The Ordway new era., 1913-05-23

less he is restored at once to hiS
friends serious complications will un-
doubtedly enaue." ,57E ~.
The captain, despite his respect for
authority. frowned. .lwl
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"
II 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 we'll settle this little
business for ourselves. Mr.. Clyde. here.
knows the man." 40
Captain Murch!son's glance at me
was undisguisedly venomous. Reluct-
antly he rang for his steward.
r"Send the bo'sun here" he directed.
doggedly.
"We1l 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" te.e
. Although the master gave the nec-
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 . lantern viewed
one after another Of those swarthy,
grimy laborers who had crowded up
from below. I was convinced Of the
correctness OF my intuition. For Cam
eron was not among them. 5
And then q 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 seat
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 Q moment Hartley. who
was standing thoughtfully with brow
contracted. his lower lip gripped be-
tween anger and thumb. made no re-
sponse. Before he spoke his attitude
changed. Quickly he had assumed a
pose OF listening iptentness. Behind
US. somewhere. a clamor had arisen.
Voices, excited. hoarse, fremescent,
yet mufied BY distance, echoed DULY.
That man, next. Captain" he said.
cooily. "The man they're tryisg to
keep below"
It may have been that his hearing
was more acute than mine. or It may
only have been q guess. don't know.
But. whichever It was. It 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 bis coat pockets. came out az
though 3erked 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
waved louder and more distinct; sour
rying feet resounded on the metal deck.
i saw the captain start hurriedly
toward the starboard rail-. intent evi-
IDENTIFY on meeting the rabble which
was approaching on that side. and I
saw Hartley boldly block his way.
And then. almost at the same instant,
saw 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 It with an iron bar held menac-
ingly aloft against its pressing pur-
suers: and even In the uncertain light
of the deck lanterns. recognized 1t at
once, BY Its outline and the character
istic set Of its head upon its shoul.
ders. nude to the waist and collied as
1t was. as the figure Of the man I
sought.
Cameron" cried. chokingly. my
fast-beating heart crowding my utter
ance. And all unmindful Of the dirt
which covered him flung my arms
about his waist from behind. Cam
eron! Cameron! Thank God! Thank
God!"
heard the iron bar drop resound.
ingly to the deck; I heard Hartlcy's
voice raised in anger. strident. stac.
cato; and heard the receding shuttle
Of feet as those who had pursued now
L. l. FVyl-