Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-03-31

came 10 nelp, Sne Salu caiInly.
you must go back to your cabin at
once
"Why? OF what avail is the safety
of my cabin If you are killed."
A woman's logic is apt to be irritat-
ing when one expects flight Of ar
rows or, it may be, gunshot out of
the blackness few feet away.
FOR goodness sake, stand here,
then" he cried, selling her arm and
compelling her to shelter behind the
heavy molding which carried the
bridge. Then he quilted her for a
moment in order to dispatch Chilean
sailor for lantern and long cord.
He wished to investigate the captured
canoe.
The lantern was brought. COurtenay
stood ON the lowermost rail and care
fully paid ont a rope to which the
light was slung. He was far too brave
q man to take undue risks. He was
ready to shoot instantly if need be,
and by his instructions Tollemache
and Walker kept watch as best they
could in case other canoes We're lying
close to the ship.
Any doubt in this regard was dis
PEELED in singular manner. The flick
ering rays of the lantern had barely
revealed the primitive craft lying
alongside when q voice came from the
depths, crying in broken Spanish:
Don't shoot, senors! Spare me, for
the love of heaven! am white man
from Argentina"
Christobal and Elsie alone understood
the exact significance of the words.
Courtenay of course knew what lam
guage was being spoken, and it was
easy to guess the nature of the appeal.
But the lantern showed that the ca
noe was empty. In the center lay the
Fuegian fire, its embers covered with
a small hide. The pole, fastened to a
crosSpece in the thwarts, was not a
mast, but had evidently been shipped
In order to give speedy access to the
deck by climbing.
Then Courtenay caught sight of two
hands clinging to the stern Of the ca.
noe. He swung the lantern in that
direction, and an extraordinary and
even an affrighting object became Wis
ible. a caricature of q human head
was raised slightly above the level of
the water. 1t was crowned by a shock
OF coarse black knotted hair tied
back from the brows by fillet of
white feathers. An intensely black
face, crossed by two bars of red and
white pigment, reaching from ear to
ear and covering eyelids, nose and
lips, was upturned to the watchers
from the deck. The colors We're vivid
enough Notwithstanding the sheets of
rain which blew In gusts against the
ships side, dimming the dull light OF
storm proof lamp, to convey a most
uncanny effect. Nor did Courtenay re-
| move either his eyes or the revolver
while he said to Christobal:
ASK him who he is and what be
wants.
The answer was ineligible enough:
81 am miner from Argentina.
have been among these Indians five
years. When their attack failed ]
thought there was a chance Of escape
For PHYS sake, senior, help me instant
ly or 1 shall die from the cold"
Have the Indians gonew asked
Christobal.
Eyes. They thought to surprise you
When they. come again 1t will be by
| daylight, as they are afraid of the
dark. But be quick, implore you. My
hands are numb"
| There was no resisting the mans ap
peal. A rope ladder was lowered, ant
a Chilean sailor went down in ODE
dience to the captains order, though
he disliked the job and crossed him
self before descending. He passed {
rope under the fugitive's armpits ant
with aid from the deck hoisted hin
aboard. The unfortunate miner CAV,
proof Of his wretched state by prompt
| ~ collapsing in faint with a sigh O
"Madre de Dios!'
His only garments were a species Of
waistcoat and rough trousers of un
tanned guanaco hide. The white Skin
of his breast and legs, though darken
ed by exposure, showed that he hat
told the truth as to his descent, not
withstanding the amazing daubs on hi
face. His hair, stiffened with blacl
grease, stood out all around his head
and the same oily composition hat
been used to blacken his forehead
neck and hands.
Some brandy and hot water, com
bined with the warmth Of the salon
soon revived him. He ate a quantit,
of bread with the eagerness Of q mai
suffering from starvation.
Christobal brought him to the char
house, where most of the others wer,
assembled, and there questioned him.
4 1t was most astonishing story
which Francisco Suarez, gold mine
and prospector. laid before an exceed
ingly attentive audience. AS the maj
spoke so did he recover the freer usag,
of civilized tongue. At first hil
words had hoarse, cultural sound
but DR.. Christobal's questions seemed
to awaken dormant memories, and ev
cry one noticed, not least those wht
had small knowledge Of Spanish, thai
he had practically recovered commanl
of the language at the end Of half al
hour.
Il And this was what he foId than