The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-06-17

his bronzed mask.
'How much?" he asked slowly.
Eighty pounds together. The chain
alone cost me twenty"
The shifty. covetous eyes ranged
from the treasure in his hand to the
threatening east A puff Of, wind
caught the sail and sent the boom
athwartships like mighty flail. Both
men ducked instinctively to escape a
Draining
"How do l knows" objected the
skipper
I'm telling you. II you've eyes you
can see." retorted Kirkwood savagely.
seeing that he had erred In telling the
truth. The amount he had named ives
700 grest to be grasped at once by THU
crude. cupidlnous brain.
How do ] know?. the man repeat.
ed. Nevertheless he dropped watch
and chain into his pocket. then. with q
meaning grimsce, extended again his
horny, greedy palm.
"What"-
Hand over th' two pun and wen 20. '
''I'll see you hanged firstw
ashore We CO." He pronounced his
ultimatum. motioning Kfrkwood TO en-
ter the boat.
The American turned. looking fol
the Alethea or for the vessel that he
believed bore that name She was
nearing the lightship when he found
her. aud as he looked squat blurred
the air between them. blotting the
brlgantine out with a smudge of rain.
The effect was as II she had vanished.
ms If she were forever snatched from
his grasp. and with Dorothy aboard
her-heaven alone knew In what need
Of him.
Mute and blind with despair and
wrath. he turned upon the man and
caught him by the collar, forcing him
out over the lip Of the overhang. They
were unevenly matched. Kirkwood far
the slighter. but strength came TO him
In the crisis. physical strength and ad.
dress such as he had not dreamed were
at his command. And the surprise OF
his onslaught proved an ally Of un.
guessed potency. Before he himself
knew II he was standing on the over
hang and had shifted his hold TO seize
the fellow about the waist: then. lift
Ing him clear of the deck and aided
by the lurch Of the catboat. he cast
him bodily into the dory. The man,
falling. struck his head against one OF
the thwarts-a glancing blow that
stunned him temporarily. Kirkwood
himself dropped as II shot. trailing
reef point slapping his cheek until II
stung as the boom thrashed overhead.
II was as close a call as he had known.
The knowledge sIckened him little.
Without rising he worked the paint
er loose and cast the dory adrift. then
crawled back into the cockpit. Nc
pang Of compassion disturbed him rs
he abandoned the fisherman 10 the
mercy of Inc sea. Though the fellow
lay still, uncouthly distorted. In the
bottom Of the dory. he was in no dan.
ger. The wind and waves together
would carry the boat ashore. For that
matter. the man was even then re.
covering. struggling to sit up.
Crouching 10 avoid the boom. Kirk.
wood went forward 10 the bows and,
grasping the moorlng cable. drew II In,
slipping back Into the cockpit 10 get a
stronger purchase with his feet. II
was struggle. The boat pulled slug.
gishly against the wind. The cable inch
Ing In jealousy. And behind him he
could hear n voice believing inarticu.
late menaces and knew that In another
moment the fisherman would be NJ bis
oars.
Frantically he tugged and tore at the
Shiny rope. hauling with a win and I
prayer. II gave more readily toward
the end. but he seemed TO have fought
with II for ages when nj last the an
Choir trlpped and he got II In.
Immediately be leaped back 70 ths
stern. fitted In the tiller and. seizins
the mainsheet. drew the boom In I'll
the wind should catch IN the canvas
In the dory the skipper. bending az hi
oars. was not two yards astern.
He was hard aboaS when. the sal
filling with bang. Kirkwood pulles