Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1900-02-22
CHAPTER XIX. Continued J

But where is he?" added Carlton
as We now missed Antonio from tn,
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 1T re-
volye a few times rapidly he filled
the sails and steadied the brig. This
was done just in time, for the Eugene
/ had press of canvas on her, and, had
she been taken aback. the conse-
/ quences might have been serious.
Look about for the skulking lub-
Der, said Lambourne, in great wrath
and souse him we'll with siash-
bucket another moment and the craft
would have been broached to,"
He must have crept behind the
longboat and got into the forecastle, .
suggested Carlton.
III bring him up with a 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
1T was a cry that came from some
where"
I did hear something" said Will
White; but II was sheave creaking
In block aloft, / think"
No, no." said /, pausing by the
capstan. as terrible foreboding seized
me; 1t 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. 4"
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 un
the cabin stair. BY the clear splendor
OF the tropical moonlight we could see
that his usually swarthy yisage was
pale as death, while his black eyes
blazed like two burning Goals. He
grasped his unsheathed knife, the blade
OF which, as well as his hands and
clothes, were covered with blood!
My heart grew sick with vague an
prehension, and my first thought was
for weapon, but none was near.
What have you been about, you
raseally picaroon-and why did Won
leave the wheel?" shouted I.arnbonrne
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 handspke
Carlton added Lambourne. who could
not leave the wheel; "knock him
down-the shark-faced swabp
On hearing this, Antonio drew from
his breast revolver pistol, one Of a
pair which we knew always hung
loaded in Weston's cabin. and fred
straight at the head of CarIton-who
lodged the shot, which killed the sea
man named Will White, who stood be-
hind him
poor fellow, who bounded convnlsive.
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 snan-
ish demon, the report of whose pistol
brought all the startled crew tumbline
over each other out of the forecastle
Aha, maldita, Santos Angelesr,
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 Gubano, and don't value You
all rope's-end or rotten eastano
as you shall find. | am now the can
tain of this ship, and shall force Won
all to obey me, or else"-here he swore
one of those sonorous and blasphem
GUS oaths which run SO glibly from
Spanish tongue-tt will shoot you all
in succession, till | 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, as 1t was
said in Spanish.
'Bastaf' tayasD I see that yon do
understand" he resumed; and now
begin by obedience. Throw this car
rion-this bestie muerta-overboa :"
But perceiying how we all shrank
back
Overheard with him. he added,
brutally kicking the inanimate body
of poor VIII White ''or demonio, /
shall send the first who disobeys me
to keep him company
He grasped me by the hand--his
hateful clutch was nrm as q smiths