Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-02
American Sunday Monthly Magazine Section
The Leopard-S Skin Bag
Continued from page y


She was crouching near the rail, and my
first glance told me that those devils had
been successful. ia, they had. The bag
had gone from her neck, and when | turned
my head | saw the crew of the Donna Isa-
bella making for the foc'stle That girl must
have dozed, and one of those devils had
taken a chance and stolen the leopard
skin bag!
THAT snake looked as if he had gone
crazy. His head was bobbing in and out,
and he was looking after those running
thieves as if he was inclined to slip out of
the folds of that wrapper and slide after
them. He was the maddest snake | have
ever seen.
Lopez and Miguel rushed upon deck
when they heard the girl scream, and The
Tiger went insane when he saw that the
bag had been stolen. Got! didn't he curse
He foamed from the mouth, and he screamed
to that crew to come up on deck. guess
that he and Miguel had just Matched out a
nice little plan to rob that girl when it was
dark, and he saw red when he found that
the crew had taken chance and done the
trick that he had in mind. He brandished
revolver and danced up and down when
those cutthroats crawled up and stood in
line before him.
"'Who has it?' he yelled. who stole it?
Cough it up or I'll put a bullet through one
of you to show you that | mean business
All those liars were shrieking out denials,
and | sat and watched the business with my
fingers on my gun. The girl stood up and
came closer to the crew, and that snake
was waggling his head as if he was trying to
tell which one had stolen it. He was the
most intelligent snake have ever seen.
Give it up!' roared Lopez. Give it
up or I'll feed few of you to the hshes!'
And just then something happened that
made Lopez give howl of JOY. The Por-
tuguese cook began to rock backward and
forward his jaw dropped, and his eyes
started to turn back into his head. Before
anyone could touch him, he lurched side
ways and fell upon the deck
He has been bitten by the snake!
phet! he has the bag!'
"The Tiger Shark fell upon the cook and
started to search his clothes. He was not
one bit concerned because that cook was
dying. Not him! He wanted that little
bag, and he clawed that poor devil and rolled
him over and over while the thief was in his
death agony. 1t made me sick to watch
him. but | knew it was no good to say any
thing just then.
LOPEZ sprang to his feet, gave the cook
kick with the toe of his shoe and rushed
toward the foc'stle. knew why he was
running The cook had hidden the thing in
his bunk when he had rushed below, and
followed Lopez with the rest of the batch
They were crazy men as they raced after
that devil of captain. That big-eyed girl
and her snake were forgotten then, my friend.
She had lost the bag, and they were not
interested in her any more. Mem. She
went back to the shadow with the viper
that was making faces at the dead cook,
and we cattered after Lopez.
"The cooks bunk was upset when we
reached it, but The Shark did not notice
anything in his excitement. He tore the
mattress out, slit it open with his knife, and
shook out the straw. But there was no bag
there Lopez ripped away the loose pine
boards then he turned suddenly and glared
at the crew.
Someone came here while was search
ing his clothes!' he yelled. Who was it?
Speak, you hounds! Who the devil-Where' S
1T was strange that no one had noticed
the absence of the big mate till Lopez asked
that question 1t was mighty strange.
"'Where is he?' roared The Shark.
Where did he go?
Zone of that mob gurgled like man with
a bullet in his lungs, Lopez roared out an
, oath, kicked big half-breed out of his way
and sprang for the deck. 1t dawned on him