Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-12-27

however. was the confirmation OF that
which l had seen from the hills. The
ship. seemingly, was built of the purest
gold This, of course. knew could not
be but as the sun got up and his light
fell on the vessel. thought that l had
never seen more glorious sight. She
shone with the refulgent beauty of a
thousand mirrors every foot OF her deck,
of her turrets, of her upper house made
a sheen of dazzling fire; the points OF her
deck lights were as beacons, all lurld and
gold so marvellous, truly, was her as
pect. that | forgot all else but it, and
stood entranced. marvellng. forgetful OF
myself and purpose. The flash of a knife
in the air brought me to my senses to
know that | was in the grasp OF the man
Roaring John.
A bad mshap befell me. The best OF
my disguise was the thick, puShy placK
hair wore about my face. AS the rufhan
went to take a firmer hold OF my collar,
he pulled aside portion of my beard, and
left my chin clean shaven beneath as nat
urally it was. The intense surprise OF
this discovery seemed to hit him like
blow. He stepped back with murderous
look in his eyes But | cheated him.
and turning on my heel, | fled with all
the speed | possessed, and got INTO rhe
street with twenty rufiians at my heels,
and a hue and cry such as | hope never
to hear again.
THE escape was clever. | reached my
hotel. | was sure that l had cut off all
hope of returning to the yard and what
information | was to get must come by
other modes. The nature of these | knew
not, but | was determined TO set out upon
a visit to Signor Nezzia who was the
builder to whom the docks wherein |
worked belonged. To him | came as the
pretended agent of shipping firm in New
York, with whom | had some little ac-
quantance. and he gave me audience
readily. He was very willing to hear me
when he learned that | was in quest OF a
builder to lay down steamers for the
American trade with Italy; and some
while we passed in great corlality, so
ventured the other business.
"'By the by, Signor Vezzia. that's a
marvellous battleship you have in your
second dock have never seen anything
like her before
II spoke the words and read him as
one reads barometer. He shrank visibly
into his bulb and the tone Of his conver-
sation marked storm. l heard him NUT
ter under his breath. and then the mer-
curry of his conversation mounted quickly.
"'Yes, yes curious vessel. quite
special thing for a South American re-
public, an idea of theirs-but you will
extend me the favor of your pardon, | am
busy'-and in his excitement he put his
spectaces off and on, and called 'Giovan
nj. Giovanni = to his head clerk. who made
business to be rid of me. | mounted to
nv hill top again and spent the morning
looking down upon the golden ship which
was built for "a South American repub-
lie That tale | never believed, for the
mans face marked it a lie as he gave it
TO me. | resolved in that hour to devote
myself heart and soul to the work of un-
rayelling the slender threads, even if l
lost my common employment in the busi
ness. The reverie held me long. | was
roused from it by the sight of a dull va
Dor mounting from the funnel of the
nameless ship. She was going to sail
tben-at the next tide she might leave
Spezia. and there would be no more hope.
l hurried to my hotel.
Here was a problem at this stage as
il then appeared to me: Item (1), A ship
built of some metal | had no knowledge
Of Item (2), A ship that shone like a
rich sunset on a garden lake. Item (3),
A ship that was armed to the full, as
casual glance told me, with every kind of
quick firing gun. and with two ten-inch
guns in her turret Item (4), a ruffian-
lv blackguard. to whom the cutting of
throat seemed meat and drink with ten
other rogues no less deserving, from a
murderous point of view, put to watch
about the ship that no strange eye might
look upon her. Item (5), The confusion
of Signor Vezzia, who made a fine tale
and said at the same time with his eyes.
This is a lie, and bad one; I'm sorry that
| have nothing better ready Item CO.,
Ny own adamantine conviction that l
stood near by some mystery, which was
about to be a big mystery, and which
would pay me to pursue. Instinct told me
to go on in this work, if | los. all other,
if | starved, if | drowned, if | died at
it. And to 20 on | meant.