The Lake County times., 1908-04-11
The Captain of
the Kansas.
By LOUIS TRACY,
Author of THE Wings of the Morniua."
The Pillar of Light" Etc.
Copyright, 1906, by Edward ]. clode.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Char ISODel Barring anu he Were-Well,
how shall I put it?-at any rate, there
was a lively summer hotel sort of at
tachment between them"
'Isobel has never told me that" said
Elsie. nerving herself for a personal
disclosure which was obviously dis
agreeable II own a small ranch near
Quillota, and as there was a chance of
copper being located there Mr.. Barring
advised me to employ Ventana as an
expert prospector. Indeed, Mr. Barring
himself sent Ventana to examine the
property and report on it. He came to
see me. He told me there were no
minerals of value on my land. but
could never free myself from him aft
erward. In fact, / am running away
from him now"
She uttered the concluding words
with a genuine indignation which
forthwith evaporated in its uncon-
scsous humor. Everybody laughed,
even the girl herself, and Boyle grunt-
ed:
"Huh-shows the beggars good taste
anyhow"
Courtenay perhaps thought that If he
encountered Ventana again he would
take the opportunity to reason with
him in the approved manner of the.
high seas. And as there was no need
to prolong a topic which caused Elsie
any sort Of embarrassment he hasten
ed to say:
'I have brought names into the dis
cussion largely to show what a doubt
full field is opened once we begin to
suspect without real cause. The only
witness Of any value we have on board
is Frascuelo, and his evidence merely
goes to prove q secret design to inter
fere with or control the trimming of
the bunker. That particular hatch
must be sealed and the specimens we
have secured put away under lock and
key. / feel assured that the remainder
Of our coal is above suspicion. We
can carry the inquiry no further while
we remain here. Now, Mr.. Walker.
you have something of a more cheer
ing nature to communicate, I think"
The engineer grinned genially.
'T don't wish to bind myself to a
day or so. Miss Maxwell and gentle
men," he said, "but I've had a good
look at the damage, an / feel pwitty
ehu-aw I'll get up steam in one boil-aw
within ten days or a faRtnight- Itn
be a makeshift job at the best be-
cause have so few spa-aw fittin's Pm
20 cnance of maxim a castin', but ITs
bet a ye'aw's pay the Kansas gets q
move on her undaw her own steam
! soon aftaw New Ye-aw's day."
, New Years dayl What q lump In
the throat the words brought In three
days it would be Christmas, in seven
more the new year! Though from the
r beginning of the voyage they were pre-
pared to pass both festivals at sea,
8 there was all the difference in ths
ward home and friends and the pres
ent plight of the Kansas. Death, too,
had thrown it's shadow over them.
Some there were to whom the passing
of the years would mean no more in
this world. Others, the great majority
Of the ships company, were probably
hidden by the same eternal silence
: The last sight they had of them was q
) dim vision Of boats rushing into q
} chaos Of angry seas and sheeted spray
} But Courtenay would have none OF
these mournful memories. isn't that
; glorious newsT he cried. "Now, Chris
tobal, that motor trip in June through
the Pyrenees looks feasible once more
, And you, Miss Maxwell. though you
, have never quailed for an instant, car
, hope to- be In England in the spring
I As for you, Tollemache, surely you
! will say that our prospects are fair a
! the least"
, 81 would say more than that If i
, were not for these poisonous Indians,
B replied ToIlemache. Here they come
, now, a whole canoe load of 'em.
, have never seen such rotters."
7 And, indeed, Francisco Suarez, detail
I ed to keep watch and ward over tn,
ship until noon, ran up the companion
) and cried excitedly:
, -Four headmen have just pulled of
B from Otter creek. They have missed
B me. l expect. They will want me t
> go back. beseech you. senor captain
: not to give me up to them. but rathe
|. to send bullet through my miserable
Z heart"
! Tell him to calm himself" sait
, Courtenay coolly when Christobal hat
. translated this flow of cultural Span
D ish. "He has no cause to fear then
. now. Let him nerve himself and shoy
, a bold front. A palaver is the bes
? thing that can happen. We must dis
Z play all the arms we possess. Bid an.
: Of your invalids who can stand uprigh
! show themselves. Christobal. We mus
; lift you outside, Boyle. Bring you
. camera, Miss Maxwell. If we coul
. give these fellows a good picture o
. themselves it would scare them t
. DEATH"
~ Courtenay infected them all with hi
splendid optimism. 1t was with cur.
Z osity rather than dread that the
a watched the rapid approach of the CO