The evening world., 1914-03-28
1.-THE SHIP OF CORAL
mon Dieu! st. Pierre-st. Pierre
-

Martinique?"
The mate nodded.
For moment Gaspard could not
believe that such luck was his. Out
OF thirty or forty possible ports she
was bound for st. Pierre, for Marie.
Then he laughed and clapped his
knees with his hands: the oarsmen
l1ughed half mockingly, poking fun at
him in American slang. but the mate
did not laugh; he was man who,
to use his own expression. had no use
for laughter; besides. his eyes and his
mind were otherwise engaged.
Gaspard, in his excitement over
lighting the signal fire and the ap-
proach OF the boat, had forgotten one
thing. lie waS wearing the diamond
ring he had taken from sagesse, a
terrible blunder. almost unbelievable.
did not one know the capacity Of the
human mind for error
The mate. he was first officer OF
the Anne Martin and his name was
Skinner-though he could scarcely
keep his eyes from the flashing jewel,
said nothing, and now the boat was
under the port quarter Of the Anne
Martin, oars were In and Gaspard
climbing the ladder which had been
flung down. while n hard faced man
In a Panama-Capt. Stock, no less.
the master Of the vessel-was lean.
ing over the side shouting directions
TO the mate.
In moment the crew were on
board. the boat swung up AT the
davits. the braces manned and the
Anne Martin on her course again.
Then, and not till then, did Can't.
Stock turn to the newcomer
Hes French" said Skinner.
wrecked over there, but he's got n
diamond on his finger worth ten tnou-
sand dollars that wants explaining"
The Captain glanced at Gaspard.
hxed his eyes on the ring and then
said. call Diego: he can chatter to
limits all the Dago is good for"
IL was at this moment that Gas
pard. seeing Capt. Stocks gaze fixed
on his hand. recognized that he was
wearing the ring.
In moment Diego, a fat Portuguese.
with black curls and earrings, came
running aft. Then, through the med
iumship OF this interpreter, Capt.
Stock began to question the marooned
one.
How long have you been wrecked?''
Some days
storm or what?"
storm"
Where did you get that ring you
are wearing"
Found it,
"Where?"
ION the island"
picked II up3"
Eyes"
''where?"
ION the beach"
Here Gaspard broke across the
: questions with a statement.
: Tell NJ. lie Capitaine the ring is
mine. found II, and I shall sell IL at
st. Pierre and pay him handsomely
for my passage. I have friends at 81
Pierre who can speak for me. want
to go on this ship as a passenger: not
!, to work my passage"
= who can you name at ST. Pierre ms
l friend"
Monsieur Seguin-Paul Seguin."
The name appeared to have an ef-
feet on Capt, Stock.
What was the name Of your ship"
u La Belle Arlesenne.'
No sooner had the words left Gas
u pard's mouth than an extraordinary
change took place in the face of the
e captain; long enough by nature. 1t
heightened still more. He came for
T. ward and grasped> Gaspard's arm.
La Belle Arlesienne!"
II "Oui."
& Belonging to Pierre Sagesse?"
n Pierre Sagesse-oui.'
n Was no on board-Hi, you d.
y Dago, ask him was Pierre Sagesss
d aboard"
h Diego put the question
10 Yes
h was he lost?"
j. YES
d He's deadr-sure?
"Yes-O ma fol, yes. left him with
Is the crabs eating him"
H. Stock had been one of Pierre Sa-
d. gesse's many victims. Stock was moi
H. owner of the Anne Martin. only mas
l. ter, but he had once owned ship In
the West india trade, had become In
70 volved In Sagesses net and ruined
J" The hatred OF hell would scarcely ex'
III press in words the hatred of Simon
Stock for Pierre Sagesse. No wonder
:" then, that he did what he did on the
news OF Pierre Successes death and
," the statement about the crabs. ant
- what he did was this: Flung up hi
~ chin Till his scrawny and vulturou'
;" neck was sun1it from hyoid bone Il
:, sterpum, clicked his fingers like cas-
A. tanets, laughed horribly called IN