Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-28
CHAPTER VI-Continued.


That evening. while the incense of to-
bacco rose from the deck of the Nancy.
Warden learned from Peter the history
Of the hours Immediately succeeding his
departure from Cowes.
1t was unutterably annoying to hear
that Ffguero had seen him in Evelyn
Danes company. and he deduced Mach
iavellian plot from the visit subsequently
paid by the Portuguese to the Sans Souci
The journey to Milford indirectly sug-
gested by the under secretarys inquiry
anent the appearance of the yacht now
became a fixed purpose from which moth
ing would divert him. 1t seemed to be
impossible that Mr.. Baumgartner could
fail to recognize the girls description
since comparison with Rosamund Laing
had shown him that Evelyn was by far
the most beautiful creature in England
He was sure that her life would be made
miserable by suspicion, II, indeed. she had
not already received a curt notification
that her services were not required.
Peters afternoon with the negroes was
evidently Gargantuan In its chief occu-
pation-the consumption of ardent
spirits.
II never did see any crowd 90 could
shift liquor like Them" unused the skip
per of the Nancy. 1T was Dash me
one bottole. Peter every five minutes If
I'd run to it. 1 stood em three. just in
your interests. captain. an then I turned
a pocket inside out. sayin' No more oof
savvy?' They sawed right enough. Out
goes one chap they called Wanger-'
do you mean to tell me that one OF
those three men was named MWanga"
broke in Warden. and in the darkness
Peter could not see the blank amazement
on his employers face.
That's 1t, sir-funny sort O. click they
gev' in front of it. Sink me. but you dc
1t treat! Well, is nibs comes back with
two bottles. an We finished the lot afore
began to wonder II 1 was quite sartir
which of my legs was the wooden one
But, bless yer cart there's no arm in
them three niggers. 1 could live among
EN- twenty year an never ave wrong
word wi one of EN-.
could you gather any inkling Of their
business from their talk?'
Peter tamped some half-burned tobacco
into the bowl of his pipe with the head OF
a nail before replying.
There was just one thing that struck
me as bit pecooliar. sir, he said, after
a meditative pause. "A joker 90 tOle me
is name was Pana seems to be sort O.
friendly with serving maid in the Lord
Nelson. She brought in the bottles
ordered an each time Pana tried to catch
| old of 'er. The third time he grabbed
her for fair. an seq: You lib for Benin
pals jabbered some double Dutch an
they all looked ard at me. but l was
gain into the bottom Of glass at the
time an they thought I wasn't listenin'
1t never occurred to 'em that l don't
swaller with me ears
Were you present when Figuero re-
turned?"
Yes, sir. an a nasty cur he can be
wen he likes. He called 'em all the diff:
ferent sorts O. drunken swine he could
think of, an tole me | was wuss. to &C
leadin' pore ignorant blacks astray. My
godfather. Five bottles Of Ole Tom
among! three of EN-, an me- 90 'ates the
smell O. gin. tryin' to doctor my poison
wi water! If you'll believe me. sir. al
supper-time I couldn't bring myself to
touch the incest bit o steak that ever siz-
zled on the Nancy's grid
When did the Sans Souci sail?''
Just before sent you that telegram.
sir. Chris saw the niggers an the Porty-
the dinghy. We pulled away to the cut
ter an sighted the yacht steamin' west,
so L bout ship an landed Chris near the
post orfis. The butcher 90 supplied THEN
meat tole me this mornin' that he was to
send his bill to Plymouth"
Warden. who was wont to take pride
in his ability to be absolutely lazy when
on holiday, suddenly stood up.
with this breeze we ought to make
Plymouth by tomorrow morning." he
cried
Are you in earnest guv'nor?" de-
manded the astonished Peter.
Fully. Bring the cutter past the Nee
dies. and as soon as st. Abb's Head light
is a-beam you can turn in
Evans realized that his master meant
what he said. Chris. who was in bed
and sound asleep. awoke next morning
to find the Nancy abreast of Star Point
They reached Plymouth in a failing wind
| about midday, but Warden's impatient
in vain for the trim outlines of the Sans
Souci. AS the cutter drew near the inner
port both he and Peter knew that they
had come on a wild-goose chase, no mat
ter how assured the Cowes butcher might
be of his account being paid.
1t was a gloriously fine day, but War
den's Impotence brooked no interference
with his plans. 1t even seemed to him
that the elements had conspired with his
personal ill-iuck to bring him into this
there for a week. Strive as best he might,
he could not shake off the impression
that he ought to be acting and not david
ling about the south coast in this aimless
fashion. He was quite certain that a
dead calm had overtaken him. and, with
this irritating because unfounded belief,
came a curious suggestion of calamity In
store for the Nancy if he tried to weather
the Lands End en- route to Milford
Haven.
go to Africa" whispered some mys-
FERROUS counselor in words that were aud
ible to an unknown sense. go where
you are wanted. Lady Hilbury told you
that great opportunity had presented it
self. Seize it! Delay will be fatal!''
Peter. watching the young officer fur
lively as he trimmed the cutter to her
anchorage, was much perturbed. Though
true sailorman, he seldom swore, for
sincere, but he did use anathemas now.
II wish that id Turks head 'ad rotted
In the sea afore ever it KEN aboard this
craft" he muttered. There's bin nOthin'
but fuss an worry every hour since that
bonny lass set her eyes on it. Onless
I'm vastly mistaken it'll bust up the
cruise, an here was Chris an me fixed
up to the mines for the mex three months.
It's too bad. that it is"-and the rest of
his remarks became unfit for publication.
1t would be interesting to learn how far
Peter would have fallen from grace If he
were told that the calabash was even
then reposing In a portmanteau by the
side of Warden's bunk. Happily, he was
spared the knowledge. 1t would come in
good time, but was withheld for the
present.
Warden. restless as a Gagged lion. did
not, as was his habit. bring a folding
chair to the shelly side of the mainsail
and lose himself in the pages of a book.
purpose in life Of some sort became
almost an obsession. Fixing on the Sans
Soucis known objective at the extreme
south western corner of Wales on the fol-
lowing Wednesday. he suddenly hit upon