Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04
"Nn.. said the other. transparently.


Turn round" Crittenden commanded
"Now-hands above your head. He
walked up to the man, thrust the nose
of his weapon into the back of his neck,
and coolly explored the pocket Claret's
motion had betrayed. 1t contained Q
heavy navy revolver.
Liar" observed Crittenden, reflective
iy He threw both weapons. his own as
we'll as the first officers. across the sa-
loon table Now" he pursued, in a
level voice, we're on even terms. Why
did you lock Miss Grayce in the state
room with me?''
What's that to you?" Claret tried to
buster. turning.
Answer my question. Why
Il didn't mean Claret stammered
his face ashen. joke
Whom have you told about il? Tel
the truth you contemplate hound"
Plainly Claret meditated mendacity, but
from a shifty glance at Crlttenden biaI
ing eyes found reason to change mis-
mind. capt. Lobb.' he said, sulieniy
Mr. Perez : :"
NO one eisec"
"Greenaway. i didn't mean any harm
It was simply a joke
Your sense Of hunor needs revision
Put up your hands"
"Wha-what do you mean faltered
Claret. staring.
Il warn you to guard yourself. l in
tend to knock you down. You're said to
be a fighter, a bully, .bucko mate: prove
it. Do you hear? I'm goine to knock
you down."
Then, when the fellow still hesitated
and with hasty. sidelong glances sought
hand and dashed its knuckles across
Claret's mouth, with staggering force
and a report like a pistol shot.
His lips bruised. cut and bleeding. in a
face white with rage and pain, Claret
leaped back. threw himself into fighting
poise, tented deity once or twice, then.
with a cultural growl. lowered his head
and bored in to battle. Deprived or the
moral support of his weapon. he had
needed the blow to rouse him TO JOIN Is
sue with a man not physically his infer
ior. And he knew how to use his hands.
Cri..enden. however. conceded nothing
to him in such skill. and had needed
nothing to warm his blood. He held him.
self alertly. watching and meeting
Claret's endeavors with steady eyes anu
a slow, cold smile.
Suddenly he stepped aside. avoiding an
Infatuated rush. and shot his left fist like
a hammer into the passing face. Hls
right. following il with inconceivable ra-
pidity. had all its weight and passion be-
hind it. Claret, lifted off his feet. grasp
ed wildly at air and went down, crum-
pied mass of insensible flesh.
He lay IN tumbled heap, breathing
minute that Crittenden waited. Ihen. a
little disappointed. the latter left him and
moved round the table. picking up the re-
volvers he had thrown there.
For the first time it occurred to him
to examine that presented to him by
Cynthia He laughed a little. lightly. to
find it lacking cartridges. That. thought
he, was precisely like Nine. Savaral-a
woman courageous enough to buy a
weapon and to use it, or try to. in a mo-
ment of emergency, and at the same
time too careless and inconsequential OF
humor to trouble about keeping it loaded.
Claret's revolver. however, was ready
for immediate employment. With q final
glance at it's owner, Crittenden took it
away with him.
Keenly alive to the inevitable conse-
quences of his action Gas. indeed. he had
been from the first, though needless of
them, he went up the companionway and
again out on deck. stepping lightly and
warily. in a reckless hnmor. flushed