplanted it with another that was much safer, if not equally heroic. The chief reasoned that if the great Captain Fox—the whites of Sag Harbor said he was great—could a Iviae assassination, it was not so wrong after all. Fox had showed him that Denham was really a very bad man, and that instead of being a sailor, as the people thought, he was a pirate, substituting his own character with great skill for that of his victim. Crime becomes much easier if the criminal can delude himself into the thought that good is to result to others fro i) the act he contemplate s. so Uncas soon began to look on himself as an instrument of justice. Except Old Somonk, his son and wife, with the two warriors wh) helped to carry Balph Denham from the boat to the vault, not one of the Montauks knew anything about the murderous enterprise in which their chief was engaged; and even if all knew it &Dd depreciated it, fidelity to the r chief would prevent an act of betrayal. But Uncas had a spy oh his acts, whom he dreaded with superstitious fear that is often found associated with the greatest physical courage. He wished old Dinah as dead as he believed Balph Denham would soon be, but neither he nor anv of his tribe would have dared to raise a hand against her. From old Dinah’s bold statements the chief had suspected that she knew all, but his fear of her interference was offset by his faith in the fidelity of the people who had his secret Dinah lost no time alter Uncas left with his white visitors and their servants for Sag Harbor. She sent an In-

d!an lad to Untilla, the beautiful sis'ef of the chief, asking her to come to her hut Dinah at once began preparations for the work she had set herself. About her thin neck she st:ung a number of peculiar shell-necklaces. About her head she wound tightly a whiti turban, an i bound it into place by a snake so naturally preserved, that the eyes and tongue, in the center of her forehead, seemed sashing and darting. About her lank arms she wound other snakes, and they looked to be held in place by their own contractions. Over her shoulders she threw a scarlet mantle, decorated with tinsel stars, the moon in all its stages, and queer c abalistic characters, all the more awful to the ignorant Indians for their representing nothing in particular. This done, Dinah look a long staff, not the one she usually carried, but another that looked as much like a great serpent as the rois the Egyptians tried to palm off on Moses, and her toilet was complete. She next sat down on a high stool in her cabin do >r, a sight to alarm the strongest if she appeared unexpectedly, and waited for the coining of Untilla. In a few minutes a light, quick step was heard approaching, and then a shadow fell across the threshold. Untilla stood there, but the old black woman, without looking up, said in a voice that seemed to come from some far-off i*.ace: “Untilla of de Montauks ” “Yes, Dinah.” “You en me hez got to run a race wid death. We must git ahead of ’iin, en drive ’im back from de grave.” “I am ready," said Untilla, eagerly; “let us be going.” The old crone seized her staff, took from the floor near by a basket containing an earthen dish and sundry parcels of herbs, and then started off. They bent their course to the west; the Indian girl walking with the light, springy step of a fawn, and Dinah with a vigor that was wonderful in one of her years. Without an instant’s hesitation or stop they hurried on, till the hill, with the vault at its base, rose before them. They saw Old Somonk and his wife cooking before a little tire outside, and Young Somonk and two other Indians lying on the grass and smoking with an air of lazy contentment. At sight of Untilla and Dinah the men sprang to their feet and Old Somonk and his wife stopped their work and looked up in surprise. Without a moment’s hesitation Dinah walked up to the fire, removed the pot boiling thereon and replaced it with her own. Into this sho put some water and several bunches of herbs, muttering to herself the while. Then she grasped her staff as a drum-ma;or does his baton, whirling it around her snake-crowned head, and 1 egan to dance about the fire, shouting out a wild song, of which the terrified listeneis could not understand a word. Stopping suddenly, Ehe drew Untilla near to her, and facing the terrified Indians, she said aloud: “De sperrits of de dead command dat all leave but de sistah of de chief en Dinah, de sarvint of d i sperrits. Go, Somonk, en yer family; go, ye Montauks watchin’ n'gh; go to de village of de Montauks, en stay dar until we jine ye. ” |TO PE CONTINUED.]