Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-27

wa" w bheo"otc oheII, hypocFitc,
is engaged 20 Hamilton Fairfax.
II-Shelf proposes piraiical scheme
to Patrick Cambel, Shelf Icing under
the malign influence of Mrs. Shelf.
iii, ". v and VI-The scheme is to
ship gold to New Orleans. overinsur-
ing IL and wrecking il. Shelf and
Cambel employ Captsin Owen Kettle
TO command the steamer, the Port
Edcs, and to carry out the plan.
sails in the steamer.
CHAPTER VI.
1--WE HrSDRED THOUSAND POUNDS N COLD.
Tho little rcd bearded man had gone,
slnmIning tho door noisily behind Kim
Shelf moppcd his largo white face with q
scented pcckct handkerchief do you
thins," bo said ncrvously, do you think
We may trust him!"
'''To begin with, wo'vo got to know.
whether wo like 1t or not. Hos nothing to
gain by PLAYING traitor"
Bat would no betray us In case OF sue.
ccssf"
"po7hnps." said Camhol, "ho won't
have the chance. Other hands on that
steamer will have To shrrc the secret In
whole or In part. Perhaps they won't all
4
member that We are plotting deliberate
piracy op the high seas, you will recognize
that tlNre is precedent for a considerable
percentage OF casualties"
Tho city man shudtered. Through the
double windows came the sullen roar Of O
London street, and in Imagination he
seemed to distinguish the howl of the
crowd Joined in exocration against him.
HIS eye fell upon u paper on the desk.
IL was the formal notice from her bankers
that his wife's account was heavily over
drawn. He lifted tho paper and tore IL
with his teeth, then sinote the table SO that
gcysers flew from tho ink wells But his
passion found no outlet in words. He
spoke In his platform voice and said moth
Ing about the prime compelling force.
I'VE will not talk OF these unpleasant
details, IL you please, Mr. Cambel my
heart IL weak, think, and they turn me
sick. But, at whatever cost, we must go
through with tho affair 1t Is necessary
that make heavy coup within the next
month, or the consequences may be disas-
trous'
Marmaduke Rivers & Shelf will 70
DOWN. Quite so. also am ut the end of
my cash balance, so that money seems to
DO taS imrolling power for each of us.
Aud, after all, l suppose it's Natural Out
OF fiction mon don't gamble with their
nccks for tho sheer amusement of the
thing. They either do 81 for tho love OF
place, or tho love OF woman, or the love
of gold, and of the three the last Is the
best prize To win, because with it you can
buy tho others. But come, now, wake UP,
sir, ard let's &C: on with the business.
I'm not so sweet OH this city atmosphere
OF yours that 1 cGrc TO spend another
morning down here IL 1t can be avoided.
How are you going to raise the specie;''
III proceed about 1t mt once," said
Shelf, pressing another Of the buttons on
his desk. You inGy rs well witness ey-
cry step Of tho process"
In answer 10 tho bell Fairfax came into
the room, nodded rather stiiIiy to Cambel
and turned to shelf with an expcctant
Eyes, sir"
In Torso businssslike phrase his princi-
pal touched upon the silver crisis in
America and the gold famine in the
southern States. Then he explained the
external view Of his projected enterprise.
1.-The Port Edcs, 10 said, ais in the Her.
culancum dock, returned on our hands
today. Wiro Liverpool at once asking for
freights To Norfolk, Va; Pensacola, Fla;
Mobile, Ala, or New Orleans at lowest
rates. New Orleans Is her final port, and
offer that at rs per cent less. Captain
Owen Kettle will DO In command. and Lo
sails In four DAYS from now.
when Won have t,put.d vopr c,,-.s 20
do this. 90 Yourself 10 the bank and ne,,o.
tiate for half a million in pold 10 bio dciiv.
cred ON board the Port Edes in dock TIN,
insurance policy on the money will he do
posted with tho bank TO secure them In
full for tho loan itsolf, and for their other
charges the credit OF the house will easily
suffice. That clcarYr
Perfectly. said Fairfax. "but I should
like to fpmind YOU OF one tbinR-vhnrf
tkefts nj New Orleans arp no.o,io,s I'D
you'll have TO pay heavily TO insure asainst
them"
II know. morn heavily than for risls
across the ocean and the RIM of tho riyar
Underwriters are Justly nervous about
those all nation thieves. But I'm this in.
stance propose TO save myself TINT fec
and insure in n different way. Mr. cam.
bci il going ou, on tho Port Edos cxnrrss.
Iy rs my representative. and fancy that
he and the e,ptnin topetber will bp c,n,hIc
~ s,ein,, 20 s,f, i,i;,.rr TL, sh;,,ts
rivai ,riii IT,, roro,.c', -, ,,,,,r.,-,,b ,ro,,,