The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-02-08


bable serang.
1T was hard to know what to do,
What to believe, what action to take.
II he were right in his surmise, the Sc
rang should rightly be shot down in
stantly without an instant's respite.
Yet the heartless brutality upon which
MS theory was based made him hest
tate. 1t was difficult to believe that
the serang had been able to accom-
pllsh what O'ROurke was inclined to
credit him with; that he, the wielder
or the kris, the murderer Of Quick,
thrown off his feet by the Irishman's
attack, had deliberately involved his
fellows with him in his fall and profit
ed by the confusion to Stay one upon
whom he could throw the blame for
all that had happened.
The weapon quivercd in ORourke's
grasp; More than once in that brief
debate he was temjPd to shoot the
fellow on suspicion. Yet he held his
hand; he could not be positive. With
every circumstance against him, he
might still be telling the truth. The
whole horrible affair might boil down
to nothing more than an insane crime
OF crazy Malay, one who, as the Sc
rang claimed, had run amOk'
He had not made up his mind when
his thoughts were given new turn
by new complication, in the share
Of Mrs. Prynne herself That lady
came UP the companion steps with no
apparent hesitation, no fear or appre-
hension quietly and confidently alert,
on the other hand, she was visibly
armed and prepared against danger in
whatever form she might have to en-
counter it,
She came directly to the adventureG',
without so much as a glance for the
group of lascars or the grim evidences
of tragedy upon the deck. O'Rourke
shut his teeth with evaporation.
| Whatever he decided to believe of the
serang, whether his judgment said of
the man, "Guilty," or Not Guilty." he
dared risk nothing with the woman
present. He could not tell what hell
OF murder and mutiny he might not let
one ill-advised or hasty move. Alone,
he could have faced the situation with
| equanimity; with the woman by his
| side, he felt as though handcuffed.
"You are hurt, Colonel O'Rourke?'
"A mere scratch, madam-an inch
| of skin shaved off me arm. Be good
enough to return to the saloon, waken
! Danny and send him to me-"
She ignored the curtness of his tone,
| even as she ignored his wish. What
has happened?' she demanded, rang
ing herself by his side. WHO is that
there on the deck?' Her voice ris-
| ing note, foreboded hysteria.
''Qus k-stabbed. I didn't want ye
to see. A lascar ran amok, cut down
| the captain, was killed himseli-kind-
ness" the irrepressiHle humorist
broke out" of our little brown brother,
| the serang.'
His eyes never left the latter; not
an instant did he take his attention
from the cluster of dark figures; he
was more than every ready to defend
himself should they make any overt
move, deeming his attention distract.
ed.
"What will you do?"
"How can I say? Do We, for the
love of God, get below and leave me
IN
fashion"
(which" she returned equally, "s
precisely what I shall not do"
III that's the case," he said brus
quely, have the kindness to hand me
| the revolver by the captains side, anc
-ye might see If the poor fellow still
lives
He heard a quick rustic of skirts
and the woman's hand closed over his
pressing into his palm the weapon he
had desired. AS promptly, without
| further words, she turned to Quick.
The adventurer deliberated briefly
while she bent over the captain max
ing a hurried examination. He is
badly wounded" O'Rourke heard hel
say, as he arrived at his decision, "but
not dead"
Praise God for that!
must ask We, madam, to back me up
1t Is necessary to clear the decks Are
ye ready?" He saw, out Of the tail
Of his eye, that she had sprung to her
feet. Now, ye curs," he Numbered
! with a menacing pistol in either hand
"get forward, the lot Of We. Move, We
| blackguards!"
They went expeditiously, crowdine
between the deck-house and the rail
budding together as If for mutual pro
lection. The serang was the last tC
move, and went reluctantly, or seemed
to.
| Yet that was no time to judge him
! for minor fault. O'Rourke herded
the pack before him, watched them
scramble down the ladder to the fore
deck, then backed to the spot where
the woman stood above the captain
His arm was paining him somewhat
with the irritating, singing ache that