Part 2 (1/2)

'Who has not? It was he who storia, put the people to the sword and bore off the treasure the prince had brought with him when he fled froht thelike vultures after carrion - pirates, buccaneers, even the black corsairs fro betrayal by his captains, he fled northith one shi+p, and vanished froo

'But the tale persists that one e, and returned to the Barachans, only to be captured by a Zingaran war-shi+p Before he was hanged he told his story and drew a led somehow out of his captor's reach This was the tale he told: Tranicos had sailed far beyond the paths of shi+pping, until he came to a bay on a lonely coast, and there he anchored He went ashore, taking his treasure and eleven of his most trusted captains who had acco his orders, the shi+p sailed away, to return in a week's time, and pick up their admiral and his captains In the meantime Tranicos meant to hide the treasure somewhere in the vicinity of the bay The shi+p returned at the appointed time, but there was no trace of Tranicos and his eleven captains, except the rude dwelling they had built on the beach

'This had been demolished, and there were tracks of naked feet about it, but no sign to show there had been any fighting Nor was there any trace of the treasure, or any sign to shohere it was hidden The pirates plunged into the forest to search for their chief and his captains, but were attacked by wild Picts and driven back to their shi+p In despair they heaved anchor and sailed away, but before they raised the Barachans, a terrific storm wrecked the shi+p and only that one man survived

'That is the tale of the Treasure of Tranicos, which ht in vain for nearly a century That the map exists is known, but its whereabouts have relielito ith me, and a Nemedian who sailed with the Barachans We looked upon it in a hovel in a certain Zingaran sea-port tohere ere skulking in disguise Somebody knocked over the laht on again, the old miser ned the one, and the night-watch was clattering down the street with their pikes to investigate the clamor We scattered, and each went his oay

'For years thereafter Stro the other had the map Well, as it turned out, neither had it, but recently word came to me that Strom had departed northward, so I followed hilimpse at theabout it But Strom's actions show that he knows this is the bay where Tranicos anchored I believe that they hid the treasure so, were attacked and slain by the Picts The Picts did not get the treasure Men have traded up and down this coast a little, knowing nothing of the treasure, and no gold ornament or rare jewel has ever been seen in the possession of the coastal tribes

'This is my proposal: let us co distance He fled because he feared to be pinned between us, but he will return But allied, we can laugh at hih men here to hold it if he attacks I believe the treasure is hidden near by Twelve men could not have conveyed it far We will find it, load it in n port where I can cover o back to a civilized land, and live like a noble, with riches, and slaves, and a castle - and a wife of noble blood'

'Well?' demanded the Count, slit-eyed with suspicion

'Give me your niece for my wife,' demanded the buccaneer bluntly

Belesa cried out sharply and started to her feet Valenso likewise rose, livid, his fingers knotting convulsively about his goblet as if he conteuest Zarono did not ers hooked like talons His eyes smoldered with passion, and a deep menace

'You dare!' ejaculated Valenso

'You seeh estate, Count Valenso,' growled Zarono 'We are not at the Kordavan court, my Lord On this naked coast nobility is measured by the power of ers tread Korzetta Castle, and the Korzetta fortune is at the bottoive you the use of ret the union of our houses With a new name and a new fortune you will find that Black Zarono can take his place a the aristocrats of the world and make a son-in-lahich not even a Korzetta need be ashamed'

'You are mad to think of it!' exclaimed the Count violently 'You-- who is that?'

A patter of soft-slippered feet distracted his attention Tina came hurriedly into the hall, hesitated when she saw the Count's eyes fixed angrily on her, curtsied deeply, and sidled around the table to thrust her shtly, her slippers were damp, and her flaxen hair was plastered down on her head

'Tina!' exclaiht you were in your chao'

'I was,' answered the child breathlessly, 'but I ave me--' She held it up, a trivial trinket, but prized beyond all her other possessions because it had been Belesa's first gift to her 'I was afraid you wouldn't let o if you knew - a soldier's wife helped ain - please, my Lady, don't make me tell who she was, because I promised not to I foundPlease punish roaned Belesa, clasping the child to her 'I'one outside the palisade, with these buccaneers ca about Let e these damp clothes--'

'Yes, my Lady,' murmured Tina, 'but first let me tell you about the blackinterruption was a cry that burst froht the table with both hands If a thunderbolt had struck hi could not have been ly altered His face was livid, his eyes al fro wildly at the child who shrank back against Belesa in bewilderment 'What did you say, wench?'

'A black man, my Lord,' she stammered, while Belesa, Zarono and the attendants stared at hietin the wind, and the sea whi in fear, and then he cae of sand He ca all about it, but there was no torch He drew his boat up on the sands below the south point, and strode toward the forest, looking like a giant in the fog - a great, tall man, black like a Kushi+te--'

Valenso reeled as if he had received a olden chain in his violence With the face of afrom Belesa's arms

'You little slut,' he panted 'You lie! You have heardin my sleep and have told this lie to torment me! Say you lie before I tear the skin froed bewilderrasp 'Are you mad? What are you about?'

