The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1912-10-24

Ing up from the river, just as soon as
1t was dark enough to conceal their
actions. Then they found third ele-
ment IN the business-your friend Des
Trebes, all unsuspicious Of them, lurk-
Ing on the verarda and watching Sy-
pher through the window. SO they
waited to see what he was up to. And
pretty soon they found out Sypher
came downstairs, went to the safe and
opened It; presume he had the stone
In his hand, ready to put away. While
he was standing there the Frenchman
slipped up behind and stabbed
him, annexing the stone and leav-
ing the way he got In. The In
stant he stepped OF the veranda the
Chinese got MIN; but he managed to
scream before they could silence him
and drew the attention Of the house
hold. Miss Pynsent, your wife and the
servants. So to cover things up they
had to gather them all In. The serv-
ants were killed-there were three Of
them-and the women
Neither man spoke for q time. Then
Couch resumed.
This coolie was an OUTSIDER
servant of the merchant's-not one
of the Junk gang; 30 he stayed ashore,
and thought 1t would be fine young
scheme to return and do q little loot
ing on his own I've telephon-
ed the head Office to arrest that
cursed merchant and confscate his
house and goods and detain anybody
they could catch connected with him.
The nets well enough laid, and l
think :"
The lights Of the city became Wis
tble, strung along the right bank Of
the river as the launch rounded q
bend. Couch swung the little boat
out into midstream. "Half-speed,
Wheeler" che said, adding to O'Rourke:
"I've got to pick out that Junk. pre-
sumo the right one will have all sail
set and be moving downstream with
the tide; It's just On the turn now
and fortunately there's no wind worth
mentioning. wish l could
see something Of the other launch"
He peered anxiously into the obscur-
fly ahead. IF there were only star
light" he complained bitterly.
Stand by, Wheeler, to stop the motor.
Well drop alongside with the current
as quietly as we can. Colonel
O'Rourke. will you. got forward and
take the boathook and headwarp,
please; I'm needed at the wheel and
Wheeler at the engine until We make
fast"
Cautiously the Irishman rose, took
the boathook Couch offered him, and
crept out upon the narrow triangle OF
deck at the bows. Crouching there,
he found the headwarp and waited,
tense with anxious expectancy, star
ing ahead In futile effort to penetrate
the wide, shadowy reaches of the riv.
er. But the mystical distances con-
fused and eluded him. The launch
seemed to move, painting, in an abyss
Of night She made little noise:
hiss of water beneath her stem; the
steady humming Of the motor, throt-
tied down to half speed; the mufied
gasping of the exhaust. And present
ly even these ceased at a word from
Couch, and the launch moved only
with the tide.
Abruptly towering wall Of opaque
black rose out of the darkness to
starboard O'Rourke braced himself
for the imminent instant of action,
poised so lightly upon his toes and
f1ngertips that swell from a moving
vessel would have thrown him on
his balance, perhaps overheard. The
launch closed swiftly and silently in
upon the black wall; it lowered over
him like a cliff; far above he could
see dim divisions between black and
black that must be the rail. And he
shook his head, dismayed; he could
never scale that, he thought; not even
the O'Rourke could accomplish mir
acle But in a breath it had faded
back, and he realized that tne lower
ing poop of the junk had misled him.
They we're now alongside at the waist
He stood up and saw low railing
moving and caught it over the edge OF
the rail, drew the launch In, let 30 the
boethook and, with the headwarp
wrapped about his hand, jumped
blindly.
Something dealt him vicious, all
but paralysing, blow in the pit OF the
stomach; he doubled up, for mo-
ment helpless, across the junk's rail-,
but retained sufficient presence OF
mind to hold on TO the headwarp.
Then, recovering a trifle, he squirned
over and fell sprawling upon the deck,
his heels drumming an abrupt and
violent alarm From somewhere ne
heard a shrill jabbering arise, with an
ensuing patter of bare feet. Swiftly
he got upon his knees and drew In the
headwarp, with his free hand search
Ing along the rail for a cleat. Some
thing thumped heavily on the deck be-
s}da hin, opd oruDtad. and comafhinG