The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-06-28


in crashing blow of the six foot Off
GERS fist on the temple of thesfive foot
captain. The little man reeled, sat
down on a STOOL slid off and stretched
himself on the floor with the delibera-
tion of man preparing for sleep, while
Mr.. Arbuckle, breathing loudly and
deeply, looked down on him with angry
eyes. But as he looked the anger left
his eyes, and his breathing, though still
loud and deep changed it's character.
He examined the captains head. There
was no outward sign of injury, and he
felt for a movement of the heart The
breast was warm, but as rigid as the
face, with its staring eyes. He stoud
up, then sat down on the stool and
looked at the man he had killed
He had bargained to receive his mon
ey and discharge before docking if he
killed man on the passage. Here
was the dead man. Where was the
money?
He procured keys from the captains
pocket, lighted the lamp in his room,
searched his desk and found not only
money enough to pay off all hands, but
the account of wages due each man up
to the end of the following day and
their discharges, signed by Captain
Haskins, his own stating that as mate
he was V. G. very good. He counted
out the money due him, signed his
name to the account, pocketed the
money and discharge and locked tie
hnSlx Ac lo
cerned he was officially paid off as
mate of the Warrior. Then, lifting the
corpse to the bed in the room, he turn
ed down the lamp and sought the deck.
1t was a dark, wintry evening, with
cold rain and colder wind out of the
north which froZe the rain as it fell.
Deck, rail and rigging were already
coated with ice, and overheard large
cakes of it, fragments of the Hudson
river pack, were floating seaward on
the swift tide. The vessel was alone
at the anchorage, moored beyond easy
hailing distance from the shore, and all
lights were turned out forward except
the riding light in the fore rigging.
The stopped figure of Martin, standing
the first anchor watch, showed dlmly
in the GalkucS.; Of the f0recastle door,
but the rest Of the stricken men were
undoubtedly in their bunks 1t was an
ideal night for murder and its concom-
itants; but, cold as it was, Mr.. Az
buckle perspired profUsely. He climb
ed the poop steps and looked over the
stern, where the dingey, tugging at its
painter, bobbed and rocked ON the
black water below. Long and silently
he mused and often mopped his brow
with his handkerchief Then his mus
ings found expression.
won't do,' he muttered. doctors
would know he didn't drown. Adrift
in the. dingey, maybe-no oars-frozen
to death? But l need the boat for an
alibi. Frozen to death-how? Falls
overheard = floats long enough to
freeze. Good-a life buoy! Some one
throws it. Who? l must be ashore,
One of the men-the idiot. He could
throw it and do no more. l must come
out just in time to hear cries for help,
climb aboard, miss the skipper, find
the life buoy gone and raise hades.
Idiot on anchor watch. When is he on
watch? But / can arrange that"
He removed a life buoy from the
quarter rail, entered the cabin by the
after companionway and drew the
cork ring over the head and shoulders
of the body, twisting the still pliable
arms and fingers around it to hold it
in place. Next he carried the body up
and rested it against the taffrail until
he had assured himself that Martin
was still forward. Then he carefully
lowered it over the stern, shifting his
hold to the hair, and reaching down
until the feet touched the water before
letting go. There was hardly splash.
The life buoy was forced up snug un-
der the arms, and the body, shoulders
out, 1loated away on the tide. No i'll
telligent coroner would pronounce this
case of murder
Mr.. Arbuckle descended to his room,
where he changed his clothes, putting
ON the suit he had worn at Callao. AS
he donned the coat he felt Of letter
in the pocket-the letter given him by
the consul and which he had forgotten
to deliver He read the address, "Mar=
tin Mathews, brigantine Warrior, Cal
lao, Peru, care American CONSUL" He
no longer perspired so profusely, but
trembled from the reaction of feeling
which followed the safe disposal Of the
body. A glass Of spirits from the cap
tain's stock remedied this, and, going
on deck, he bawled out in his most
Officerlille tone: WHO'S on watch? Lay
aft here" Martin obeyed. and met him
! at the mainmast.
Here's a letter 1 got from the con-
sui at Callao for you. Forgot all about
! it,"
"Thank you, sir" answered Martin
as he took the letter. | s'pect it's from
my sister in shore here. Curious, sir,
that l come back to Tompkinsville to
read it,"
"Never mind about Tompkinsyille,
Who stands watch tOnight?"
"Only three of us, sir. We greed to
let the rest have all night in. Tom re-
lieves me at 'leven, and George relieves
him at 3. l came on at 8, sir, as you
ordered at supper time"
That's all right. Let George come
on at IL and let Tom take the morning
watch. The harbor's quiet at midnight,
and river thieves work late. Let Tom
take the last watch. Underestimate"
"Yes, sir. I'll call George at 'leven."
"And keep your watch on the poop.
Pass the word along. Make that idiot
Understandable stand watch on the