The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1913-05-10
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less he is restored at once to hii
friends serious complications will un
doubtedly ensue"
The captain. despite his respect fol
authority. frowned.
There's nothing to that report, sir.
he said. boldly I'm not shanghaiine
men in these days, sir Every moth
er's son I've got on this boat shipped
for Hong Kong. sir, of his own free
will and accord"
/ Il dare say you fully believe that
/ Captain Murchison," was Hartley's
diplomatic rejoinder, but this time
/ you happen to be mistaken. l don't
I suppose you have any objection to our
inspecting your crew. have you, Sup
( pose you have both the watches piped
/ forward. and we'll settle this little
/ business for ourselves. Mr.. Clyde, here
knows the man"
/ Captain Murch:son's glance at me
was undisguisedly venomous. Reluct.
4 antly he rang for his steward.
/ Send the bosun here" he directed.
doggedly.
Well begin at the bottom. Cap
tain" Hartley suggested, when the
boatswain, cap in hand, stood in the
/ doorway. First. want to see every
man Jack you have working in the
/ stoke hold"
/ Although the master gave the nee
essary directions mistrusted him Be
/ tween the boatswain and himself l felt
/ that there was an understanding
/ which required neither voicing nor
signal. And as. little later. We stood
on the forward deck, under the bridge,
and by the light of a lantern viewed
| one after another OF those swarthy,
grimy laborers who had crowded up
! correctness OF my intuition. For Cam
eron was not among them.
| And then a chill fear gripped me.
| Could man of his habits and train
/ ing, suddenly called upon to assume
such labor. survive its rigors? He was
naturally robust. but he had been
weakened by an illness. Might he not
therefore have succumbed to the
strain, died, and been buried at sea?
| But one consideration sustained me.
In their cunning cruelty, the Chinese
VINO had arranged for his transporta-
tion must have stipulated that he be
delivered in China alive. Otherwise
| their vengeance would not be COM
plete. 1t was not likely that anything
had been left to mere chance. The
| probabilities were that Murchison
| knew definitely what was required Of
him and was to be well paid for his
F, services.
Upon his scanned face. now, there
was something of a sneer as. our ex-
animation concluded, he said:
What next. Mr. Hartley"
But for moment Hartley, who
was standing thoughtfully with brow
| contracted. his lower lip gripped be-
tween finger and thumb, made no re-
| sponse. Before he spoke his attitude
| changed. Quickly he had assumed a
! pose Of listening intentness Behind
us, somewhere. clamor had arisen.
Voices, excited, hoarse, fremescent,
yet mufiled by distance, echoed DULY.
That man. next Captain he said,
coolly. THE man they're trying to
keep below"
1t may have been that his hearing
!! was more acute than mine, or 1t may
| only have been a guess. I don't know.
But. whichever 1t. was. 1t hit the mark.
1t scored bulls eye at long range.
Captain Murchison's Indifference
gave way instantly to palpable uneasi-
ness. His hands. which had been
deep in his coat pockets. came out as
though jerked by springs. One Of
them canted his cap from his brow to
his crown and the other clutched agi.
tatedly at his beard. And in that mo-
ment the riot advanced, the voices
waxed louder and more distinct: sour
ryfng feet resounded on the metal deck
saw the captain start hurriedly
toward the starboard rail. intent evil
IDENTIFY on meeting the rabble which
was approaching on that side, and l
saw Hartley boldly block his way.
And then. almost at the same instant,
l saw a tall figure with naked torso
as black and shining as polished ebony
black with CRIME and shining with
sweat-come running backward
around the corner OF the deck house.
Saw 1t with an iron bar held menac-
ingly aloft against its pressing pur-
suers; and even in the uncertain light
of the deck lanterns. recognized It at
once, by its outline and the character
istic set of its head upon its shoul-
ders. nude to the waist and collied as
it was, as the figure Of the man I
sought
"Cameron!" I cried, chokingly. my
fast-beating heart crowding my utter.
ance. And all unmindful of the dirt
which covered him I flung my arms
about his waist from behind. Cam
eron! Cameron! Thank God! Thank
God!"
heard the from bar drop resound.
ingly to the deck; I heard Hartley's
voice raised in anger. strident, STAG
cato; and I heard the receding shufne
Of feet an thoae who had nursi1ed now