Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-02-14
CHAPTER XvII.-(Continued.) J

beast: but when he saw that | was un
moved, he fell quiet again, and said in
low. coaxing voice:
"Don's compel me. lad, to do what
have meant not to do. You're here fo
good or III. These men are nothing tt
you; they're lazy hogs that the world
own carcass. You've been here days nov
the first man that ever lived among u:
without signing our papers. You've {
straight notion that my hands agen Eu
rope, and, for the matter of that. ager
the world too: those that share with mt
shall swing with me. 1t isn't of my ask
ing that you're amongst us, or that yor
took up the work of Hall, who put the
first nail in his coffin that night he came
to my bed at Spezia. I saw him there
though he thought me sleeping and that
night | wrote death against his name, as
| wrote it against yours when you entered
my room in Paris. There's reasons why
I've broken my word in your case, though
you'll never know 'em: but there's nc
reason why you shouldn't swear to &c
through it with me. There's my papers
Sign 'em now. or you lie corpse before
an hour on the clock"
He leaned over his writing table and
put into my hands a rough sheet of parch-
ment. But my eyes were dimmed with
the restless excitement of the situation
The silence of the room was terrible to
bear; it was as though I struggled for
life while already in the tomb. My
thoughts went hurriedly to Europe, to my
home, to my friends. I took heart for a
step which was the last mad design of a
driven man.
Give me the pen - said suddenly.
He put the pen into my hands. and
leaned back with a chuckle of satisfac-
ton; but the movement cost him the
game. I clutched his pistol with light
ming grasp, and covered him with it.
''If you raise finger III shoot you like
dog" I cried.
Then the man, who was no craven. sat
motionless in his chair, and his face might
have been cut from marble.
'Tf you raise your voice to call out, or
If anyone comes to this room, you die
where you sit" I said
boy, you're the first that's bested
Black" he said I'm caught like a rat
in the hole. What do ye want? Name
it, and I'll know how we stand.'
81 want my life-now that l refuse to
sign that paper. You can give the order
that no mans to lay finger on me, and
you will?"
He thought moment, looking straigt
down the barrel of the Colt. Then he
said:
"Yes, l can't avoid that-I'll give you
that"
And my liberty on the first occasion
Offering"
NO" he replied very slowly and stern
ly they'd te r me to pieces
There was no doubt that he had right
in this. I put the pistol down; then |
offered him my hand. and he jumped up
from his seat, grasping it with great
clutch.
you're a sound plank of boy"
The sound of firing, rapid and oft re-
peated came to us from the shore of the
cove below. He went to his window and
7 saw the whole bay lit with silver light
from a full-risen moon, and the distant
peaks as grim beacons above a land of
rest. Out on the snow there was hun
prv crowd of starving souls, crying for
bread; and those to whom they cried an
swered them with their muskets, dyeing the
plittering white with many red stream.
For heavens sake, help those men. If
YOU have anything but the instincts OF
brute in you !" I cried
There was a pause before he answered
me. Then he snatched a rifle from a
case and said:
Take that pistol and come on. There's
blood to let"
followed him down the passage b the
beach. where he blew a whistle sharp
and shrill
..That'll wake 'em on the ship" he ex-
nlained. I'm not afeard of these, but
there's fighting to be done-now don't
show till you're wanted"
He advanced towards the snow plain
and sang out:
John, you there, Dick-hands to quar-
ters. do you hear me? Move right quick,
or I'll move you y
They put down their arms from their
shoulders in blank amazement, and list
ened to him as he went on:
"There's enough down for one night, l
reckon, and I'm not going to be kept
wake by your firing"
They came round him slowly and sulk
;lv. and he drove them to the big houses
with fine round phrases. l lurked near
him. but an American saw me and cried
"Say. Cap'en, hev ye took to adoptin'
that boy ez ye seems so fond Off"
"Shut your jaw, or I'll shut it for
you ~ replied Black. "Is the boy your
affairT
at calcerlate an some of us wishes to
know particler if he's signed or no."
"Oh, you want to know, do you? Let
hem as makes complaint step right here"
Only four Joined the leader; but the
vaptain suddenly snatched my revolver
from me, and fired four shots; and for
Zach shot a man dropped dead on the
,each; but the American stood untouch ID.
rhe appalling brutality of the action
,eemed to awe the rest of the crew. They |
,tood motionless, dumb with their rage ; |
,ut when they recovered themselves they |
.ushed upon us with wild ferocity. |
,eard a shout from the water and look
ng there, | saw Doctor Osbart in the
aunch: and there was a Maxim gun in
he bows of her.
"Clear that beach," roared Black in
,wful passion; and instantly, as he drop |
ned fat and | initiated him, there was
hail of bullets, and the main part of
he crowd fell shriekins. The victory was