Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-06-27
CHAPTER vi.
HUNDRED THOUSAND
POUNDS IN GOLD.

GHtIIiIIlilI5 lHG oOO iioIsIIy OtIiiiId iiisl
Shelf mopped his large white face
with a scented pocket handkerchief.
DO you think" he said n~crvously. do
you think we may trust him.
TO begin with, We've got to know,
whether we like 1t or not. He's moth
ing to gain by playing traitor"
But would he betray US in case of
succcssr'
"Perhaps." said Cainbel. ''he won't
have the chance. Other hands on that
steamer will have to share the secret in
whole or In part. Perhaps they won't
all of them come through it alive. II
you remember that we are plotting de-
ltberate piracy on the high seas. you
will recognize that there is precedent
FOR a considerable percentage of casu-
alitics.
The city man shuddcred. Through
the double windows anne the sullen
rear of n London street. and in imagi-
nation he seemed to distinguish the
howl OF the crowd Joined in eXecration
against him.
His eye fell upon a paper on the
desk. 1t was the formal notice from
her bankers that his wife's account
was heavily overdrawn. He lifted the
paper and tore 1T with his teeth, then
smote the table so that geysers flew
from the Ink wells. But his passion
found 40 outlet In words. He spoke in
his platform voice and said nothing
about the prime compelling force.
wv will not talk of these unpleasant
details. II you please, Mr.. Cambel. /
my heart is weak. l think. and they
turn me sick. But. at whatever cost.
we must go through with the affair. 1t
Is necessary that l make Il heavy coup
within the next month. or the conse-
quences may be DISASTROUS
"Marmaduke Rivers & Shelf will go
down? Quite so. 1 also am at the end
nY INV Oncb ta tn ,,,n ~ tLnt 49,.
seems to be the fmpe1llng powrr-fur
each of us. And, after all, l suppose
it's natural. Out of fiction men don't
gamble with their nccks for the sheer
amusement OF the thing. They either
do 1t for the love of place, or the love
or or the love OF gold. and of
the three the last is the best prize to
win. because with 1t you can buy the
others But come, now, wake up. sir.
II let's get on with the business. I'm
not SO sweet on this city atmosphere of
yours that l care to spend another
morning down here IL it can be avoided.
How are you going to raise the spec!eo"
I'll proceed about 1t at once" said
Shelf. pressing another OF the buttons
on his desk. You may as well wit
ness every step of the process"
In answer to the bell Fairfax came
into the room. nodded rather stiffly to
Cambel and turned to Shelf with an
~ ICSs SlT
In terse businesslike phrases his
principal touched Upon the silver crisis
in America and the gold famine i'm the
southern states. Then he explained
the external view of his projected en-
terprise. The Port Edes." he said. lis
In the Herculaneum dock, returned on
our hands today. Wire Liverpool at
once asking for freights to Norfolk, Va.
Pensacola. Fla: Mobile. Ala: or New
Orleans at lowest rates. New Orleans
Is her final port, and offer that at Is
per cent. less. Captain Owen Kettle
will be in command, and he sails in four
days from now.
when you have deputed your clerks
to do this. go yourself to the bank and
negotiate for half a million in gold to
be delivered on board the Port Edes
IN dock. The insurance policy on the
money will be deposited with the bank
to secure them in full for the loan it,
self. and for their other charges the
credit OF the house will easily suffice.
That clear?"
Perfectly said Fairfax. but 1 should
Ike to remind o OF one thing-wilarf
thefts at New Orleans are notorious.
n you'll have to pay heavily to in
sure against them"
Il know, more heavily than for risks
across the ocean and the run of the
river. Underwriters are justly nervous
about those all nation thieves. But in
this Instance l propose to save myself
that fee n insure in a different way.
MI. Cambel is going out on the Port
Edes expressly as my representative,
together will be capable Of seeing to
safe delivery. The ships arrival viii be
reported by telegraph from the pass at
Mississippi mouth, and my New
Orleans agent car calculate her ap-
pearance alongside the levee to a quar-
ter OF an hour. He will meet her with
vehicles n a strong escort of deputy
sherins as h brings in to her berth
and take the specie boxes off by the
first gangway which is put ashore. and
carry them straight to a bank. Does
this strike you as a sound course?"
YES" said Fairfax thoughfully. 81
see no undue risks. BY the way. az the
Port Edes is merely a cargo tramp
and doesn't hold certificate for passen-
gers. I'm afraid the board Of trade
wouldn't let Mr.. Cambel travel by her
simply as the firms representative,
But that could be easily overcome."
oh" said Cambel. I'll sign on ar
ships company-as fourth mate, say,
or doctor with salary of q shilling for
the run. 'Ttsn't the first time that
pleasing fiction has been palmed upon
q shipping master. 1t doesn't deceive
any one. o know. because the rate OF
We60 gives ono away at the outset
nal shipping laws are obeyed, and n
mel shipping laws are obeyed, and n
.everybody's pleased"
Fairfax laughed and went into the
of1ces. and Patrick Cambei turned Ia
tho shipowner with a couple of oues-
tions. ITO begin WITH" he said. why
did you offer freight to Norfolk AM
Pensacola and Mobile and those placed
II you call In there. the natural thins
would be to get the specie ashore and
express 1t by railroad direct to New
i Orleans. II o miss that chance M
start carrying 1t round by sea. nc
thing looks fshy at once. Now, nshi-
ness 10 an aspect which we can't AZ
ford In the very least degree. The