Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-07-19

You shall have 1t THIS minute if you
guarantee no public indignity on
boarl..'
THAT I'll see to- said Mackenzie,
"as long as you behave yourselves.
There now, where is't?"
"On the table under YOU nose"
My eyes fell with the rest, but no
pearl was there. Only the contents Of
our pockets-our watches, pocketbooks,
pencils, penknives, cigarette cases-lay
on the shiny table along with the re-
volver already mentioned.
"Ye're humbuggin' u.s." said Mac
kenzie. whats the use?"
I'm doing nothing of the Sort"
laughed Rallies. I'm testing you.
| Where's the harm?'
ITS here, joke apart?'
"On that table, by all my gods"
Mackenzie opened the cigarette cases
and shook each particular cigarette.
Thereupon Rallies prayed to be allow
ed to smoke one, and when his prayer
was heard observed that the pearl had
been on the table much longer than
the cigarettes. Mackenzie promptly
caught up the Colt and opened the
chamber in the butt.
"Not there, not there said Ratiics.
"but you're getting hot. Try the car
tridges.'
Mackenzie emptied them into his
palm and shook each one at his ear
without result.
"Oh, give them to met"
And in an instant RafI1es had found
the right one, had bitten out the bullet
u placed the emperor's pearl with
a flourish III the center Of the taj!n.
after that you Will perhaps show
me such little consideration as is in
your power. Captain, ! have been a
bit of a villain, as you sec. ana as
such | am ready and willing to lc in
irons all night if you deem it rcqui.
site for the safety Of the ship. All |
ask is that you do me one favor first"
That shall debend on wad der vafor
has been"
captain, I've done a worse thing
aboard your ship than any of you
know. | have become engaged to bc
married. and l want to say goodby."
l suppose we We're all equally amaZ-
ed, but the only one to express his
amaZement was Won Heumann, whose
deep chested German oath was almost
his first contribution to the proceed
lngs. He was not slow to follow it,
however, with a vigorous protest
against the proposed farewell. But he
was overruled, and the masterful pris-
oner had his way. He was to have
five minutes with the girl while the
captain and Mackenzie stood within
range, but not within earshot, with
their revolvers behind their backs. AS
we were moving from the cabin in a
body he stopped and gripped my hand.
$50 I've let you in at last, Bunny
at last and after all! If you knew how
sorry l am. But you won't get much.
don't see why you should get any
thing at all. Can YOU forgive me!
This may be for years, and it may
be forever, sou know. You were a
good pal always when it came to
the scratch. Some day or other YOU
mayn't be sorry to remember you were
a good pal at the last
There was Il meaning in his eve that
understood, inc my teeth were set
and my nerves strung ready as |
Wrung that strong and cunning hand
for the last time in my life.
How that last scene stays with me
ana Will stay to my death. How | sec
every detail, every shadow on the sun
III deck. We were among the islands
that dot the course from Genoa +, M.
pies. ina was lIlba falling back on
our SlarDoard quarter, that purple
patch with the hot sun settling over II
The captains cabin opened to star.
board, and The %starboard promenade
deck, sl!rrtrd with sunshine and scored
WIN shadow, was deserted but for the
group OF which | was one, and for tho
pal"' SIM, brown figure art with Raj
Hes. Engaged? | could not believe #
cannot to this day. Yet there they
$1,000 together, ana we did not bear n
word lh"r" they stood GU against
lhe sunset ana III" long. dnZZliup Llph.
way or Snnllt sea that sparkIcd from
Elbh to Ia" Ihlan's plates, and their
fhndp"S reached almost TO our feet.