The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-02-23

] It might have been . mad hope. but
yet It was hope. Unless the man -Four
Eyes" deliberately deceived me. Black
would connive at the murder OF fifty
British seamen before another twenty
four hours had sped. These men would
have all the anger Of desperation to drive
them to the attack; and l felt sure that
If could get some arms into their hands,
the attempt would at least be justifable.
During the remaining hours OF the day
l engaged myself in searching the houses
on the beach but, although looked into
many Of them, found no sign of armory.
Then I remembered that Black had
| stand of Winchester rifles In his study.
had hopes that they would suffice, with
knives and any revolvers l might lay
hands upon, to hold ring of men against
the company. This thought l Rugged to
me all day, going often to the iron plat
form above the creek to know II there
were any sign of the release Of the min
ers, or of preparation for getting rid OF
them.
Towards evening, when l was weary
with the watching, there was the sound
Of a gunshot below in the creek; and l
went to my window, and saw the whole OF
a cruel scene. Some twenty OF these sea-
men, black as they had come from the
coal shaft, were going ashore from a long
boat, while an electric launch was bring
ing twenty more from the outer creek
where the nameless ship lay. But the
men who had first landed were surround
ed by the others of Blacks company {:
and were being driven towards the hills,
and 50 to the great desolate plain OF
snow where no human thing could long
retain life. The pirates hit Justify with
the butt ends of their pistols; the honest
fellows used their fists, and many man
they laid his length upon the rock. Inch
by inch they gave way, were driven to-
wards the ravines and the countless miles
of snow plain; and as the battle ragged,
the armed began to shoot with murderous
purpose. Death at last was added to the
horrors, and, as body after body rolled
down the rocky slope and fell splashing
into the water, those unwounded took
panic at the sight and fed with all posi-
bic speed away up the side of the glacier
mount, and SO to their death in that
frozen refuge beyond.
At Z o'clock dined as usual l closed
my own door, and for three hours or more
l paced my chamber, the fever of antici-
patton and of design burning me az with
fire.
OF the doors about, the majority were
closed; but the Doctors was open. l be-
gan to feel my way in the binding dark.
My first proceeding was to run upon some
slight article of furniture and to overturn
it. Twice l went round the room, and
could not put my hand upon the rifles
but at the third attempt l found them,
and gave a sigh of relief. Then an over
whelming terror struck me chill and pow
erless. My sigh was echoed from the cor
ner by the window; and low chuckle Of
laughter followed it. I stood as q man
petri6ed, my hand upon a gun, but my
nerves strained to q tension that was hor-
rible to bear.
In another moment the electric light
flooded the chamber, and l saw Black
sitting at his writing table, observing me,
a jeer upon his lips, and all the terrible
malice of his nature written in his keen
and mocking eyes. He had q revolver
cooked at his left hand, but pen in his
right; while manuscript lay before him,
50 that he must have been in the room for
some time, and had extinguished his light
only at my coming. He leaned over the
table, and drew near to it a lounge on
which the skin of polar bear was spread.
"Sit here" he said, and at the bluff
word my nerve came back to me. you're
a smart boy, and have ideas, but, like
all little boys, your ideas don't go far
enough. 1 was just the same when l was
your age, always trying to climb perpen-
dicular places, and always falling down
again. Silly lad, to put your head into q
business which never concerned you.
81 came here tonight to stop your
numbering fifty innocent men," I said,
but he started up at the words and raved
like a maniac.
"And who made you Judge? Who
set you to watch me, or give your opin-
ions on what l do or what I don't dot
Who asked you whether you liked it or
didn't like it,"
Ito be continued.)