The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-17

sharkev WINGED for the first time when
he saw the empty mouth before him. He
understood that vengeance, slow and pa
tent had logged him long and clutched
him at last.
The two captors had their plans all ar
ranged, and they were somewhat elabor-
ate.
First of all they stove the heads of two
of the great powder barrels, and they
heaped the contents out upon the table
and floor. They piled it round and I'M
der the three drunken men, until each
sprawled in a heap OF 1t. Then they car
ried Sharkey to the gun and they trced
him sitting over the portfolio, with his
body about a foot from the muzzle Wig
Ole ne he would he could not move an
inch either to right or left, and the dumb
man trussed him up with sailors cum
ming so that there was no chance @hat
he should work free.
"Now. you bloody devil, said Copley
Banks. soluly, you must listen to what l
have TO saw to you, for they are the last
words that you will hear. You are my
man now, and 1 have bought you at
price, for 1 have given all that.a man can
give here below, and 1 have given my
soul as well.
"To reacn YOU l have had to sink to
your level For two years strove against
it, hoping that some other way might
come but l learnt that there was no
other way. I've robbed and L have muir
dered-worsc still. | have laughed and
lived with you-and all for the one end.
And now my time has come and you will
die as | would have you die, seeing the
shadow creeping slowly upon you and the
devil waiting for you in the shadow"
Sharkey could hear the hoarSe voices OF
his rovers singing their chanty over the
water.
The words came clear to his ear, and
just outside he could hear two men pac-
ing backward and forward upon the deck.
And yet he was helpless, staring down the
mouth of the nine-pounder, unable to move
an inch or to utter so much as a groan.
To the dying pirate the jovial words and
rollicking tune made his own fate seem
the Larsher, but there was no softening
in his venonous blue eyes. Copley Banks
had brushed away the printing of the gun
and had sprinkIed fresh powder over the
touch hole Then he had taken up the
candle and cut it to the length of abot
powder at the breach of the gun. Then
he scattered powder thicl1ly over the floor
beneath, so that when the candle fell at
the recoil it must explode the huge pile
in which the three drunkard were wallow-
ing.
you've made others look death in the
face Sharkey," said he; ''now it has come
to be your own turn. You and these
swine here shall go together" He lit the
candle end as he spoke, and blew out the
other lights upon the table. Then he pass
ed out with the dumb man and locked
the cabin door upon the outer side. But
before he closed it he took an exultant
look backward and received one last curse
from those unconquerable eyes. In the
single dim circle of light that ivory white
face with the CLEAN of moisture upon the
high. bald forehead was the last that was
ever seen of Sharkey
There was skiff alongside, and in it
Copley Banks and the dumb steward made
their way to the beach and looked back
upon the brig riding in the moonlight
just outside the shadow of the palm
trees. They waited and waited, watching
that dim light which shone through the
stern port And then at last there came
the dull thud of a gun, and an instant
later the SCATTERING crash of the explosion.
The long, sleek, black bark, the sweep of
white sand and the fringe of nodding,
feathery palm trees sprang into dazzling
light and back into darkness again. Voices
screamed and called upon the bay
Then Copley Banks, his heart singing
within him, touched his companion upon
the shoulder, and they plunged together
into, the lonely jungle of the Caicos.
A GUARANTEED CIIRE FOR PILES