Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-02-13
the hotel to the railroad station Some

And there was one way, one only;
ne could see none other. Temporarily
he must make himself one of the COM
pany of her enemies, force himself
upon them, ingratiate himself into
their good graces, gain their conf
dence, then, when opportunity offered,
betray them. And the power to make
them tolerate him, if not receive him
as fellow, the knowledge of them
and their plans that they had unwit
tingly given him, was his:
And Dorothy was waiting. =
He swung round and without at
tempting to muffle his footballs.
strobe toward the companionway. He
must pretend he had just come
aboard
Subconsciously he had been aware
during his time of bordering, that the
voices in the cabin had been steadily
gaining in volume, rising louder and
yet more loud, Mulready's ominous,
drink-blurred accents dominating the
others. There was a quarrel afoot;
as soon as he gave it heed, kirkwood
understood that Mulready, in the mad
ness of his inflamed brain, was fore
ing the issue, while Calendar sought
vainly to calm and soothe him
The American arrived at the head
OF the companionway at a critical
juncture. AS he moved to descend
some low. cool-toned retort of Calen
OARS seemed to enrage his confeder
ate beyond reason. He yelped aloud
with wrath, sprang to his feet, knock
ing over a chair, and leaping back TO-
ward the foot Of the steps, flashed an
adroit hand behind him and found his
revolver.
1--WE stood enough from you" he
screamed, his voice oddly clear in that
moment of insanity you've played
me as long as you will, you hulking
American hog, And now I'm going to
show
AS he neld his fire to permit his de-
nunciation to bite home, Kirkwood,
appalled, to find himself standing on
the threshold of a tragedy, gathered
himself together and launched through
the air straight for the madman's
shoulders.
As they went down together,
sprawling, Mulready's head struck
a transom and the revolver fell from
his limp fingers.
CHAPTER XIV.
Prepared as he had been for the
shock Kirkwood was able to pick
himself up quickly, uninjured, Null
ready's revolver in his grasp.
On his feet, straddling Mulready's
insentient body, he confronted Cal
endar and Stryker The face Of the
former was sickly green, the gift
of his fright The former seemed cold
ly composed, already recovering from
his surprise and bringing his wits to
bear upon the new factor which had
| bene so uncerimoniously injected
into the situation
| Standing, but leaning heavily upon
in the other he likewise held re-
volver, which he had apparently
drawn in self-defense, at the crisis of
Mulready's frenzy. Its muzzle was de-
fected. He looked Kirkwood over with
a cool gray eye, the color gradually
returning to his fat, clean-shaven
cheeks, replacing the pardonable pal
! lor which had momentarily rested
thereon
As for kirkwood, he had covered
the fat adventurer before he knew It.
Stryker, who had been standing i'm
mediately in the rear of Calendar.
Immediately covered and cringed to
! find himself in the line of fire.
Of the conscious men in the brigan-
tines cabin, Calendar was probably
| the least confused or excited. Stryker
was palpably unnamed. kirkwood
was tinglins with sense of mastery,
but collected and rapidly revolving
the combination for the reversed con-
ditions which had been brought about
bv Mulready's drunken folly. His ella
| ton was apparent in his shining, boy
ish eyes, as we'll as in the bright color
| that elowed in his cheeks. When he
! decided to speak it was with rapid
enunciation, but clearly and concisely
"Calendar." he began. 'if a single
shot is fired about this vessel the river
police will be huzzine round your ears
in brace of shakes
The fat adventurer nodded assent,
his eyes contracting.
very WE'LL" continued Kirkwood
brusnueiy, ''You must know that I
have personally nothing to fear from
the police; II arrested, I wouldn't be
detained a day. On the other hand.
you Hand me that pistol.
Calendar, butt first, please. Look
sharp, my mani If you don't -
He left the ellipsis to be filled In by
the cornulent blackguard's intelli:
gence. The latter, gray eyes still in
tent on the younger mans face. way
cred, plainly impressed, but still won
dering
"Quick! I'm not patient tonight 80
No longer was Calendar of two
minds. In the face Of Kirlwood's atti-
tude there was but one course to be
followed; that of obedience. Calendar
surrendered an untenable position as
gracefully as could be wished
Il guess you know what you mean
by this he said, rendering the wea.
pom as per Instructions; 'tI'm dog
goned if I do You'll allow
a certain latitude in consideration OF
my relief; can't say we were antici
pating is-ah-Heaven-s vista
ton"
Accepting the revolver with his left
hand and settling his foref1nger on the
trigger, Kirkwood beamed with pure
J enjoyment. He found the Difference Of
the older man, tempered though il
was by his indomitable swagger, re