El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-30

got a yarn to bring out directly, which is
a bit of a coarse, tough ffbered yarn, and
we didn't want you to give it a top dress
ing of varnish. So, by way of safeguard, /
pointed out to you that if we show our
selves to be sinners you needn't sing out
that you find yourself in evil company for
the first time"
Mr.. Theodore Shelf had been shuff1ing
his feet uneasily for some time. Cambels
method of speech Jared him to the verge
of profanity. His own saintliness was a
garb which he never threw entirely away
at any moment. His voice had always the
oily drone of the conventicle. His SNUG
hypocrisy was a perennial source of pride
and comfort to him, without which he
would have felt very lonely and abandoned.
At this point he drew the conversation
into his own hands. 1t had been said of
him that he always addressed the house of
commons as though it were the congrega-
ton of his own tin tabernacle, and he
preached out his scheme of plumber, vio-
lence and other moral uncleanness with
similar fervent JUNCTION. Cambel was
openly amused and once broke out into
mocking laugh. He was never at any pains
to conceal his contempt for Mr. Theodore
Shelf, which was more honest than judi
cious on his part. Kettle, on the other
hand, wore the puckered face of puzzled
man. The combination of can't and GRIM
inality was not altogether new to linn.
Men of his own profession are very apt to
behave like devils unbooted at sea and
then grovel in clamorous piety among the
pews of some obscure dissenting chapel
the moment they get ashore. 1t is pecul-
lar trait, but the average sea captain be-
GeveS that he can lay up stock of fire in
surance of this sort which will comfort
ably see him through future efforts. But
in Kettles mind shipcwners were a vast
ly different class of beings, and SO it never
occurred to him that the same might ap-
ply to them.
In this attitude Captain Kettle listened
to the sermon which was reeled out to him
and rather gathered that the project he
was exhorted to take part in was in some
obscure manner a missionary enterprise
promoted solely in the honor and glory of
Mr.. Theodore Shelf's own particular mar
row little deity, and had Mr.. Shelf made
any appreciable pause between his sono-
rous periods Kettle would have felt it his
respectful duty to slip in humble
'amen.' But the dictator of the great
shipping firm was too fearful of Interrupt
tions from his partner to give any open
ing for a syllable of comment.
But if Captain Owen Kettle was I'M
versed in the finer niceties of the art of
hypocrisy he was "A man of angular COM
mon sense, and by degrees it dawned upon
him that Mr.. Shelfs project, when re-
moved of its top dressing of religion, was
in its naked self something very different
from what he had at first been drawn to
believe. AS this idea grew upon him the
devotional droop faded from the corners
of his lips and his mouth drew to a hard,
straight line scarcely to be distinguished
among the curving bristles of hair which
surrounded it. But he made no Interrupt
-. l.
speaker had delivered the whole of his say.
Then he uttered his decision.
so gentlemen, you are standing in
partners over this precious businesss And
because you know me to be poor, broke
man, with wife and family, you naturally
think you can buy me to work for you off
the straight. Well, perhaps that's posi-
BILE, but there are two ways of doing it,
and of the two 1 like Mr.. Cambel's best.
When a mans blackguard, it don't
make him swallow any the sweeter for
setting up to he little tin saint. And
don It mind who / say that to-
My good man. snarled Shelf, do you
mean to threaten me?''
No, l don't. 1 just gave you my own
opinion, as from man to man, just because
] respect myself. But 1 IN not going round
to your chapel to shout it out to them that
sit under you Sundays. They wouldn't
believe me if 1 did, not now at any rate.
Besides it wouldn't do me any good, and
l couldnt afford it. I'm a needy man,
Mr.. Shelf, as you have guessed, and that's
why I'm going to accept your offer. But
don't let US have any misunderstanding
between ourselves to what it foots up
to.
What I'm going to sign on for direct
ly, when you hand me the papers, is a
spell of piracy on the high seas, neither
more nor less. And I'm going to have
money all paid down in advance before
ring an engine bell on your blasted tramp
of a steamer. l guess that's fair enough.
My family'll want something to go on
With if I'm caught, and if ones found out
at this game it's just common ordinary
hanging matter-yeS, sir, swing by the
neck till IN dead as an ak, and may the
Lord have mercy on your miserable tag of
a soul. That's what this tea party means,
and for your dirty $500 you're buying .
live human man.
CHAPTER VI.
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS IN GOLD.
The little red bearded man had gone,
slamming the door noisily behind him.
Shelf mopped his large white face with a
scented pocket handkerchief do you
Think he said nervously, lido you think
we may trust him?"
ITO begin with, we've got to now,
whether we like it or not. He's nothing to
gain by playing traitor -
But would he betray us in case of sue
cess?'
Perhaps" said Cambel, she won't
have the chance. Other hands on that
steamer will have to share the secret in
whole or in part. Perhaps they won't all
of them come through it alive. If you re-
member that we plotting deliberate
piracy on the high seas, you will recognize
that there is precedent for a considerable
percentage of casualties. -
The city man shuddered. Through the
double windows came the sullen roar of q