Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-04

and fired point Dlank at the SdVdgeS.
But the women were padding away
vigorously, and the shot splashed in
the water on all sides of the canoe,
though a howl and a series of violent
contortions showed that one at least
OF the pellets had stung the wizened
Indian whom Suarez believed to be a
newcomer.
There was no second shot-cartridges
were too precious to be wasted at an
impossible range-but the undeniable
fact remained that the Indians meant
to be aggressive. For little time no
one spoke. They heard the echoes of
the gunshot family thrown back by
the nearest wall Of rock. The regular
plash of the paddles as the canoe sped
shoreward was distinctly audible. They
watched the tiny craft until it vanish
ed round the wooded point which con-
cealed Otter creek.
The muff1ed clang of hammer broke
the silence which had fallen on the
watchers from the ship. Walker had
slipped back to his beloved engines.
Had he not vowed that the massive
willing arms on or about New Years
day2 He had forgotten the cannibals
and their threats ere he was at the
foot of the engine room ladder. Courte-
nay and Tollemache joined him; Chris
tObal went to the salon to visit his
patients; Elsie was left with Mr.. Boyle,
who forthwith fell into a doze, being
worn out by the fresh air and the ex-
element.
Joey, having followed Courtenay to
the one doorway in the ship which he
could not enter, trotted back to find
Elsie. She greeted him with enthu-
siasm.
"Hail, friend" she said "You at
tleast are not jealous if speak to your
master, wherein you show your ex-
ceeding wisdom. Now, since you and
I are persons of leisure, tell me, joey,
what we shall do to make ourselves
useful"
The dog was accustomed to being
spoken to. He awaited developments.
at seems to me, Joey" she contin-
|ued, that Guglielmo Frascuelo is the
one person on board who claims our
lattention. There is a mystery to be
Isolved. Bound up in it are my poor
Isc5ei, that beast Ventana and a
drunken coal trimmer-an odd assert
Iment to rub shoulders, don't you
think 2"
Joey still reserved his opinion. When
the girl went to the forecastle by climb
ing down the sailors ladder to the low
Ter deck he thought she was making a
mistake, but she held her arms for his
lspring, and all was well. She had not
previously visited the quarters set
APART for the crew. Puzzled by the
names of subordinate officers painted
on them, she paused and cried loudly:
"Are you there, Frascuelo? May ]
speak to your"
An exclamation Of surprise, a some
what forcible exclamation, too, answer
ed her from an inner berth. Fras-
cuelo had heard from the Chilean who
brought his meals that there was an
Englishwoman ON board, but he did
not know that she spoke Spanish flu
emily. aor r4 - src''
Frascuelo was reclining ON a lower
bunk. His injured leg was well on the
way toward recovery, but the wound
and its resultant confinement had
chastened him. He had lost the brig
andish swagger which was his most
cherished asset.
After acknowledging inquiries as tC
his progress he showed such eagerness
for news that Elsie told him briefly
what had caused the latest uproar
She cheered him, too, with the an
nouncement made by the engineer ant
then led him to the topic on which she
sought information.
"In some ways I regard you as mos
unfortunate" she said. II have beer
told you are here by accident; that yor
never meant to take the voyage at all
, Is that true?'
Frascuelo, delighted to have secured
| a sympathetic listener, poured fortl
, his sorrows volubly. He bore no il
! will against the captain, he said. 81
/ knew it was wrong to draw knife OF
/ the chief officer, as his tale was al
unlikely one, and he ought to have
trusted to more orderly recital Of tn,
facts to obtain credence.
| "But was that mad, senorita, jus
, saw red, and the drink was yet surg
Ing up in me. felt must fight some
body, whatever the consequences"
| Can you tell me why any one hat
: such grievance against you that yol
, should be thrown into the hold ant
nearly killed? That was a strang,
thing to do, especially as you cam,
, aboard too late for your work"
{ "Ah, that is the point, senorita. 70,
see, we trimmers work In gangs, ant
J the man who flung me through tn,
. hatch was the man who had taken m,
, place. see no reason to doubt that
+ was he who made me drunk the previ
GUS evening, and know who dit
, that"
what was his manner"
) Jose Anacleto-Tose the Winebag
] we call him on the plaza. I ought t
have smelled mischief when Jose paid
, Never before had l seen him do sucI
/ a thing. And a good liquor too. Dios
, /, 1t must have cost him dollars"
i, | "Nhqf Ohiocf had ha In covv,tpo "A,