El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-05-22
GUILTY GUS

That Harry Maitland. who had sailed
six years in the Flying Dragon, should
have been accused of stealing from his
messmates was something almost incred-
ible, for he was well liked and n thor
ough seaman.
Yet the evidence seemed indisputate.
Ned Hicks pipe had been found i'll his
kit, and petty tiiicving had been going on
for some time. His accuser was Gus
Gaines, known as ''iNa-la.,a Gu who
had formerly been petty chief among
the Maoris. He was Il man of sullen ma
ture and revengeful disposition.
Mocking laughter followed Harry as he
went into the forecastle after his kit.
No one would help him, and he tugged
his chest on deck and placed it where II
would be out of the way. His clothing
had been tumbled about in utter confu-
sion, and as he stopped to arrange it
something fell from the folds of a jacket.
He picked it up with cry and shouted
to the mate:
''NIr. Foster, will you come here?'' The
mate approached, and Harry held up
ring of bone, carved in the shape of
deaths head" "Kanaka Gus made
leap and tried to snatch it from his hand,
but Harry dealt him blow which sent
him Keeling to the deck.
..Eou see this, mates?' cried Harry.
every one here knows that 'kanaka
Gus never parted with this ring willing
ly. Now, as l have been openly accused,
l ask justice. Let the chest of 'Kanaka
Gus be searched, and if more missing
articles are not found l give you the
right to call me a thief if you WILL
1T is only fair" replied Mr. Foster.
"Send Il whip down into the forecastle
and hoist Gus Gaines chest on deck
The chest was hoisted on deck and
opened, and one of the men began to
hand out the articles it contained, making
running comments as he did so.
why, it's a regular curiosity shop, Mr..
Foster. Here's that pair of braces you
lost and that six bladed knife. Here's
can of Cavendish with Harry Maitland's
mark on the lid. Catch hold of this
sheathknife, Ben Brace, and if you was
to sink it into 'Kanaka Gus two OF
three inches nobody would be very sorry.
1 guess we may we'll beg Harry Matt
lands pardon, for this black and blue
cuss is the thief
There was rush of furious men at
''Kanaka GUS but the mate waved
them back.
"Take hold of him, Ben Brace. Hurry.
take him on the other side and seize him
to the lee ratlines."
The villain was quickly tied up. and
the mate went into the cabin and called
out the captain. He heard the story quiz
city.
Give him 49," he said. "Floggina
may be played out in the merchant serv.
Ice, but I'll take the law into my own
hands,"
Ben Brace took the cat and handed il
to Harry, but he shook his head.
Il won't touch the thief" he said.
"Give me the cat,' said Foster. "TI
touch him.
The cat whistled through the air and
aighted upon the bare back of the thief. |
A yell of agony broke from his lips as the
cat rose and fell. At the fortieth stroke
the captain raised his hand, and the man
was let down. |
Harry sent his kit back to the forecas. |
tie, and 'Kanaka Gus took his place on
deck. Two days passed and not u word
was spoken to the detected thief. The |
men passed him with averted faces, and |
his life was made a very hell to him. |
Harry never looked at him, and this cold |
scorn of his former messmates cut him |
worse than the cat. The second night |
came, and sudden gale called all hands |
on deck and sent them aloft. 1t was pitch |
dark, and they could only feel their way
along the yards; but the heavy sail was
furled, and the men sprang upon the
yard to reach the top. In the darkness
Harry could not see who was working
ASAl " hlIi Dut, " Ills us lie
grasped the hand rope and bore his
weight upon the foot rope underneath
he heard a kissing execration, and the
rope parted under his feet. The weight
of his body tore the hand rope out oi
one of the rings, and he hung suspended
by his hands alone, three feet below the
yard. Just then the lightning flashed,
and above him, crouching ON the yard,
with his knife in his hand, was the omi.
nous figure Of "Kanaka Gus"
'My turn!' he Kissed as the blade OF
the knife approached the rope. "Down
you gor'
Harry uttered a cry for help, when the
sail suddenly tapped and struck the
crouching form of the would be murder.
er, and before he could seize anything to
stop himself he plunged headfotemost
into the darkness below. AT the same
a strong hand grasped Harry by
the collar and raised him so that he
could reach the points and drag himself
up.
Get into the tops" said the voice of I
MIR. Foster Il saw the whole thing
and if ever n villain deserved death IA.
naka Gus was the man. Let him CO."
The first time Captain Foster sailed a ;
ship on his own account Harry was his
hrst officer.-New York News
1.