Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-04-15

SsohJ was q PiCleAt. ne WdHteu me TO
leave the deck-so much was plain; but
with what purpose l could in no way
imagine. His eyes never met mine;
they kept wandering to and fro, up and
down, now with look to the sky, now
with fitting glance upon the dead
O'Brien. All the time he kept smiling,
and putting his tongue out in the most
guilty, embarrassed manner, so that
child could have told that he was bent
on some deception. l was prompt with
my answer, however, for saw where
my advantage lay; and that with fell
low so densely stupid I could easily
conceal my suspicious to the end.
Some wine?" l said. Far better.
Will you have white or red2"
well, reckon it's about the blessed
same to me, shipmate," he replied; $50
it's strong, and plenty of it, what's the
odds?"
"All right" I answered. "T'll bring
you port, Mr.. Hands. But I'll have to
dig for it,"
panion with all the noise I could,
slipped off my shoes, ran quietly along
the spared gallery, mounted the fore
castle ladder, and popped my head out
of the fore companion. l knew he
would not expect to see me there; yet 1
took every precaution possible; and
certainly the worst of my suspicious
proved too true.
He had risen from his position to his
hands and knees; and, though his leg
obviously hurt him pretty sharply
when he moved-for / could hear him
stifle a groan-yet it was at good, rat
Ting rate that he trailed himself across
the deck. In half minute he had
reached the port scuppers, and picked
out of coil of rope long knife, or
rather a short dirk, discolored to the
hilt with blood. He looked upon it for
a moment, thrusting forth his under
jaw, tried the point upon his hand, and
then, hastily concealing it in the bosom
of his jacket, trundled back again into
his old place against the bulwark.
This was all that required to know.
Israel could move about; he was now
armed; and if he had been at so much
trouble to get rid of me, it was plain
that was meant to be the victim.
What he would do Observation-Disclosures
he would try to crawl right across the
island from North inlet to the camp
among the swamps, or whether he
would fire Long Tom, trusting that his
own comrades might come first to help
him, was, of course, more than I could
say.
Yet felt sure that I could trust him
in one point, since in that our interests
jumped together, and that was in the
disposition of theschooner. We both de-
sired to have her stranded safe enough.
in sheltered place, and SO that, when
the time came, she could be got off
again with as little labor and danger as
might be; and until that was done I
considered that my life would certainly
be spared.
While Twas thus turning the business
over in my mind had. not been idle
with my body. I had stolen back to the
cabin, slipped once more into my shoes,
and laid my hand at random on bottle
of wine, and now, with this for an ex-
cuse. l made my temperance on the
deck.
Hands lay as I had left him, all fallen
together in a huddle, and with his eye
lids lowered, as though he were too
weak to bear the light. He looked up,
however, at my coming, knocked the
neck off the bottle, like man who had
done the same thing often, and took
good swig, with his favorite toast of
"here's !uck!" Then he lay quiet for
little, and then, pulling out a stick of
tobacco, begged me to cut him guild.
Cut me junk O. that" says he, "for
haven't no knife, and hardly strength
enough, so be as had. All, Jim, Jim,
l reckon I've missed stays Cut me
quid ash likely be the last, lad; for I'm
for my long home, and no mistake"
WELL" said I, "I'll cut you some to-
bacco; but if 1 was you and thought
myself SO badly, would go to my
prayers, like Christian man."
'Why?" said he. Now, you tell me
why"
"Why?" 1 cried. 'sYou were asking
me just now about the dead. You've
broken your trust; you've lived in sin
and lies and blood; there's a man you
killed lying at your feet this moment;
and you ask me why! For Gods mercy,
Mr.. Hands, that's why"
spoke with little heat, thinking of
the bloody dirk he had hidden in his
pocket, and designed, in his i'll thoughts,
IN an1 r,,a III 10 fnr h 70 ~ n
great draught of the wine, and spoke
with the most unusual solemnity.
For 80 year." he said, 1--WE sailed
the seas, and seen good and bad, better
and worse, fair weather and foul, pro-
visions running out, knives going. and
what not. Well, now, I tell you, I never
seen good come O. goodness yet. Him
as strikes first is my fancy; dead men
don't bite; them's my views-amen, so
be it. And now, you look here" he add
ed, suddenly changing his tone, "we've
had about enough of this foolery. The
tides made good enough by now. You
just take my orders, Cap'n Hawkins, and
we'll sail slap in and be done with it,"
All told, we had scarce two miles to
Iun, put tue Navigation was dellcate,
the entrance to this northern anchor
age was not only narrow and shoal, but
lay east and west, so that the schooner
must be nicely handled to be got in.
l think was good, prompt subaltern.
and I am very sure that Hands was an
excellent pilot; for we went about, and
lodged in, shaving the banks, with a
certainty and neatness that were
pleasure to behold.