Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-12-19

est of the many blockade runners
trading between Liverpool and Will
mington, lay at anchor in the river
Mersey. She had completed sue
cessful voyage under the command OF
Captain Blondin and was about 10
start upon another.
Her decks, clean as those or
Yacht, gave no indication of her be-
ing the carrier of a cargo Of great
value to the Confederacy, but below
decks it was different. Huge oblong
cases had been carefully hoisted
aboard and slowed away. "Machin-
ery." they were marked, machinery
of war" would have been nearer the
truth, for they were guns, destined 1or
use by the southerners. Other cases
there were, smaller and more nearly
square, also labeled machinery,
containing the gun mounts, and the
ammunition, and further aft still
smaller cases. containing small arms
and ammunition for use in the Con-
federate army. Nor were the means
of repairing physical damage forgot
ten. The after part of the hold was
filled with small packages Of surglcai
instruments and medical supplies.
Taken all in all, the cargo was
valuable one, and Messrs. Croft q
Duncan. brokers, the owners or the
Banashee, had good reason to congrat-
ulate themselves upon the selectlon
nv the Confederate agents OF snip
to carry this cargo, and still more
reason to congratulate Captain Bion-
din, whose skill and daring had maze
this selection possible.
Captain Blondin, small and slim Oh
figure and immaculate as TO oress'
was simple and unaffected, as OF oio.
Success had not turned his head and
his happiest moments were spent In
the seclusion Of his cabin and upon
the high seas.
He had just finished an interVie"
with Mr.. Croft when Dalton, his nrst
mate, came below to say that Mr.
Rutherford desired to see him.
IT suppose that L must see him.
Dalton" he said with sigh, but
wish that all this calling would come
to an end 1 am heartily sick OF II.
Big and coarse, red faced giant
with small gray eyes that tWinKleo
genially yet never looked one square
Nv in the face and would be Jovlal
and familiar manner, soiled as to lin
en- and unkempt as to person-such
a man was Mr.. Rutherford, the very
antithesis of Captain Blondin, In all
things
As CAPTAIN Blondin looked at him
for a moment, before speaking a
feeling of disgust almost oVercame
him. He was a man of strong likes
and dislikes, and there was that about
Mr.. Rutherford which was calculated
TO arouse the latter feeling within
him. 1t was hard, however, to over
come his natural habits of courtesy
and almost involuntarily he inquired
what he could do for his visitor.
Much or little, captain" replied
Rutherford as he took seat, unpld-
den. and placed his elbows upon the
table and rested his face in his hands.
Much or little, captain. My names s
Rutherford. My errand here is TO
put money into your pocket, II you're
willing to have it put there. how
would you like to run over cool
hundred thousand dollars, captain
For a few moments the two men
sat gazing at each other in silence
Captain Blondin's face flushed then
paled. as he looked steadily at his Wis
itor: Rutherford's shifty eyes wavered
between Captain Blondins face and
the objects in the cabin, but not the
slightest movement or expression up
on the former escaped him.
What is expected from me in re-
turn for this sum-" inquired Captain
Blondin at last, his voice quite calm
and even.
Nothing much, captain. Nothing
that is hard to do. Are we alone!
He cast a suspicious glance around
the cabin.
I'VE are alone. IO OuJ Sill
well, then, captain, it's this: I'm
a representative Of the United states
government. We want to put a stop
to this blockade running. 1 know just
what you have below matches. It's a
cargo that we can't afford to have get
away, and we are willing to pay you
we'll for it. A hundred thousand dol
lars is not to be picked up every day.
even in a trade that pays as well as
the contrabrand. What do you say
to the proposition?"
Captain Blondin's reply was prompt
and decisive.
You scoundrel!" he said hotly.
You hound Do you think that your
paltry dollars will buy me "
Rutherford's assurance was OF
proof; he did not move from his seat.
Hear me out, captain, before you
decide finally" he said coolly. "Re-
member, 1 don't ask you to do much'
and you stand to make fortune out
Of it, a fortune without risk. All l
ask of you is that you will take the
Banshee to a certain port that l Will
name, anchor her in the haroor ana
leave her with your crew. And for
this. merely this" his voice sank to
whisper, for this you'll receive the
sum of Just one hundred thousand in
good British gold"
AS he spoke Rutherford keeniy
watched Captain Blondin's face. He
read there first, loathing. then inde-
cision, then what he took to be
sudden gleam of cupidity. And as
he noticed this last, despite himself
he heaved a sigh Of relief. Then
Captain Blondin sat down at the cab
in table opposite him, lost in deep
meditation.
"One hundred thousand in gold"
he said after a time, rather to him.
self than to Rutherford. "One hun
dred thousand in gold-a fortune"
"a fortune" repeated Rutherford.
"It means much to a young man who