With a snarl he tore her hand fro into the arms of Galbro who received her with a leer he uise

'Mercy, my Lord!' sobbed Tina 'I did not lie!'

'I said you lied!' roared Valenso 'Gebbrelo!'

The stolid serving ster and stripped her with one brutal wrench that tore her scanty gar, he drew her slender ar feet clear of the floor

'Uncle! shrieked Belesa, writhing vainly in Galbro's lustful grasp 'You are mad! You can not - oh, you can not--!' The voice choked in her throat as Valenso caught up a jewel-hiked riding whip and brought it down across the child's frail body with a savage force that left a red weal across her naked shoulders

Belesa uish in Tina's shriek The world had suddenly gone htmare she saw the stolid faces of the soldiers and servants, beast-faces, the faces of oxen, reflecting neither pity nor syht in that crimson haze was real except Tina's naked white body, crisscrossed with red welts from shoulders to knees; no sound real except the child's sharp cries of agony, and the panting gasps of Valenso as he lashed aith the staring eyes of a : 'You lie! You lie! Curse you, you lie! Aduilt, or I will flay your stubborn body! He could not have followed me here--'

'Oh, havevainly on the brawny servant's back, too frantic with fear and pain to have the wit to save herself by a lie Blood trickled in crihs 'I saw him! I do not lie! Mercy! Please! Ahhhh!'

'You fool! You fool? screamed Belesa, al the truth? Oh, you beast! Beast! Beast!'

Suddenly some shred of sanity see the whip he reeled back and fell up against the table, clutching blindly at its edge He shook as with an ague His hair was plastered across his brow in dank strands, and sweat dripped from his livid countenance which was like a carven mask of Fear Tina, released by Gebbrelo, slipped to the floor in a whi heap Belesa tore free froathering the pitiful waif into her arms She lifted a terrible face to her uncle, to pour upon hi at her He seeotten both her and his victim In a daze of incredulity, she heard him say to the buccaneer: 'I accept your offer, Zarono; in Mitra's naone from this damned coast!'

At this the fire of her fury sank to sick ashes In stunned silence she lifted the sobbing child in her arlance backward showed Valenso crouching rather than sitting at the table, gulping wine fro hands, while Zarono towered over him like a somber predatory bird - puzzled at the turn of events, but quick to take advantage of the shocking change that had co in a low, decisive voice, and Valenso noddedsaid Galbro stood back in the shadows, chin pinched between forefinger and thulanced furtively at each other, bewildered by their lord's collapse

Up in her chairl on the bed and set herself to wash and apply soothing ointave herself up in co faintly Belesa felt as if her world had fallen about her ears She was sick and bewildered, overwrought, her nerves quivering from the brutal shock of what she had witnessed Fear of and hatred for her uncle grew in her soul She had never loved hirasping and avid But she had considered him just, and fearless Revulsion shook her at theeyes and bloodless face It was some terrible fear which had roused this frenzy; and because of this fear Valenso had brutalized the only creature she had to love and cherish; because of that fear he was selling her, his niece, to an infamous outlaw What was behind this madness? Who was the black man Tina had seen?

The child muttered in semi-delirium

'I did not lie, my Lady! Indeed I did not! It was a black man, in a black boat that burned like blue fire on the water! A tall ro, and wrapped in a black cloak! I was afraid when I saw him, and my blood ran cold He left his boat on the sands and went into the forest Why did the Count whiphim?'

'Hush, Tina,' soothed Belesa 'Lie quiet The s will soon pass'

The door opened behind her and she whirled, snatching up a jeweled dagger The Count stood in the door, and her flesh crawled at the sight He looked years older; his face was grey and drawn, and his eyes stared in a way that roused fear in her bosoulf separated theer coer

'If you touch her again,' she whispered from dry lips, 'I swear before Mitra I will sink this blade in your breast'

He did not heed her

'I have posted a strong guard about the s his men into the stockade tomorrow He will not sail until he has found the treasure When he finds it we shall sail at once for some port not yet decided upon'

'And you will sell me to him?' she whispered 'In Mitra's naaze in which all considerations but his own self-interest had been crowded out She shrank before it, seeing in it the frantic cruelty that possessed the man in his mysterious fear

'You will do as I co in his voice than there is in the ring of flint on steel And turning, he left the cha beside the couch where Tina lay

4 A Black Dru she lay crushed and senseless She was first aware of Tina's ar of the child in her ear Mechanically she straightened herself and drew the girl into her arly at the flickering candle There was no sound in the castle The singing of the buccaneers on the strand had ceased Dully, almost impersonally she reviewed her problem