The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-04

your own way tonight. I'll tame
you when my turn comes,' he
yelled through the door.
His lurch to the table was fol-
lowed by the clatter of crockery
and by oaths directed at Antonio,
the steward, and the mate. My i'm
mary headache would have Jared
badly had it been a real one, such
a din of wrangling assailed my ears
from the noisome feeding place of
those wild beasts outside, but l
hailed their rowdiness with glad
ness. AS their speech grew thicker
and the quarrelsome mood changed
to maudlin incoherence had
greater hope of getting a peep at
the no longer sealed orders.
Presently request by Belcher
shed ray of light on the relations
subsisting between Captain Belcher
and his second in command.
Tip us song, old shipmate,' he
yelled. You used to tune up like a
nightingale, that voyage in the
South seas, when we chucked the
blackbirds overheard before we
| were overhauled by that cursed
gunboat. Two hundred niggers
walking into the briny on the star
board side of the old schooner,
while SNUG lieutenant in launch
full of bluejackets was sweating
towards the port gangway. Lordy,
but that was squeak"
If it hadn't been for you bash
ing some of the last ones on the
head as they jumped, there'd have
been things alongside to tell tales"
staggered the mate.
From what | could make of their
jargon, they had been engaged to-
gether formerly in the illicit coolie
traffic in the Pacific, and had MUIR
dered their cargo to prevent detec-
ton by an English man of war.
Such were the men who, at the in
stance of Sir Gideon Marske, were
charged with the task of silencing
a weak girl. Truly my prospect of
saving Arthur and, incidentally, of
exposing the plot against Lord AL
phington, was of the slightest. And
my own case? l tried to put all
thought of it from me, praying that
my. own end might be no worse
than that of the poor coolies whom
Belcher had killed in cold blood far
away in the southern seas.
The mate next sang a couple of
atrocious ditties, that sent my fin
gers to my tingling ears, and then
the tinkle of glass. the blasphemous
orders to the steward, and finally
the swinish snores of the pair told
me the orgie was complete.
For some time heard the pidpad
of Antonio's feet as he hurried
about, collecting bottles and glasses
and tidying up the scene of the de-
tauch. Then the sound of his foot
steps mounting the ladder reached
me. and ] knew that there was a
clear field for my attempt to learn
my fate II COULD summon up cour-.
age. to venture forth.
waited only. long enough.to be
sure that the steward was not 60
ing to return, then softly opened
my cabin door. The swing lamp in
the cuddy shone on just such a
scene as had anticipated. Belcher
lay upon the floor breathing heav-
lily, his purple face upturned to the
ceiling, while the mates head had
fallen forward onto the table and
rested on his grimy hands. Both
men were sleeping the sound slum-
Der of intoxication, and l stole for
ward
Mastering the loathing l felt at
having to touch the beast, stopped
over Belcher and quickly extracted
the envelope from his breast
pocket. On the half sheet of note
paper which 1t contained. written in
a Grabbed hand, and almost unde-
cipherable by the murky light of
the cuddy lamp. were the following
words:
Rendezvous. Chichester harbor,
off old custom house. Thursday
night watch clump of trees left of
creek from 10 o'clock. A lantern
waved there times will mean that
you are to send boat to that spot
to fetch someone. who will come
aboard and make terms with the
girl. You are to be guided by his
instructions. whether he elects to
remain on board and sail with you
or not. But If the lantern is waved
six times. or In the event of its not
being waved at all before midnight.
you will at once steam away and
act as you please with the girl, pro-
vided that she Is not heard of
again."
That was Wednesday night. re.
Elected, as I stole back to my cabin
after restoring the envelope to the
drungen mans pocket. had a lit
tie over "a hours before l should be
called on to face the alternative
foreshadowed in Sir Gideon Mar.
| cla'c "caalad rrdarc -