The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-08
CHAPTER XVI.

. | Inc steamer ran uu!eliS INV WV ~
hor of Fort de France, amidst numbers
of the boats of refugees which were max
Ing their way into the port from up the
coast in the direction of Mt. Pelee.
Dropping the anchor in about the cen
ter OF the harbor, they watched ,ne
PROCESSION of heavily laden craft as they
| passed them.
Close at hand lay trim. hcav!ly
SPARED. dark -hulled schooner. somewhat
after the low, piratical looking craft SO
dear to the heart Of the writers of the
days OF Tom Cringes log and the dolnss
Of the West Indian pirates.
Ralph pointed her out to the skipper.
'"That is a Kingston boat, sir She be-
lonos to a chap named Jim Green. and
fear that her business would not bear
| looking into"
"Jim Green7" cried Minnie
| yes" replied the sailor; why do you
nsk7"
Minnie turned to Ralph with wide open
eyes.
"It was Jim GREEN'S boat that Allan
Cunningham sailed from Kingston upon
that night"
"Are you s,lre?" he said, excitedly.
"As sure as can DO of anything that
he has told me-" she answered bitterly.
Green and some Of the crew were In
the bar-room the night that Allan came
riding into the yard. He called to mo
TO come out and speak to him, asked
who was inside, and then said that no
would sail for Martinique with him that
night I am sure OF that much. ITO
made up a bundle, took some money and
left about midnight with Jim and his
men. The police came IN tho morning
but he had gone"
"Then Green is here IN Fort 90 france,
at any rate?'
Eyes, an I quite shuah that you find
Allan Cunningham also. I can go ashore
can not Mas'r Jennings7"
yes you shall go with me. and you
shall help me, too We will run him
down. II he Is here, and between US we
will find out what he knows
II can find him, sab, If he Is heah,
but think there is little use In letting
him see me- I think, perhaps, 1t do no
good, an he might kill me II ! follow
him."
II do not want you to let him SEQ
you. What I want Is to come upon MIN
unawnres, and before he can make up
any kind OF cock and bull story. Then
I may be able to know the truth.
you not able to come on him so
quickly, sab, that he not able to make
story to suit himself
II shall try. Here's the boat; we had
best be off,
They were rowed to the jetty, where
they disembarked. Refugees We're land
Ing from craft OF all ages and descrip-
tons: on the beach near at hand, the
beats laden down with household goods
and families Many had LETT their homes
un necessarily. but fear had mastered
them and driven them forth to seek SAFETY
elsewhere. A change Of location means
but little to these people of the tropics
after ALL Food is about them IN aound-
ance: they have but to reach out their
~ tha ground with
little labor 1t Is not to be wondered at
that they are a laughter-lovins. easy
going lot 1t Is better so. They ARE
happy to-day; they reck not OF to-mor-
row.
Ralph and the brown girl stepped out
onto the stone quay and walked along
under the hot sun.
4 Minnie" he said to the GIRL "you had
best 20 your way and I will go mine. At
shutdown we will meet again, or perhaps
YOU had best return hero now, and then
TO see If l have come for you. If you
find Cunningham l suppose that you
had best follow him If you can Up SO
without being seem
The girl nodded, and then turning, made
her way along the beach among tho
boats that were coming in. Ralph paused
to look after her for a moment, and
then realizing that he had best leave
her to her own devices. stepped from
the wharf and took his way along the
street in front OF him.
The town was like any other in tho
West Indies, and the sun baked down
with a glare that sent any but the black
people into the shade. They. happy NOR
tails, seemed not to feel it's ardent rays,
and stroled along. or stood gossiping In
groups, utterly Obvious Of the scorching
heat.
.11 o,,I hay
stopping to look into a bar-room as he
passed it by. He had gone perhaps half
a mile or more, and was just turning
into the public square, when two men.
also seeking the shady side of the street,
almost ran into him.
He stepped aside TO apologize, and MS
he looked up, found himself face to face
with Allan Cunningham. He had not seen
him since the first day that he had land
ed at the Montague but the handsome,
dlss.pated face, had so impressed itself
upon his memory mat he could never
forget 1t.
Cunningham" he exclaimed.
The other had not recognized him at
first, having seen him but few times,
and then from distance. Moreover, he
had not the slightest idea that when
Kate had said that Jenninsp was all
right when she last saw him, that she
referred to his present condition. II his
victim was not dead he believed that
he must be badly wounded, for had he
been alive he was sure that he would
have heard Of 1t In some way from
Minnie, No matter how he had treated
the brown girl, he expected that she
would look out for his interests Just the
same.
For moment he lost his sangfroid.
You are Jennings. suppose" he said,
after a moments hesitation.
YES I'm Jennings. and want to speak
to you.
''You want to speak TO me, do YOU"
said Cunningham. who had now recover
ed his composure. what do you want to
speak to me for?"
THAT ] will toll you later. II you
refust I'll make 1t hot for you, that's
all. We can go into the square here and
sit on one of the benches That viii
be safe enough for you, / should think"
he said with a sheer. "And | want you
nlpua. yoIIr comnanIOn Cau po ahead ana