San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-07-16

naa never oeen heard or since. Inc name
Gardner was very common one in that To-
cality, and inquiries in several directions
failed TO elicit any information of the one
mentioned in the record. He begged that !
would preserve it for their historical society,
and he assured me that the village authori.
ties would bear the mystery in mind and try
to uuravel it.
The winter of 1882 found me again in San
Francisco, awaiting the fitting cut of the
jamestown for a voyage around Cape Horn
to Newport, r. /. Great difficulty had been
experienced in securing servants for the
officers messes; Europeans and Americans
scorned our offers of $3.50 per month, while
Cinnamon were unwilling to take the voyage
TO New York without guarantee that they
would be sent back to Frisco again. The case
was growing desperate. l, as caterer of my
mess, had exhausted all the employment
offices, and had descended from the level of
respectable means to enter into an arrange
ment with a couple of murderous looking
shanghaiers, who, on consideration OF SlOO,
had promised to deliver to me sixteen able
bodied Cinnamon, who, they assured me,
would be only too happy to enlist" l was
to meet the conspirators in saloon at the
foot of - street-a locality that boded little
good for their characters. 1t was with some
misgivings for my own personal safety that
| agreed to the rendezvous, but there seemed
to be no other way of securing these necessary
adjuncts to ones comfort at sea. Before start
ing out, however, l secured the services of
private detective, who was to station himself
near the door after | had entered, and be
ready to respond to any call; and with pistol
in pocket, repaired to the neighborhood.
The place fit the deed. There was an air of
squalor and wretchedneSs about 1t that smeit
of crime, and my heart shook within me as !
shifted it. | was considerably ahead of time,
but thought would take look at the place,
at any rate. 1t proved to be corner grog-
gerry near the bay, and surrounded by all the
evidences of a seafaring population There
was a curious hitching post on the corner,
and an uncouth villianous looking individual
was leaning against it, smoking black, short
stenmed clay pipe. He raised his head at my
inquiry as to whether this was No. -, and
snarled out, Cant We seer then softened a
trhe as he asked, 'Be you the young Teller
what's to meet my chums here this after
noonF" On my replying that was to meet
Messrs. - and -, be said, well, you're
Cd time, sure enough and then relapsed into
his position of evil soliloquy.
was at a loss for something to say, but in
casting about for some subject OF remark |
hit upon the curious hitching post as topic,
and remarked: That's very curious post,
is it uots It looks like fgurehead of some
ship"
And what might you be KNOWN about
iggerheads" he quickly retorted.
"Oh, nothing much" answered. but be-
ing a seafaring man myself, its shape sug-
gpsted the idea to me- Do you know any
thing about itf' cautiously asked
He took his pipe slowly from his mouth,
glanced at me curiously from head to foot,
and then inquired, with a touch of fierceness
in his tone:
"What do you want to know for?"
There was strange mixture of fear and
cunning about his bearing that seemed to
be reused by my question.
mo reason in particular" said; "only 1t
is odd that an old ships figurehead should
come to be hitching post"
This reply seemed to satisfy him, for he
resumed his pipe and careless attitude He
pulled away slowly for several minutes.
That something was working away in his
mind was evident. The smoke rolled out in
thick blush clouds and coiled about his head,
intensifying the deyilish expression of his
face. At last he paused.
You're right" he said; lit was a fgger
head, and of as neat a little bark as ever
dipped in brine | come to Frisco in her
thirty-two year ago."
did you indeedf' exclaimed. And what
was the bark's nameF'
AGAIN he DauSel tn ScrutiniZa There
was suspicion in his look that could not
understand. His eye met mine with rest
less, uneasy glance. He seemed inspired by
dread of some object behind my course of
questions; but then, with an impatient ges-
ture, as if throwing it aside, and a careless
laugh at his own fears, he replied:
The Acasta was her name, and Hello
here comes Bill and Jim. Step in, young
Teller, and We'll settle this business"
Before could recover from the astonish-
ment that the name produced the two men
joined us, and followed them into the saloon,
receiving as entered the door nod from
the detective, who had been witness from
across the way.
AS we entered heard tremendous racket
in an adjoining room. There were unintel-
ligible yells, preceded by loud hammerings
on the door
We've got 'em, blast EN-" said one of my
villainous friends, with a significant leer and
jerk of his thumb toward the room from
whence the noise proceeded
Got whatr innocently inquired.
WHAT he replied, in coarse jocularity
why, them Chinee what you wanted. Eigh-
teen of 'em, and all dyin' to go. Don't you
hear emF and the rascal grinned at his own
humor.