The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1914-08-05

catch there was clicking sound.
which caused the negro to turn around.
the whites Of his eyes cleaning oddly.
"Oh. my lordy! nebber heard you,
Massa Craig. By golly. sab. dis yere
niggah sure thought he was shot"
mot yet. Louis" ! replied quietly.
standing II, the opening. one hand still
on the latch. But 1t is just as well
for you to be serious about tive got
the weapon all dght-see." and I push
ed the revolver butt forward into his
range Of vision. II don't mean to
hurt you 30 long as you keep still"
"What-what you a-goin' fer to do.
sahY"
Get away from this ship II can.
and you are going to help by remain
Ing right where you are, boy. First.
what's In the small boat. hung to dav
Its astern-provisiOns. I meap?"
"Thar's a breaker of fresh water.
an'-an' a package O. sea biscuit, sab.
Allah reckon that's ALL"
"t;ood. Do you happen to know how
far we are away from the main
coast!"
-A-about thirty-ive mile, sab"
"Florida?"
Eyes. sab"
Can you tell me the compass
pointY'
he scratched bis head, his confidence
that be was not going to be hurt re-
turning as questioned him.
"Waai. sab. amt no saiiorman
myself-no. shh-but de second mate
be done point 1t ont dis mohnin' when
All was on deck, an he say 1t lay
nor'east by east, sab. All members
dat distinctly
''That will be all. Louis. Now listeL
to me. l am going to shut this door
and lock you in. Ill be ON board here
for an hour yet. and II you utter SO
much as a whimper Ill come down
here and oil you full of lead
l closed the door. testing 1t before
turning away. smiling grimly to N.Y.
self at recollection Of those white eye
balls giaring at me through the gloom
Louis was evidently not the stun Of
which martyrs are made.
There was q small telltale compass
fastened to a beam over the table. l
unscrewed this without difficulty and
dropped 1t into my pocket 1t would
be a dark night with that cloud shut
ting out the sky. with probably not
shore light visible. Then ] climbed
the companion stairs to take a survey
of the deck. We were slipping through
the water at fair rate of speed. leav-
ing a very perceptible wake astern.
The open decks glistened with water.
although the rainfall was light and in
termittent: thunder rumbled to the
northward. with occasional flashes Of
lightning. Even as stood there. star.
ing forward. endeavoring to make out
certain objects In the gloom. the over
hanging cloud seemed to close in across
the wes.prn sky. instantly plunging us
Into night. | heard no movement of
men, no voice shouting orders, vet be-
fore that last CLEAN faded | had seen
outlined several figures on the bridge.
To better assure myself that no watch
was upon the after deck | cirt'led the
cabin. Supper had not been served.
and one of the watches might lie piped
down at any moment. This would
bring one of the mates aft to the cabin.
Driven by the thought. l raped
softly on her door and she came forth
instantly. full dressed.
You are readyY
Yes"
you'll need waterproof Of some
kind. It's raining outside. Wait a mo-
ment. There will be a coat in some of
these stateroOms."
l found one. fsherman's slicker. and
wrapped her In 1t. 1t was world too
big. but frightened the belt and turned
up the skirts, SO she managed to walk.
led her forward slowly. SO that the
tapping of the oilskins against the stair
rail would not be heard. The steady
patter Of rain on the deck planks
drowned what little noise we made.
and as we emerged into the hood a
gust of wind drove the moisture into
our faces. l could feel my heart thump.
yet 1t was more because Of her proxim-
ity than any excitement Of adventure.
So far as ! could perceive, peering out
into the storm with hand shading my
eyes. the way was clear. and. bidding
her stoop low. we slipped back along
the narrow deck passage into the shad-
ow cast by the boat