Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-05-01
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The captain. despite his respect for
authority, frowned.
There's nothing to that report. sir"
he said, boldly. I'm not shanghaiing
men In these days, sir. Every moth.
ers son I've got on this boat shipped
for Hong Kong, sir, of his own free
VIII and accord"
1 dare say you fully believe that,
captain Murchison." was Hartley's
diplomatic rejoinder, but this time
you happen to be mistaken. | don't
suppose you have any objection TO our
inspecting your crew. have you? Sup
pose you have both the watches piped
forward, and well settle this little
business for ourselves. Mr.. Clyde. here,
knows the man"
Captain Murch!son's glance at me
was undisguisedly venomous. Reluct-
antly he rang for his steward.
Send the bo'sun here" he directed,
doggedly.
We'll 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 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,
grlmy laborers who had crowded up
from below, l was convinced of the
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 mad arranged for his transporta-
ton 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
services.
Upon his scanned face, now. there
was something OF sheer as, our ex-
animation concluded, he said
What next, Mr. Hartley"
But for a moment Hartley, who
was standing thoughtfully with brow
contracted, his lower lip grlpped be.
tween finger and thumb, made no re-
spouse. Before he spoke his attitude
changed. Quickly he had assumed a
pose of listening intentness. Behind
u.s. somewhere, a Ielamor had arisen. !
Voices, excited, hoarse, fremescent
yet mutfied by distance, echoed DULY. !
THAT man. next. Captain" he said |
coolly, The man they're trying to |
keep below"
IL may have been that his hearing |
was more acute than mine, or il NAV |
only have been guess. | don't know. |
But whichever 1t was, 1t hit the mark. |
II scored a bulls eye at long range.
captain Murchison's Indifference |
gave way instantly to palpable uneasi-
ness. His hands, which had been
ueep IN his coat pockets, came out as |
though terked 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
rying feet resounded on the metal deck.
| saw the captain start hurriedly
toward the starboard rail, intent evil
dehtly on meeting the rabble which
was approaching on that side, and I
saw Hartley boldly block his wav
And then almost at the same instant
saw tail ngure with naked torso
as black and shining as polished ebony
black with CRIME and shining with
s"eat-come running backward
around the corner Of the deck house
Saw II with an iron bar held menao.
ingly aloft against its pressing MIR.
suers; and even in the uncertain LIGHT
OF the deck lanterns. recognized Il AT
once by us outline and the Character
istic set OF it's head upon it's sbouI.
ders. nude to the waist and collled az
II was, as the figure OF the man
sought.
Cameron" ! cried chokingly, nv
fast-beating heart crowding nv inter.
ance. And all unmindful of the dirt
which covered him | flung my arms
about his waist from behind. "Cam,
eron! Cameron! Thank God! Tbank
Cod"
heard the iron bar drop resound.
lhgiy 10 the deck; heard Hartley's /
voice raised In anger. strldent, STAG. :
cato; ana ! heard the receding ghume /
OF leet as those who had pursued now {
packed away. There followed then !
moment OF silence, while the body I /
Lea.