The Bourbon news., 1912-01-23

ye in strict confidence, for. being an
Englishman, ye won't let on"
Never fear" Hole asserted stout
ly. ''Umm. Er-I don't mind
telling you. Mr.. O'Rourke, l some
times do little in that lire myself.
Being a casual tramp and sometimes
lyd by for weeks at stretch for want
of consignment"
mot another word, captain: | un-
derstand perfectly. VIII We be having
bit Of drink, now?''
Captain Hole would. 'It won't urt
to talk this over" he remarked. Per-
APPS we might myke some sort of
dicker"
Faith, tbs meself that's agreeable"
laughed the Irishman lightly.
And when, at midnight that night.
he parted from a moist and senti-
mental sailor-man, whose capacity for
liquor-even including the indescrib-
able native retsinato and masticha-
had proved enormous, the arrangement
had been arrived at, signed, sealed
and delivered by clasping of hands.
~AIAN IL NStS ~ A-OIA nc " ID Tic AcHRJ.
man.
"'Tis Danny who'll be giving me
the welcome" he assured himself, sit
ting On the edge of his bed and star
ing thoughtfully into the disheveIled
depths of the battered steel kit-box
that housed everything he owned in
the wOrld-for he was packing to join
the Pelican at noon.
Il hope to hiven ne has five
pounds" announced O'Rcurke later.
frowning obviously
Five pounds happened to be the
sum he had agreed to pay Captain
| Hole for the accommodation. it being
further conditioned that the latter
was to accompany the adventurer
ashore at Alexandria and not part
from him till the money was forth
! coming: something which irked the
Irishman's soul. why could he not
take me word for it?" he demanded
of midnight darkness tempered by
feeble lamplight. But, faith, forget
what I'm dealing with Besides, tbs
sure I am to find Danny"
He arose and resumed his packing,
blowing an inaudible little air through
his puckered lips. "Diyyilish awkward
if l don't By the Gods! I'd
all but misremembered :"
He failed to state exactly what he
had misremembered. but stood mo-
! tionless, with troubled eyes staring
at the lamp fame, for full five min,
utes. Then
"Tn have to chance it." he said
slowly. "'Tisn't as if it were mine"
/ He unbuttoned the front of his shirt
/ and thrust hand between his under.
shirt and his skin, fumbled about un-
| der his left armpit, his brows still
: gathered thoughtfully. Presently he
gave a little jerk and removed his
hand. 1t contained chamois-skin bag
about the size of ducks egg, from
/ which dangled the stout cord By
which he had slung it about his neck.
> Holding this gingerly. as if he fear
ed it would explode, ORourke glanced
at the window, drew the blind tight.
and tiptoed to the door, where re
turned the key in the lock. Then, re
turning to his bed and making sure
that he was out of range of the KEY
hole, he cautiously loosened the draws
string at the mouth of the bag.
Something tumbled out into his
palm and lay there like a ball Of red.
fire, brilliant and coruscant
O'Rourke caught at his breath sharp
ly; his very voice had an omiaoEs
ring in it's timber when he spoke Ut
length.
Blood" he said slowly, blood. :.
i doubt not that rivers OF blood
have flowed for the sake Of ye. Re
like ye were fashioned of blood in tia
beginning, for tbs that's your color,
and the story of ye as I've heard IL -
all told when I've said that one word
blood :"
And, after lit, I'D best put it away,
I'm thinking. 'Twouldn't be safe to car
~ it that way any longer. If some
thing should catch in me shirt ca
board, and rip it, and Hole happen to
see it-why, me life wouldn't be worth
moments purchase. I'll hide it in
me box there; they'll niver suspect"
And with that he thrust the Pocl
of Flame back into the leather bag.
and the bag into the depths of the kit.
box; which he presently locked AID
noiselessly moved beneath his bed.
After all of which he lay down and
with another sigh slept TRANQUILITY.