ora Lockhart, the young New York singer, who had
so lately won fame in London.

Darling had taken the news of Flora's terrible fate keenly to heart. He
had crossed the ocean with her three years before; and she had haunted
his dreams, waking and sleeping, ever since. Though he had always felt
that his devotion was hopeless, it was no less real for that. And now,
from a drunken fisherman, he had learned that she was alive, in good
health, and a captive!

Mr. Darling went straight to his own hotel from the _Ship Ahoy_. He
cleaned his pistols, made a rough map of the east coast, south of
Witless Bay, from the information obtained from Dick Lynch, packed a
couple of saddle-bags, rolled up a pair of blankets and sent for the
landlord. From the landlord he obtained change for two five-pound Bank
of England notes, information concerning the road from St. John's to the
head of Witless Bay, and hired a horse.

Mr. Darling set out on his adventurous journey after an early breakfast
eaten by candle-light. He felt courageous, invincible. He would rescue
the lady of his long sea-dreams from that black-faced, black-hearted
pirate who was called the skipper of Chance Along. In the flush of this
determination the necklace was forgotten. So confident was he of
success, and so intent upon picturing the rescue of that beautiful
creature who had bewitched him three long, varied sailor-years ago, that
he had covered several miles of his journey before noticing the
stumblings and gruntings of the ill-conditioned beast between his knees.
He departed from the city by way of a road leading westward from the
head of the harbor. This he followed for three miles, through slush and
half-frozen mud, then turned to the left. He forced his horse into a
trot. It pecked badly, and he shot over its bowed head and landed in a
mud-hole. Scrambling to his feet he noticed for the first time the gaunt
ribs, heaving flanks and swollen legs of his steed. He swore heartily,
seized the bridle and dragged the horse forward. The road was
indescribable. Mud, slush and icy water took him to the knee at every
step; but he plugged manfully forward, dragging the protesting horse
after him. So for an hour, across the barren rise of land to the
southward, after which he remounted and rode at the best speed he could
command until the horse stumbled again and again unseated him.
Undaunted, Mr. Darling took his turn on foot again, dragging the puffing
beast along at his m