Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-09-14
CHATTER TX


We who have never stopped to petty
larceny know that the oars had been
placed there at the direction of his
evil genius bent upon facilitating his
descent into the avernus of crime.
Unhitching the painter. he set one
oar against the gunwale of the boat
and with powerful thrust sent his
stern first out upon the river. then sat
him composedly down. fitted the oars
to their locks and began to pull straight
across stream. trusting to the current
to carry him down to the Alethea. He
had already marked down that vessels
riding light and that not without
glow of gratitude to see 1t still aloft
and in proper juxtaposition to the river
bank, proof that 1t had not moved.
He pulled a good oar. reckoned his
distance prettily and. shipping the
blades at just the right moment,
brought the little boat in under the
brigantine's counter with scarce jar.
An element of surprise he held essen
tial to the success of his plan, what
ever that might turn out to be.
Standing up, he caught the brigan-
tines after rail with both hands. one
Of which held the painter Of the pur-
Joined boat. and lifted his head above
the deck line. A short survey of the
deserted after deck gave him further
assurance. The anchor watch was not
in sight. he may have been keeping
we'll forward by Stryker's instructions,
or he may have crept off for forty
winks. Whatever the reason for his
absence from the. post of duty, Kirk
wood was relieved not to have him to
deal with and. drawing himself gently
in over the rail, made the painter fast
ard stepped noiselessly over toward
the lighted oblong of the companion
way. A murmur of voices from below
comforted him with the knowledge
that he had not miscalculated this
time. At last he stood within striking
distance of his quarry.
The syllables of his surname ringing
clearly in his ears and followed by
Stryker's heering laugh brought him
to pause. He flushed holly in the
darkness. The captain was retailing
with relish some Of his most success
full witticisms at Kirkwood's expense.
Mulready laughed with him. If lit
| tie uncertainty. Calendars chuckle
was not audible. but he broke the
pause that followed.
81 don't know" he said with doubt.
ing emphasis. you say you landed
him without penny in his pocket!
don't call that good plan ut all. OF
course he amt factor, but-well
1t might We been as we'll to give hin
his fare home He might make trouble
for us somehow. don't mind telling
you. cap'n. that you're an ass. Per
sonally I'm kind of sorry for the boy
He wasn't q bad sort. as his kind runs
and he was no fool. from what little
saw of him. wonder what he want
ed"
POSSIBLY" Mulready chimed il
suavely. you can explain what you
wanted of him in the first place. How
did YOU come to drag him into this
business?"
"Oh. that" Calendar laughed short
ly. THAT was partly accident. partly
inspiration happened to see his
name Oh the Pless register. He'd put
himself down as from Frisco. | fig
ured it out that he would be next dool
to broke and getting desperate. ready
to do anything to get home, ant
thought we might utilize him to Snug
gle some of the stuff into the States
Once before. if you'll rcmembcr-no
that was before we got together. Null
ready picked up fellow country
man on the Strand. He was dowr
and out. jumped at the job. and We
made neat little wad on it."
1.-THE more fool you to take outsid
ers into your confidence" grumblet
Mulready.
"Ow!' intcrrogated Calendar. min
licking STRIKERS accent inimitably
We'll you've got heap to learn abou
this game. Null About The first thing i
that you must trust old man Know-it
all, which is me. I've run more dia
mouds into the States in one way o
another in my time than you eve
pinched out of the shirt front of a tot
on the Empire Prom. before the.
made the graft too hot for you an,
you came to take lessons from me II
the gentle art of living easy"
"Oh, cut that. cawn't you?"
"Delighted. dear boy. One of tn
first principles. next to protiting by tn
admirable example set you, is t
make the fellows in your own lin
trust you. Now. if this boy had take
on with me could have got bunc
Of the sparklers on my mere says
, from old Morganthau. up on Finsbur
pavement. He does n steady bushes
hoodwinking the customs for the ber
eft of his American clients hin
self. And I'd we made n neat littl
profit besides. something to fall bac
on If this fell through. don't min
having two strings to my bow"
YES" argued Mulready, but SUI
pose this Kirkwood had taken on wit
you and then peached."
That's another secret. You've &c
to know your man. be able to size hill
up. l called on this chap Sor tha
very purpose, q saw at glance b
wasn't our man. He smelled a nigge
In the wood pile and most politely tol
me to go to the devil. But if he ha
come in he'd have died before b
squealed. | know the breed. There
honor among gentlemen that knocE
the honor of thieves higher'n kit
the old saw to the contrary-nothin
doing. You understand me, I'm sur
Mulready," he concluded, with envel