Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1906-04-27

w ell, says Inc, lOOh Dup-
pose we tell these scoundrels that their
design Is known. Very good. They will
profess absolute ignorance, and try again
on the next opportunity, when, perhaps, |
we may not know anything about it. At |
all events, we are completely ignorant |
of the nature of the plot and the names |
of the rlngleaders. Let US double the |
sentries, and quietly get the men under
arms. Let Miss Sarah do what she |
pleases, and, when the mutiny breaks
out we will nip 1t in the bud, clap all
the villains we get in irons, and hand
them over to the authorities in Hobart
| Town. / am not a cruel man, sir, but
we have got a cargo of wild beasts
aboard, and must be careful"
According to the usual custom on
board convict ships, the guards relieved
each other every two hours, and at @
p. m. the guard was removed to the
quarterback, and the arms which, in
the day time, were disposed on the top
of the arm chest, we're placed in an arm
rack constructed on the quarterback for
that purpose Trusting nothing to Frere
who, indeed, by Pines advice, was
kept in ignorance of the whole matter
-Vickers ordered all the men, save
those who had been on guard during the
day, to be under arms in the barrack,
forbade communication with the upper
deck, and placed as sentry at the bar
rack door his own servant, an old SOL
der, on whose fidelity he could thor
oughly rely. He then doubled the
guards, took the keys of the prison him
self from the non-commissiOned officer
whose duty it was to keep them, and
saw that the howitzer on the lower deck
was loaded with craps. 1t was a quar-
ter to when Pine and he took their
station at the main hatchway determin-
ed to watch until morning.
At quarter past any curious per-
son looking through the window of Cap
tain Blunt's cabin would have seen an
unusual sight. That gallant commander
was sitting on a chair and the hand
some waiting maid Of Mrs. Vickers was
standing by his side. His gray hair
: was matted all ways about his reddened
: face, and he was blinking like an owl in
the sunshine. He had drunk a larger
quantity of wine than usual at dinner.
, "Cuc-come, Sarah," he hiccoughed.
"It's all very fine, my lass, but you
needn't be so-hic-proud, you know.
I'm a plain sailor-plain s'lor, Srr'h.
Ph'n'as Bub-blunt, commander of the
Mal-Mal-Malabar Wors 'sh good talk
in? You lovsh me, and I-hic-lovsh
, you, Sarah"
The ships bell struck seven. Now OF
t never was the time. She seized the mo.
' ment, drew from her pocket the lauda
: mum bottle and, passing her hand ovel
e his shoulder, poured half its contents
< into the glass.
Come, finish that and be quiet, OF
I'll go away" she said
: He balanced himself on his heels foI
+ a moment, and holding by the moldini
j. of the cabin, stared at her with fatu
K GUS smile of drunken admiratio thel
looked at the glass in his hand, hic
r coughed with much solemnity thrice
e and, as though struck with a suddel
/ sense of duty unfulfilled, swallowed thu
contents at gulp. The effect was al
f most instantaneous. He dropped tn,
# tumbler, lurched toward the woman a
a the door, and then making a half-turl
e in accordance with the motion of th
vessel, fell into his bunk, and snore(
: like grampus.
t Sarah Purfoy watched him for a few
:. minutes and then having blown out tn
:! light, stepped out of the cabin, and clos
/, ed the door behind her The dusky gloon
d which had held the deck on the prevou
night enveloped all forward of the mai
h mast. A lantern swung in the forecas
8 tie, and swayed with the motion of tn
a ship. The light at the prison door threy
" glow through the open hatch, and Il
( the cuddy at her right hand the usua
row of oil lamps burned. She locke
it mechanically for Vickers, who was ord
s. narily there at that hour, but the cudd
=. was empty. So much the better, sh
f thought, as she drew her dark cloa
e around her and passed Frere's door. A
e she did so, a strange pain shot throug
her temples, and her knees trembleC
e, With strong effort she dispelled tn
t. dizziness that had almost overpowere
:? her, and held herself erect. 1t woul
t never do to break down now.
l. She seemed to be listening for som,
t. thing. Her nervous system was woun
ct up to the highest pitch of exctemen
The success of the plot depended on tn
N next five minutes. At that instant tn
report of a musket shot broke the S
t, lence. The mutiny had begun!
r The sound awoke the soldier to
es sense of his duty. He sprang to h
feet, made for the door. The momer
A. for which the convict's accomplice ha
es waited approached. She clung to hil
with all her weight. Suddenly the ric
crimson died away from her lips, leavin
u them an ashen gray color. Her eye
"A closed in agony; loosing her hold of hin
she staggered to her feet, pressed h,
Is hands upon her bosom, and uttered
Oh sharp cry Of pain.
'd The fever which had been on her fl
q two days, and which, by strong exc
IT, else of will, she had struggled agai
,e encouraged by the violent excitement
X the OCCASION had attacked her at tn
IL supreme moment Deathly pale and sicI