The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-29
The Captain of
the Kansas.
By LOUIS TRACY,
Author of THE Wings of the Mornir ~
''The Pillar of Light" Etc.
Observation-Disclosures
Copyright. 1906. by Edward ]. clode.

captured by the Indians after a useless
resistance in which three were killed
The dead men supplied a ghoulish
feast next day, and the others were
bound securely and placed in a cave
in order to be killed at intervals, an
exact parallel to the fate of Suarez's
own companions five years earlier.
But on this occasion a woman inter
vened. Suarez confessed very reluc-
family that there was a girl in the
tribe to whom he had taught some
words Of his own language. He
declared that the relations between
them were those of master and serv.
ant, but the poor creature had fallen
in love with him and had become near.
ly frantic with grief when he disap-
peared. 1t was difficult to analyze he1
motives, but she had undoubtedly freed
the eleven sailors and led them over
the rocks at low water to a cave on
Guanaco hill, believed by the Indians
to be haunted. The Indians dared not
follow, but they took good care that
no canoes were obtainable In which
the unhappy fugitives could reach the
sup, anu tuSy were COuEQS0L luaI
hunger would soon drive them forth.
Courtenay's brow became black with
anger when he understood the signifi
canoe of this staggering story.
at comes to this he said to Chris
tobal. 1.-THE men who got away from
the Kansas in No. lifeboat fell into
the hands Of the savages early on the
dau of fhn cnin,c arrival hare Cpara,
slipped his cable that night, being
aware of the time that eleven white
captiyes were still alive. Yet he SAID
no word. not even when he heard thai
we had seen one of the boats water
casks in a canoe. What sort of meal
hound can he be?"
Suarez needed no translation 70
grasp the purport Of Courtenay's
words. He besought the senior captain
to have patience with him. He haC
escaped from a living tomb and felt
that he would yield up his life rather
than return. Therefore when he saw
how few in number and badly armed
were they on board the ship he thought
| 1t best to remain silent as to the fate OF
| the boats crew. In the first place, he
| fully expected that they had been kill
ed by the Indians, who would be en-.
ragged by his own disappearance; sec.
ondly, he alone knew how hopeless any
attempt at rescue must prove; final.
~, he wished to spare the feelings OF
those who had befriended him. OF
what avail were useless mind tortur
ings regarding the hapless beings liz
the hands of the savages?
There was a certain plausibleness in
| this reasoning which curbed Courte
nays wrath, though it in no way di
minished his disgust.
ASK him to ascertain if the Indians
believe the white men are still living
he said. A fresh series of grunts and
clicks elected the fact that the smoke
column seen the previous day on Guam
AGO hill had not been created by the
| tribe. Suarez begged the senior captain
to remember that he had spoken truly
when he declared that its meaning was
unknown to him. Probably from what
he now learned the girl who threw ii
her lot with the sailors had built a fire
there.
Courtenay turned on his heel ant
| quilted the cabin. Christobal, vel
knowing how the demons of doubt an(
despair were affecting Courtenay, fol
lowed him to the upper deck. Boyle
was in the chart house, and Tolle
mache Each man noted the captains
troubled face.
| OH tall
With the tact which never failed him
even in such a desperate crisis as this
he handed the doctor his binoculars
Then both men looked at the SUNNI
Of Guanaco hill. Though it was higl
noon and the landscape was simmer
ing in the heat mist created by the I'm
usual power and brilliance of the sun
they distinctly saw a thin pillar o
smoke rising above the trees. Courte
nay closed his telescope. He made t
approach Boyle, evidently for the pur
pose of giving some order, when Chris
tobal said quietly:
wait! l have something to say t
you. You ought to remain on the ship
Let me go!'
Your
Eyes, l. After all, it is only matte
of taking command. One man canno
go alone. He could not even pull TIL
lifeboat so far; hence what you ca
do can do, and have no objection t
dying in that way"
why should either of us die?"
you know better than I how littl
chance there is Of saving those mer
You may deem me callous If sugges
that the reasonable thing would be t
forget the miserable statement 20
have just heard. Oh, please hear me t
the end. 1 am not talking for your sol
benefit, believe me. Greatly as l an
/ all on board are beholden to you, ] d
: not propose giving my life in you
stead because of my Astounding adm
ration for your many virtues. Wei
then, since you are so impatient as
hQ almost r11do T oOrao cfr.o iChf RI fh