The evening world., 1914-05-07

pitched back with a yell. and a queel
apparition. that owned oilskins, q
grim smile. and a pipe that puffet
regularly, caught him and stood him
erect.
where's the - - captain ri
this damned boat7" demanded MIR
Pollard.
Ford" said the apparition, with
simple dignity.
lie pointed and reeled of, but with
a reel which owned a great deal O,
method. since 1t left him upright a,
every step. Pollard. peering. gulpine
gasping. disccrned two figures at the
other end of a stretch of deck suf,
ciently broad to permit at least q
decent fall.
so he plunged forward. and his
two friends plunged after him. and
presently they stood behind the two
figures.
The broader one looked the mora
important; sleeves too short revealed
nigh'y wrlsis; a dripping neck, red
ana weather beaten, bulced hard
muscle above the collar; and the too
usht garment further revealed a mass
Oh muscle ON shoulders and upper
arms. These things did not discon-
cert Pollard In the least. he knew
his rights.
knowing them and being able to
stand new. after a fashion, he rapped
the broad shoulder with two angry
hnger points and said:
Here. you!"
bare throat. which Pollard had never
viewed before, showed curlinp IRA 10
mar and bulgcs that would have lift
Ell plano without effort. No soften
ing erect OF hat was there, no bency-
oicnt gray mop 10 tone the captains
countenance; his lO'ks were tucked
back somewhere L'ndcr the aged.
peakloss cap. and his high forehead.
Si!stenins water. merely acccntuLtcI
thc nara lines OF the chm at the other
end or his face. Yet the burning eyes
were what caught and held Pollard s
attention.
YOU he said namely.
.,, es-me'' roared tho captain.
"Whattcr you want?"
The chief Of the band lurched back
ward. Ryan. spinning, caught him,
quite by chance. and stood him up
AGAIN; and even in the instant much
OF the Pollardncss Of Robert Pollard
returned TO him.
want to talk to you" he STAN
mered
Talk" Numbered mis- late friend
and victim elect.
Il want To tell you that--.that
you've committed crime on the per-
sons OF three innocent mem" Pollard
said. gathering force In astonishing
fashion. You get this old hulk back
TO New York orr
Luther" said the captain. with
dreadful calm as his eyes bored into
Pollsrd's soul. Look"
lie held up a short yard Of tarred
rope---ihick rope, In the end OF which
was a knot OF approximately the di-
mansions Of Polllrd's late cane head.
you. that used to call Luther"
said the captain, while Mr.. McWirt
shifted his quid and smiled happily.
"d'ye SO that rope?'
We'll I tied that knot for you, you
dirty swab," the captain said. And
I'm going to commit another crime on
the persons % three innocent men
that'll make plain murder look like a
Sunday school picnic! thar, by
Judas! Thar"
The foremost. Pollard fancied
through the sudden rain OF brilliant
stars, broke of at the deck Just then
and struck him. He sprawled. shrek
ing, and az he struggled to his knees
II struck him again and sent MIN
down.
Or was il the knot on the genial
hit OF line--the knot that
whisked and whistled everywhere In
n second-the knot which. striking
the snake Just behind the ear. had
pitched him half across the deck|
Watching the same knot curl up
William Ryan. feared by hundreds as
the Spanish Brute, listening TO Ryans
blood -curdling howl Of pain. Pollard
that II was.
And since conclusion ana actlon
were almost synonymous with him'
Pollard started Dlindly toward the
little door that had ushered tnem
out into this trouble-started lust as
he was, on hands and knees. without
to rise.
In the most indistinct way ne re-
allied that the Snake and his larger
aide were following in Just tho same
way, and that the alleged Brute was
painting like n steam engine In his
haste, while the Snake whined In ex-
act imitation Of hurt dog.
Curiously, Pollard did not notice the
motion of the vessel Just now; the
haven Of the open door lay ahead
and. slipping on tho wallow Of the
deck, he slid through It headlong and
vanished. So. indeed, did Ryan and
Evans. and. having landed In some
confusion at the bottom of the stairs.
they rolled n little farther
Out in the fog Capt. Velvet sighed
and looked ruefuly at his weapon.
well. by ginger," he muttered.
~ lost my cussed temper again. Mr..
there was something l
wanted to say to 'em, too"