Farmers' champion. (Elgin, Okla.) 1912-1922, 1913-04-03

when We were closeted there. hs CON.
tiuued: There Ia report that you
have among your crew United States
subject who was brought aboard.
drugged, and forced to remain sboard
against his will. His government has
interested itself In his behalf. and un-
less he 10 restored at once to his
friends serious complications will un.
doubtsdly ensue."
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.
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 MurchisoD." was Hartley's
diplomatic rejoinder. but this time
you happen to be mistaken. I don't
suppose you have any objection to our
inspecting your crew. have your 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.
tain," Hartley suggested, when the
boatswain. cap In hand, stood In the
doorway. First, l 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 I 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
from below. 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
who had 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 a sneer 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 gripped be-
tween finger and thumb. made no re-
sponse. Before he spoke his attitude
changed. Quickly he had assumed
pose Of listening intentness. Behind
US. somewhere. a clamor had arisen.
Voices. excited. hoarse. fremescent.
yet muffied by distance, echoed DULY.
That man. next, Captain" he said,
coolly. The man they're tryipg to
keep below"
1t may have been that his hearing
was more acute than mine, or II may
only have been q guess. don't know.
But. whichever II was, It hit the mark,
II scored bulls eye at long range
Captain Murchison's Indifference
gave way instantly to palpabls uneasi.
ness. His hands. which had boen
deep in his coat pockets, came out as
though 1erked by springs. One of
them canted his cap from his brow IN
his crown and the other clutched aei.
tatedly at his beard. And In that mo.
ment the riot advanced, the yoices
waxed louder and more distinct: scur.
rying feet resounded on the metal deck
! saw the captain start burriedlv
toward the starboard rail, intent owl.
IDENTIFY on meeting the rabble which
was approaching on that side. ana
saw Hartley boldly block his wav
And then. almost at the same ins,ar,
I saw a tall figure with naked torso
as black and shining as polished ebony
black with CRIME and shining with
sweat--come running backwara
around the corner of the deck house
Saw It with an iron bar held men.c.
ingly aloft against It's PRESSING n.r.
suers; and even In the uncertain light
Of the deck lantern, recognized a A.
once. by Its outline and the character.