The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1907-05-24
TIE IRON PIRATE
~ y 1skain Tale qf sfranSs
Hacneniuss an t6e Sec
y HAx pEsBKRrss

~ HAx PEABERTeS

eEcn that came 20 hlsn In his dreadful
dream. BUT &C the lass Ne grew almost
sncoAersnt. was nish dead with want
Of eleep and fatigue, for had not rested
during the fight with the ironclads, and
| went TO sleep 81 last.
When / awoke for the third time. the
dinghy was held firmly by a boat hook.
and was being drawn towards jolly
boat full Of seamen. rose mp. rubbing
my eyes a. man seeing q vision: bur.
when the men shouted something TO me
in German. had another exclamation on
my lips: for was alone in the boat. and
Black had left me.
Then looked across the sea. and |
saw long black steamer lying to mile
away, and the men dragged me into their
craft. and shouted hearty words of en-
couragemens, and fell TO rowing with
great joy. Yet I remembered dreaming.
and il seemed to me that the voice had
heard In mr. sleep was the voice of Black,
who cried to me as he had cast himself to
his death in the Atlantic.
Was the man dead! Had he really
ended that most remarkable life of evil
enterprise and Of crime: or had he by
some miracle found safety while slept?
Had the man gone out OF my life wrap
ped In the mystery which had surrounded
him from the first? Or had he simply cast
himself from the dinghy in fit of m
sanity, and died the terrible death Of the
suicide7 / could mot answer the tremen-
dous question: but ! had not reached the
shelter of the steamer which had saved
me before I made the discovery that the
belt Of linen which had been about
Blacks waist was now about mine. /
found that II was filled with some hard
and sharp stones. Instinetively I knew
the truth that In his last hour the mas
ter Of the nameless ship had retained his
curious affection for me: had made over
to me some Of that huge hoard Of wealth
he must have accumulated by his years
OF piiiaSe: and / restrained myself with
difficulty from casting The whole there and
then Into the waters which had witnessed
his battles for II. But the belt was firm
II dashed about me, and we were on the
deck Of the steamer before my benumbed
hands could ret the flashing free.
II world be idle for me TO attempt TO
describe all I felt as the captain q the
steamship Hoffnung greeted me upon his
and his men sent up rounds
Of cheecs which echoed over the waters
I stood for ssme minutes forgetfni Of ev-
erything save that I had been snatched
from that prison Of steel: brought from
the shadow Of the living death to the
hope Of seeing friends and country and
home again. And thea there came great
- - E.x4.. - Asnz
up IN my eyes, ana fell upon my numbed
hands. With many encouraging pats on
the back. they forced me down their COM
panionway 20 the skipper's cabin, and 50
10 bunk, where | lay inanimate. and
deep In sleep for many hours. But |
awoke as another man, and when had
taken a great bowl OF soup my strength
seemed 20 return 10 me with bounds, and
I sat up 20 find they kad taken away my
clothes. but that de belt which Black had
bound ahsut me lay ut the feet Of the
bunk. and was unopened.
II was not seavy being all Of linen
finely sewed: bst when at hast made up
my mind to open \. did 50 with my
teeth, tearing the threads at the top of
IL. and % ripping il down. There fell
uksn ~ he1 some twenty o. thirty dia-
monds o. such size and iustre that they
lay sparkiinx with . thousand lights
which daxxied the eyes. and made ne utter
. CRY at snce at surprise and Of admira-
ton. White stones they were, Brazilian
Of the frst water: ana when
I undid the rest Of the seam. and opened
The beit fully, found ut least fifty more,
with some SUPERB black pearls, fine EN-
erafd, and little parcel Of exquisite
rubies. To the latter there was attached
a paper with the words. Take these
they ere honestly come by. And let me
wrise while l can that have loved you.
Remember this when you forget Captain
Black" That was an: and I judged
that TIE stones were worth Eve thousand
pounds II they were worth penny.
TAe Hodnnne wss bound to Kssigs-
bsss. but whea the skipper and I had
csme TO understand each other by signs
and writing be. with great consideration,
offered 10 put into Southampton and bave
kpe there. put OF In his long.boat with
d dep sense Of his humanity and kind.
ns~s. and with hearty cheers from his
crew.
I should have gone to the quay al once
th~n. but crossing the roads saw . yacht
AZ anchor. and ! recognized her o. my
own yacAt CeIsis. with Dan aboard. To
put TO her side was the work Of mo-
rnsnt. and l do not think that I ever
save heartier hail than that Alloy,
Dsniei. r whlch then fell from my lips.
@Ahcy r. cried Dan Ia reply. .why,
ii II amt the xuv Tnor :"
And The old fellow began TO shsut and
20 wave his srrns and to throw ropes
ahoat a. Though ~ were smitten with
lnnaey.
CHAPTER XIV.
1 MAJ sprunx % the ladder before Dan