The Florence daily tribune. (Florence, Colo.) 1898-1903, 1898-04-20
The Beautiful White Devil


lying ON pile of fiber sails under the
shelter of an improvised awning. My
companion, whose name l discovered
later was Walworth, was kneeling be-
side me with preternaturally grave
expression upon his usually stclid face.
''How do you feel now?" he inquired,
holding a cup of water to my lips.
drank eagerly, and then replied that
i felt better. but terribly weak.
ooh, that's only to be expected, he
answered reassuringly. "We ought to
be glad, considering the amount of
blood you must have lost, that it's no
worse. Keep up your heart. You'll soon
be all right now"
"Has anything happened?"
"Nothing at all We're the victors
without doubt. AS soon as you can spare
me I'm going for'ard to rouse out the
rest of the gang and get the tunk on her
course again. We've no time to waste
| pottering about here"
"I'm well enough now. Only give
me something to protect myself with in
case of accident.
Here's your own revolver. of which
I relieved our pockmarked friend yon-
der. I've retilled it, SO if you want to
you can do damage to the extent of six
shots-two for each of the three re-
naming men,"
After CHANGING at his own weapon to
see that it was fully charged he picked
his way for ard and called in Chinese
to those in hiding to come forth if they
wished to save their lives. In response
| to his summons three men orawled out
and stood in row. After he had
harangued them / noticed that he ques-
toned them eagerly in turn and was
evidently much perturbed at che an
swers he received. When he had said
all that he had to say, he searched for
something and, not finding it, left them
and came back to me. Before making
any remark he turned over the bodies
on the deck and when he had done SO
seemed still more put out.
whats the natter" l inquired.
"Are we in for any more trouble?"
"I'm afraid so. That rascally captain,
seeing how the fighting was going and
dreadiDg my vengeance, must have
jumped overheard, leaving no man save
myself capable of navigating the junk.
added to which the food and water sup
ply-which, had this trouble not oo-
CURED and we had got farther upon our
way, would have been ample for our re-
| quirements-will only last us at most
| two more meals. However, it's no good
crying over spilled milk. We must do
our best with what we've got, and hay
| ing done that we can't do more. Let US
hope we'll soon pick up the boat of
which we're in Search
"And what boat may that be?'
"Why, the vessel that is to take us to
the island, to be sure. What other could
1t be?''
90 had no idea that we were in search
Of one.'
"Well, we are, and it looks as if we
shall be in search of her for some time
to come. Confound those treacherous
beggarsW
AS he said this he assumed possession
OF the tiller, the vessels head was
brought round to her course, and pres
emily we were wabbling along in new
and more westerly direction.
| 1t was not cheerful outlook by any
manner of means, and for the hundredth
time or SO reproached myself for my
folly in ever having undertaken the
| voyage. To add to my regret, my arm
was still very painful, and though to
certain extent / was protected from the
sun by the awning my friend had con-
structed for me, yet l began to suffer
agonies of thirst. The afternoon wore
on, the sun declined upon the western
horizon, and still no wind came. 1t
looked as if we were destined to spend
yet another night upon this horrible
junk, the very sight of which had be,
come beyond measure loathsome to me.
AS darkness fell it seemed peopled with
ghosts, for though the bodies of those
killed in the late ARRAY no longer de-
faced the deck with their CHASTITY pres
ence could not drive the picture they
had presented from my brain.
was asleep next morning when the
sun rose, but his heat soon woke me to
the grim reality of our position. My
companion was still at the tiller, and
from where lay could see that we
were still sailing in the same direction
He called to me to know how l felt,
and to show him that 1 was better en-
deavored to rise, only to fall back again
in what must have been dead faint.
l have no recollection of what follow
ed Immediately upon my recovering
myself except confused remembrance
of craving for WHITEWATER, water,
water! But there was none to be had
even if l had offered e100 for a drop.