Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-21
TILE 11CKEP By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS
lL NlOAOlNLlC Author Of TARZAN uud MARS STORIES

said Therere to skipper simms. we don't
want to lose any men II we can help IT,"
: Tho skipper welcomed this unexpected
| rescue from the predicament into which
| he had placed himself, How Therlere was
to accomplish the subjugp ton OF. the mutt
nous sailor he could not guess, nor did he
| care so long rs It was done without risk
| to his own skin,
Now. II you'n go away. sir" said
Theriere, and order the men away, I'll
see what can do"
Skipper Sifnms did as Theriere had re-
quested so that presently the officer stood
alone beside the hatch.
Across the deck. amidships the men had
congregated to watch Theriere's operations,
while beyond them stood Barbara Harding,
held fascinated by the grim tragedy that
was unfolding itself before her upon this
accursed vessel.
Theriere leaned over the open hatch in
full view Of the waiting Byrne ready below.
There was the instant report OF flrearm
and a bullet whizzed close past Therlere's
head
"Avast there Byrnew he shouted. 1T
is I. Theriere DO not shoot again. /
wish TO speak with you"
mo monkey business now" growled the
mucker in reply. II won't miss again"
II wish to talk with you Byrne." said
Therlere in low tone I'm coming down
there"
mo. you amt, cul." returned Byrne /;
'leastways, yeh amt a comm down here
alive"
"Yes. am Byrne," replied Theriere
"and you must not be foolish about II.
am unarmed. You can cover me with your
revolver until you have satisfied yourself
as to that. l am the only man on the
ship who can save your llfe-the only man
who has reason to desire to but we must
talk II over, and we cannot talk this way.
whore there is chance that we shall be
EaI-
you will be fair with me. II we cannot
agree shall return, and you shall be no
worse off than you are now. Here come
and without waiting for an acceptance OF
his proposition the second officer of the
Halfmoon slipped over the edge OF the
hatchway and disappeared sfrom sight.
That he was brave man, even Billy
Byrne had to admit, and those above. who
knew nothing of the relations existing be-
tween the second mate and the sailor who
had so recently felled him, thought that
his courage was little short Of marvellous.
Therieres stock went up by leaps and
bounds in the estimation of the sailors OF
the Halfmoon. for. degraded though they
were, they could understand and appreciate
physical courage OF this sort To Barbara
Harding the mans act seemed unparalleled
in its utter disregard of the consequences
of life and death to himself that 1t entalled.
She was suddenly sorry that she had en-
tertained any suspicion against Theriere-
SO brave u man COulu HOl De ONutI lilhii
the soul OF honor, she argued.
Once below. Theriere found himself COW
cred by his own revolver in the hands of
a very desperate and very unprincipled
man. He smiled wryly at Byrne as the
latter eyed him suspicously
Look now, my friend Byrne,' said
Theriere. 'it would be foolish for me to
say that ! am doing this for love Of you.
The fact is that l need you. We cannot
succeed. either one of us. alone 1 think
you were foolish when you struck me to-
day. You know that our understanding
was that l should be even more rough with
you than usual in order to avert suspicion
should we be caught speaking together.
/ had an opportunity to abuse you today,
and l thought that you would understand
that 1 was but taking advantage of the
chance to make 1t plain to Mile. Harding
that there could be nothing other than
hatred between us.
'Tf I had thought that you really in
tended hitting me you would have been
dead man before your fist reached me my
friend. You took me entirely by surprise
but that Is all in the past--I am willing to
forget and help you out of your difficulties.
Then we can continue with our work as