Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-08-19

VIZ AH' hSSi, oi'olAoS lAS ~ JUL llcCh
above a pair of heavy shoulders.
DIRTY weather." he croaked, facing
back from his survey of the eastern
skies before the American found out
whether or not he should resent his
insolence.
"How much?" Kirkwood demanded
CURLY, annoyed.
The man hesitated, scowling blackly
at the heeling vessel momentarily in
creasing her distance from the shore.
Then, with n crafty smile. 'Two pun"
he declared.
The American nodded. Very WE'LL"
he agreed simply. Get out your
boat"
The fisherman turned away to sham
bic noisily over the slingle, huge
booted heels crunching, toward one of
the dorics. To this he set his Shout
der. showing it steadily down the
beach until only the stern was dry.
Kirkwood looked back for the last
time, up the road to S%heerness. Moth
ing moved upon it. He was rid of
Mrs. Hallam, if face to face With n
sterner problem. He had a few pence
over 10 shillings in his pocket and had
promised to pay the man four times rs
much. He would have agreed to ten
times the sum demanded, for the boat
he mast and would have. But he had
neglected to conclude his bargain, to
coIne to an understanding rs to the
method of payment. and he felt more
than a little dubious as to the rcccp-
ton the fisherman would give his
proposition, sound as lie ~ONirkwood)
know it 10 be.
In the BACKGROUND the cabby loi-
tered, gn0wcd by Unsuitable curiosity.
The fisherman turned. calling over
his shoulder. IF we'd catch yon YES
sci, come"
With final tWinge of doubt-the
task of %placating this surly dog was
anything but i%nyiting-thc American
STROBE to the boat and climbed in, tax
ing the stern seat. The fisherman
showed eff.
In time the dory lay alongside the
catboat. the fisherman with Il gnarled
hand grasping the latter's gunwale to
hold the two together. With some diff
ficulty kirkwood transshipped himself,
landing asprawl in the cockpit amid q
tangle Of cordage slippery with scales.
The skipper followed, with clumsy ex-
pertness bringing the dory's painter
with him and hitching it to a ringbolt
abaft the rudder head. Then, pausing
an instant to stare into the east with
somber eyes, he shipped the tiller and
bent to the halyards. AS the sail rat
tied up, Tapping wildly, Kirkwood
marked with relief, for it meant so
much time saved, that 1t was already
close reefed.
But when at last the boom was
thrashing overhead and the halyards
had been made fast to their cleats the
fisherman again stood erect, peering
distrustfully at the distant wall of
cloud.
Then, in two breaths, Cant do it,"
he decided-"not at the price"
"Why?" Kirkwood stared despair
ingly after the brigantine, that was al
ready drawn far ahead.
Danger" growled the fellow
wind"
AT Il loss completely, kirkwood found
no words. He dropped his head, con-
sidering.
Not at the price," the sullen voice
iterated. and he looked up to find the
cunning gaze upon him.
"IIoW much, then?'
give pun I'll have, no less, for
risliin' my life this day"
"inpossible. | haven't got it."
In silence TIE mai unshipped the till
er and moved toward the cleats.
Told on Il minute"
kirkwood unbuttoned his coat and,
freeing the chain from his waistcoat
~buttonholes, removed his watch. AS
we'll abandon them altogether. lie had
designed to leave them as security
for the 80 and had delayed stating the
terms only for fear lest they be re-
fused. Now, too late, as cver, he rec
ognized his error. But surely, he
thought, it should be apparent even to
that low intelligence that the time
piece dlOllC was WOEIu more Iuuu Tie
boat itself.
"VVill you take these?" he offered.
''Take and keep them. Only set me
aboard that ship!"
Deliberately the fisherman weighed
the watch and chain in his broad, hard
palm. eyes narrowing to mere Sits in
his bronzed mask.
GLOW 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 a mighty fail. Both
men ducked instinctively to escape a
Draining.
"How do I know?" objected the
skipper.
TIN telling you. If you've eyes you
a see," retorted Kirkwood savagely,
seeing that he had erred in telling the
truth. The amount he had named was
too great to be grasped at once by this
crude, cupidinous brain.