Gilpin observer., 1899-06-08

"Hallo!' said Tom Lombourne, sud-
denly looking aloft, as the topsails
tapped and shivered; "she's yawning
or steering wild; what is that Span
lard about?"
But where is he?" added Carlton,
as We now missed Antonio from the
wheel; Antonio, where are you?"
Gone overheard, hope" exclaimed
the second mate, with something more
that need not be repeated, as he rushed
to the wheel, and, after making it re-
volve a few times rapidly, he filled
} the sails and steadied the brig. This
was done just in time, for the Eugenie
had a press of canvas on her, and, had
she been taken aback, the conse-
Quences might have been serious.
Look about for the skulking lub-
ber." said Lambourne, in great wrath,
land souse him well with slush-
bucket; another moment and the craft
would have been broached tor
HE must have crept behind the
longboat and got into the forecastle,"
suggested Carlton.
I'll bring him up with round turn
for playing this trick" grumbled Lam
bourne.
Hush" said I, as strange sound
fell upon my ear.
What is it?" asked the others, lis
tening.
"A cry-did you not hear it,"
No-nonsense!" said they, together
ut was cry that came from some
where"
Il did hear something" said Will
White; but it was a sheave creaking
in block aloft, think"
mo, no." said I, pausing by the
capstan, as terrible foreboding seized
me; at came from the cabin"
"There is no one there but the Cap
tain. Hislop, and the boy Bill, who
sleeps in the steerage, and they are
all three sound enough by this time"
said Lambourne.
But the sound was from the cab
in." persisted, fastening aft.
At that moment another cry, loud
and piteous-a cry that sank into a
hoarse moan, echoed through the brig,
piercing the nights dull ear" and
ringing high above the welter of the
, sea alongside, the bubble at the stem
and stern, or the hum of the wind
through the taut rigging.
We all rushed aft to the companion,
and at that instant Antonio sprang up
the cabin stair. By the clear splendor
of the tropical moonlight we could see
that his usually swarthy visage was
pale as death, while his black eyes
blszed like two burning Goals. He
grasped his unsheathed knife, the blade
of which, as we'll as his hands and
clothes. were covered with blood!
My heart grew sick with vague ap-
prehension, and my first thought was
for weapon; but none was near.
What have you been about, you
rascally picaroon-and why did you
leave the wheel?" shouted Lambourne,
becoming greatly excited; "the masts
might have gone by the board-what
DEVILS work have you been after be-
low?"
Then the dark Spanish creole
grinned, as the blood dripped from his
hands on the white and moonlit deck.
"Knock him down with a handspike,
Carlton" added Lambourne, who could
not leave the wheel; knock him
ooWh h-AaSCu bWdD.
On hearing this, Antonio drew from
his breast a revolver pistol, one of a
pair which we knew always hung
loaded In Weston's cabin, and fired
straight at the head of Carlton-who
lodged the shot, which killed the sea-
man named Will White, who stood be-,
hind him.
The ball pierced the brain of the
poor fellow. who bounded convulsiye-
, ly nearly three feet from the deck; he
fell heavily on his face and never
moved again, for he was dead-dead
as stone.
In its suddenness this terrible deed
paralyzed us with horror, not unmixed
with fear. as we were all unarmed and
completely In the power OF this Span
ish demon, the report of whose pistol
brought all the startled crew tumbling
over each other out of the forecastle.
AHA. maldita! Santos y Angeles,"
said the Spaniard, waving the pistol,
the muzzle Of which yet smoked, to-
ward us in half circle, as a warning
for all to stand back; did you think
to run your rigs upon me? / am An
tonic ell Cubano, and don't value you
all rope's-end or rotten castano,
as you shall find. / am now the cap
tain of this ship. and shall force you
all to obey me, or else''-here he swore
one of those sonorous and blasphem-
GUS oaths which run so glibly from a
Spanish tongue-"I will shoot you all
in succession. till I am the last man
left on board; and when am tired of
the ship can burn or scuttle her. Do
you understand all this?"
Dead silence followed this strange
address, the half Of which was scarce
ly understood by our men. us 1t was
said in Spanish.