The weekly true Democrat., 1909-09-24

t
ae hackefonnd ne cabbg lgi.
nnWed - inaatlabic cnfiosity
asberman turned. calling over
atoaider. HIf ye'd catch yoD YES.
coner
Ilh ore dnal iWinge of dOuOf--lhe
k f piacating this suriy dog vas
glbleg but invifing the American
epde % the boat and climbed IN, TAX
lhe stern seat The asherman
hoRe1 o..
- time the dory lag alongside the
tboat. The fisherman with a guarded
aaDd graspihg the laiter's gunwaie to
held the two together. With some DIFF
1cullg Kirkwood transshlDped himself.
lepdlns aspFawi IN the cockpit amld q
fsnele of cordags slippery with scales.
ne skipper followed. with clumsy sx-
periness bringing the doyy's painter
with him and hitching It to 3 Flngbolt
shaft the Fudder head. Then, pauslng
- instant to stare into lhe east with
somber eyes be shipped the tiIler and
bdl 20 the halyards AZ the sail rat
tied np. GRpplng wildly. KirkwoOd
marked with relief for It meant 50
much time saved, that II was already
close reefed.
But when at last che boom was
ehrashlng overhead and the halyards
bad been made fast 20 their cleats the
ashefman again stood erect, peering
disfrustfuily at the distant wall Of
cloud
Then, IN two breaths. cant do IT,"
be decided-.s'not at the price"
~why9'' KlrkwOod stared despair.
lly after the brigantine. that was al.
rcady drawn far ahead.
Danger" grOwled the fellow
wind"
At loss completely, KirkwoOd found !
no words. He dropped his head, con
sidering.
'sNot at the price," the sullen voice
iteEated. and he looked up to fnd the
cunning g'Ize upon him.
SHOW much, thenT
Five pun III have, no less, Tor
riskln' my life this day"
-1mpossible I haven't got It."
In silence the man unsbipped the till
ef and moved toward the eleats,
"Hold on a minute"
KirkwOod unbuttOned his coat and,
freeing the chain from bis waistcoat
butsonholes, removed his watch. AZ
well abandon them altogether he had
designed to leave them as security
Cor the f2 and had delayed stating the
terms only for fear lest they be re-
fused. Now, too late, as ever. be rec
Ognized bis error But surely, be
thought, It should be apparent even to
that low Intelligence that the time
piece alone was worth more than the
boat itself.
kWnl you take these7" he offered
Take and keep them. Only set me
aboard that shlpl"
Deliberately the fisherman weighed
the watch and chain IN his broad, hard
palm, eyes narrowing to mere slits IN
his bronzed mask.
"HoW muchT be asked slowly.
Eighty pounds together The chain
alone cost me twenty"
The sbifty, eovetOus eyes ranged
from the treasure IN bis hand to the
threatening east A pun Of wind
rauaht the sail and sent the boom
athwartships like a mighty fail Both
nb ducked instinCtively to escape a
Draining.
~HOw DO knOwY objected the
skipper.
"rm telling you. II you've eyes you
can see." retorted Klrkwood savagely.
seeing that be had erred in telling the
truth. The amount he had named was
too great to be grasped at once by this
crude. cupidinOus brain.
"HOW do ] knowT" the man repeat
ed Nevertheless he dropped watch
and chain into his pocket, then, with a
meaning grimace, extended again bis
horny. greedy palm.
what
"1and over tn two pun and wen 60. " :
"I1i see you hanged nrstP'
ashore ye go' He pronounced his
ultimatum, motloning KirkwoOd to en-.
ter the boat
The American turned, looking for
the Ashea or for the vessel that be
believed bore that name. She was
bearing the llghtship when be found
her, and as be looked a squail blurred
the afr between them. bl0tting the I
tEigautlne out with q smudge OF rain. {
r1a. :. - - -. - / 4.