Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-10-27

poured himself out stiff whisky and
water and drained the glass to the last
drop He had resolved to put an end
to the farce he had been acting. and
let Shil know exactly what had hap
pened.
why can't you answer" said Shil.
blind, and can't see thing | anu
helpless in your hands
tbs the judgment of God" said
Tankerlane, speaking in his natural
voice. ''Tt is your own sin that has
brought you to this, John Shil.'
who are your" cried Shil, trying
to rise to his feet and falling back in
his weakness What has happened !?
Where is Yardley? Who are you, damn
you-can't you speak? / know your
voice"
st seems you do not" Tankerlane
replied. But | will enlighten you.
am William Tankerlane."
''Tankerlane," he cried ,harshly.
Here, Playle. Yardley! where are
you? Why can't you answer? Why
don't you come? Playle, Yardley!"
1T is no good calling to them" said
Tankerlane quietly. They have been
washed overheard. You and are the
only two men on this vessel.
"Transom9 where is he? What has
happened to him.
Il am Transom,' Tankerlane re-
piled.
"You?-Oh, see: a very pretty lit
What's your game, Tankerlane?'
oJ,n W.T. J.; 10 n1y ff,
Conasea Island You are my guest
my honored, if unwelcome guest"
I'm afraid I'm rather at your
mercy" said shil, bl t don't imagine
that / shant make fight for it"
My dear, Shil," Tankerlane replied
with a laugh, 81 have no intention of
coming to blows with you. You have
been punished enough already. But
perhaps you would like to know that
you owe your life to me. I was alone
on Black Spit Island when found you
in the reeds. 1t would have been easy
enough for me to have returned to the
boat and said nothing about it. You
would have been dead by now"
Shil did not reply. He did not be-
lieve Tankerlane's statement; but,
even if he had done so, he felt but lit
tie gratitude to the man who had res
cued him from death.
Il hope you realise" continued
Tankerlane, that if l had wished to
get rid of you, could have done 50
by merely Withholding my assistance.
Once, If remember right, a man call
ed out to you to save him from death.
and you withheld the hand that would
he In INV
was not even a cry for help. | had
but to turn on my heel and walk
away"
What do you want of me?" asked
Shil, who began to see that Tanker
lane had some object in reminding
him Of this debt of gratitude.
Il want to impress on you that for
the time being there must be truce
between us. We are, if you will ex-
cuse the pleasantly, in the same boat.
Her big sail has come to grief, and
gone over the side. She is at present
humping on sandbank which seems
to be as hard as a rock. Now know
nothing whatever about boats, or sail
ing. and you, I believe, know a little.
II you will tell me what to do, I'll
do it. Twill be time enough for you
and I to fight, when we've got safe to
land
Where's the wind?"
fright behind us.
Is the jib set?"
Eyes, if you mean the little sail in
the 'front.'
well, take it down. It's only driv-
ing us farther on the bank You'll find
the halliard-the rope that hoists It
up-at the foot of the mast We'd bet
ter drop anchor till daylight, and wait
for help"
No replied Tankerlane firmly
I'VE must try to get off this bank and
get to Conasea tonight Wind and tide
are both behind US
Very Wen" said Shil," we must
wait till we drive over the bank She's
a strong boat if shell stand much
more of this humping. But aren't you
afraid to take me with you to
Conasea?'
NO replied Tankerlane with a
grim smile. Il am not afraid
We'll. get up on deck and try to
fix the position of all the lights you
can see. Then come down and tell
me, and I'll try to direct you on the
proper course. It's Jitch dark, sup
pose?"
yes, pitch dark" But when Tan
kerlane had taken # the hatch and
CraWled out on deck he was agreeably