The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1910-02-24
CHAPTER ~
N which { Meet Wy crew.

W "NNAN ? "NGk IVY NfE@s
The polite hotel clerk halted me as
! passed his desk on the Way out with
Information that a drunken naval on
Cer-eVdeutly Sanchez-had been
there twice already seeking me. had
also asked for Lord Darlington. and
would return again at ten O'Clock. !
thanked him. smiling 20 myself. won
dcrng u the English nobleman was
20 be challenged also. and promptly
disappeared into The night without.
The unfortunate affair with the ar.
Ericved lieutenant had become q small
matter no longer troubling me
have wandered by night through
most OF the foaports Of the world.
knowing well the ~iu1rlcacies and dark
places OF Por, Said. Melbourne and
Calcutta. but ! doubt 81 even Tho an
~fpcahable orient can equal for dirt.
squalor. crime and peril those narrow
crooked ~alloyways where sailors most
DO c~unrrceatr against the Valparaiso
waterfront Here gather in bpsiial
riutinE the scum OF the South seas.
and here flourish their parasites Any
nirht d trip alone through those foul
lanes Is OF the Kind 60 test strong
nerves. but on this special occasion.
the way nnsd with pandemonium and
drunkenness the entire city q riot
o. noisy violence. the ~ropulacp aroused
90 fierce hate toward an foreigners.
The passage was one Of constantly re-.
curing danger. The street lights. few
aud FAR between. vorc mere blotches
81 color winkiur feyhly 90 the sur
rounding darkness tho rough cohhle
stone pavement un1prfout was irrcru.
Jar and dccgittul while drunken
crowds. either uuarrDlsUmc or mau
dinghy adectiouate. surrcd ~almlyssly
about. E~vsticulatlng and yelling with
Latin foTyor However. ! knew the
way vel and kept myself hiddcu from
observation 10y lowering close beneath
the prutrctinE shadows OF the build.
inFs drawing well back within door
ways Co permit the uoiscr parties %
jewellers 20 pass. ana then h~urrylnF
forward nlouE the deserted strosts !
stumbled over the body 90 morv than
ono drunken man. while sounds 81
q%unrrelinF were borne TO mo through
the open door OF every low taproom I
passed Tho scum of Valparaiso had
come 10 The top. the fires OF he'll burn
ing ncrcely.
Pedro RoduEucE den stood aomc
what back nom the narrow lane II
fronied. thanked and concealed hy
taller buildings on tithur side. Il was
a ~rumshachlo. wooden affair, saFginc
sadly a, one corner. the hair dozen
steps leading Co the open door being
only dimll lighted As BE- was a Wcll
known resort. f]rrQucntcd almost on,
urCly By totgigp sgamcn who would
scarcely br safe ou tho streets such
a night as this. it WAS no surprise Go
discover tho taproom densCly
crowded with sanbrmen and TO dis
uuEu,sh q voice singing Justify ia Wig
orOus English. 10 an accompaniment
of glasses pounding upon thr rough
tables Indeed. "a wild. hilarious mob
Erc,,od nae loudly as ] pressed aside
the heavy curtain AND stepped within
/ cast o quick. comprehensive glance
over he faces. uptururd THROUGH the
c~uyeleplng haze swcdes and Films
from Jhc Norlh sea. putchmca OF The
baltic. hairy E~nElishmen from The
channel Yankees OF thc West Allan
tic. beach combers from out ~ tho
South seas. with hCrr and thovo a
negro or browu.laccd Konnha 20 add
tu the variety, Faith, % was a choice
collection ns though tho wide waters
OF gho world had been SKINNED SO
bring together that rare GROW ot beau
ties Pcrchod high upon a table, BIS
long loss cacased In sea boots, seated
asuidc "a chair. sat the gIuger. his
mop OF coarse red hair siauding erect
bic jaw that OF a hulldog. the scar OF
"a recent knife wound showing uhastly
ACtuso y cheeh bis hlge shirt ouOn