The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-02-16
/ HE DIAMOND SHIP
MAX PEMBERTON
Author Hundred Days."
Copyright d. Appleton &C.
MAX ,PEMBERTON
Copyright by d. Appleton g. &C.

: Inc game 10 UP, resumed, ana
! your friend Is about to pay the price
Of 1t! II you wish to contribute your
share, go on and Join the fun. don't
| suppose the police care much about
\ such riffraf as you have on board here.
Get them back to Cardiff, and let them
find new ships. You are thinking of
the honeywell, IL you can fill my
bunker yonder. will pay long price
for the stuff you carry-down on your
table In English sovereigns."
At this, he regarded me very Curl
ously. A dull head Is often obstinate
in suspicion. The fellow perceived his
advantage, and could have pressed 1t.
"Oh!" said he, "then you are short
of coal?"
I'VE are short of COAL" rejoined. my
| frankness astounding him; "the others
| have none to spare, and IL we buy none
OF you. we must run to Porto Grande.
In that case, you will carry this cargo
back to Europe and be arrested when
you step ashore"
I found the Russian to be a low-wit-
ted. covetous fellow, not greatly to be
overdrawed by threats, but exceeding
ly susceptible to the substantial
bought what coal we could carry, from
him at a price which ! would cheer
fully have doubled. And inded, l do
think 1t was one Of the best days
| work l ever did In all my life. To
cut off Imroth's patrol, to I'LL our own
bunkers with his precious steam coal,
carried at such q risk from Cardiff,
to send the tramy steamer back again
whence she came--even the matter of
fact Larry could find no word to fit
1t. AS for my poor friend Timothy,
his emotions were altogether too much
for him.
"Docther," said he, II doubt your
salvation, and that's the truth OF 1t.
Say that we are going back to dine
| on Imroth's ship, and I'll believe We
entirely. 'Twould not be more wonder
full than that which these poor old
eyes are showing me-"
/ told him not 10 make a fool Of
himself, but to serve his turn as sem
tinel, while we brought the yacht
alongside the collier and took In coal
| from her. Treachery might yet be
planned against us, though I doubted
1t. We posted an armed guard upon
the bridge and stripped our forward
guns OF their covers-the swell ran
kindly and the sea was like mir
ror. Hardly believing their own eyes,
but obeying me nevertheless, our good
fellows set to work like niggers and
filled our bunkers with the precious
STUFF. 1t had been at seven bells Of
the morning watch when they began;
1t was three Of the afternoon before
they had done. The coal chutes with
which the tramp was provided 70 fill
Imroths bunkers now filled our own
admirably. i paid the Russian captain
honestly, and sent him at all speed to
the eastward when the business was
done,
Return as you came and keep your
mouth shut" said. st will answer
for you to the police. should the need
arise. 1t will be your own fault il
1t does"
He thanked me with some civi!ty,
and could see that he now considered
himself very fortunate fellow. To
be frank, had dismissed him utterly
from my mind half an hour after he
cast off; and the excitement Of the
deal having passed, 1 called to our
steward to bring me tea to the cabin
and there we held council, vital be-
yond any in its significance and it's
earnestness. For now must we decide,
instantly and finally, what steps must
be taken to save my little Joan from
the devils Of the Diamond Ship. How
were we. the crew of a puny yacht,
to bring that great hive Of ruffians
to book? What course dare we risk?
What hope had we of any assistance
from the British or other governments?
This Is what we discussed when we
had lighted our cigars and the tea was
poured out. And this is much how
the talk went:
threat. believe that they are capable
both of torturing and of killing Joan
Fordibras II they are driven to 1t.
But they will only do so in an ex-
tremity. She is their hostage. The mo-
ment that they harm her, they have
done all that they can against us.
If she be subject to insult meanwhile,
all fhaNr J., 80
singular courage and resource. 1t Is a
callous argument but that much we
must ignore. My own idea Is to lead
them to the belief that we are watch
ing them. II they run for South Amer
lea, we shall fall in with ships bound
for Rio and Montevideo. The mails to
the Argentine have the Marconi instru-
nient. We can hardly fail to catch
one OF them. / would rather burn
this yacht than turn back now"
McShanus-"The docther says the
lady must put up with their insults,
but We can see the blood going and
coming from his cheeks while he says
1t. honor him for It, We want to
get the girl off the ship and not to
lose Imroth in the doing Of 1t. IT'S
an employment for q Japanese wizard,
faith! Here's yon rogue running for
South American port, and when he's
ashore, he'll make money faces at We.
Tell yourselves that. and cry out
against the governments. It's all We
can do that ] can see."
Myself am far from sure of It.
Timothy. but prophecy Is Of little help
to us. We must follow those people,
and let them know that we are fol-
lowing them. Impudence has stopped
one Of their feet and may stop an
other. I am going to see how far II
helps me with Imroth himself"
There is much Of which my log
might speak to tell the history Of the
seven days which followed upon our
resolution. We had pledged ourselves
to harass the Diamond Ship by night
and day; and bravely had we. done so.
necessarily now the messages passed
from our deck to hers by way Of her
fass and instruments. Threats, def
ance, insult--to these we became ac-
customed. A torture of suspense had
been superseded by a dull submission
to necessity.
All this time we lay drifting some
two or three miles, suppose, from the
great vessel which harbored the Jew
and his company. Sometimes, when the
night was moonless, we ran up boldly
and spied the huge ship out, defying
her unframed gunners, and learning
what we could Of that which passed
upon her decks. There was a cabin
aft, I remember, which / named az
Joan's; and / would place her therein.
| and depict her In my mind sheltered
there from Imroths anger and the in
suits of his fellows
Now, thus six days had passed, and
will take you to the morning OF the