Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-31

Why, some people make themselves al
home on the bridge, in the chart room.
aud even In my living quarters. to say
nothing of consuming my expensive
wines, liquors and cigars"
Meaning me?'
I'm a brutal seafaring man. and
you'll have to make allowances for my
well known brusqueness. Maybe did
mean you. But III say that next to
you Curtis Gordon is the worst CRATER
| ever saw"
"You don't like Gordon. do your
O'Neil queried with change Of tone.
Il do not. He went up with me
again this spring, and he had his
widow with him too"
His widow?'
"You know who l mean-Mrs. &C.
rard. They say it's her money he's
using in his schemes. Perhaps it's be-
cause Of her that don't like him"
"Ah-h! l see."
You don't see, or you wouldn't grin
like an ape. I'm a married man, I'll
have you know, and I'm still on good
terms with Mrs. Brennan. thank God.
But don't like men who use womens
money, and that's just what our friend
Gordon is doing. What money the
widow didn't put up he's grabbed from
the schoolma' ans and servant girls
and society matrons in the east. What
has he got to show them for it?'
e railroad project, a copper mine.
some coal claims"-
Bah! A menagerie of wildcatsv'
'You can't prove that. What's your
reason for distressing him.
well, for one thing, he knows too
much. Why, he knows everything, he
does. Art, literature, politics, law.
finance and draw poker have no Sc
crets from him. He's been everywhere
and back-twice; he speaks a dozen
different languages. He outargued me
on poultry raising. and l know more
| about that than any man living. He
can handle a drill or a coach and four;
he can tell all about the art of ancient
Babylon. and he beats me playing crib
sage, which shows that he amt on the
level. He's the best informed man out
side of a university, and he drinks tea
of an afternoon. with his legs crossed
Now, it takes years of hard work for
an honest man to make success at
one thing. but Gordon never failed at
| anything. l ask you if living author
!, ity on all the branches of human en-
deavor and q man who can beat me at
crib doesn't make you suspicious.
Not at all. I've beaten you myself
, Il was SICK said Captain Brennan.
. The man is brilliant and we'll edu-
Gated and wealthy. It's only natural
that he should excite the jealousy of a
, weaker intellect"
+ Johnny opened his lips for an eyplo
, sion. then changed his mind and agreed
Sourly.
. Hes got money. all right. and he
' knows how to spend it. He and his
D valet occupied three cabins on this
:. ship. They say his quarters at Hope
Y are palatial."
, My dear grampus. the mere love OF
g luxury doesn't argue that a person /:
4 dishonest"
S Would you let hired man help 20,
on with your underclothes demanded
, the mariner.
: There's nothing criminal about it."
n "Humph, Mrs Gerard Is different
She's all class. You don't mind hel
! having a maid and speaking French
y when she runs short of English. He
. daughter is like her"
+ Il haven't seen Miss Gerard"
+ IF you'd stir about the ship instead
:. Of wearing out my morris chair you't
. have that pleasure. She was on decl
!. all morning" Captain Brennan fel
4 silent and poked with a stubby fore
a finger at the ice in his glass.
Il well, out with it," said ONeil afte
a a moment.
r I'D like to know the inside story o
e Curtis Gordon and this girls mother
. why bother your head about some
g thing that doesn't concern you?" Th
e speaker rose and began to pace tn,
y cabin floor. then in an altered tone in
d Quired, Tell me, are you going to lant
It me and my horses at Kyak bay?"
d That depends on the weather. IT
a rotten harbor. You'll have to swim
Y them ashore"
r Suppose it should be rough?"
J. Then we'll so on and drop you Their
S coming back. don't want to be caugh
+ on that shore with a southerly wind
o and that's the way it usually blows"
II can't wait" O'Neil declared. "a
d weeks delay might ruin me. Rattle
n than go on I'd swim ashore myself
without the horses"
r Even as Brennan spoke the Nebrask,
seemed to halt, to jerk backward un
= der his feet O'Neil. who was standing
4 flung out an arm to steady himself; tn
empty ginger ale bottle fell from tn
r sideboard with a thump. Loose al
= ticles hanging against the side wall
9 swung to and fro; the heavy draperie
e over Captain Johnny's bed swayed.
8 Brennan leaped from his chair; hi
ruddy face was mottled, his eyes wer
+ wide and horror stricken.
II "Damnationr' he gasped. The cabi
d door crashed open ahead Of him, an
be was on the bridge, with O'Neil a
2 his heels. They saw the first Office
a ciinging Imply to the rail; from til
d pilot house window came an excite
y burst Of Norwegian, then out of tn
door rushed quartermaster.
g The steady, muffled beating OF tn