Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1918-02-07
you help us quietly, or shall we have

-SAI AS AAASSAJS VI oAAoAA VIC AAoV0
to make your
"What Is it you desire of me?"
THAT you work out an observation
once a day, and set the ships course
as we direct; then tell us when a GER
tain point has been reached" n
"What point2". Y
FIFTY miles northeast of st. Johns.",
"And then what happens"
"We will take to the boats, and
leave you and your officers to do what
you please with the ship"
"Are all the crew with you in this
mutinous deal?"
The eyes of the two men met, and
Liverpool blurted out:
'Theyll all do what we say; there's
none ov 'em yer kin Jul ON fer ter
fight on your side; but maybe there's
a couple we won't hav' no use for when
we take to the boats"
"Who are thcy?"
"Thar's no need o. my tellin' yer
that"
"Well, even with those two this will
only give us six a%ble-bodied men; that
10 LOL CllOuSu Will WHICH, " DIlUS TIE
Indian Chief into port"
'It will be all you'll have, anyhow"
said Mccain grimly. "And you are
mighty lucky at that. The drift will
be southwark, and will take you direct
ly into the steamer lane. All you
need do is keep steerage way, and wait
until you are picked up. You don't
| ir,o pino xpo 1-o n .r,o;l:o. ;-4o lI.a
harbor at st. Johns the same time
we get there, do you? Come on snow;I
stop this talk, and give us an answer"
For "A long moment / stood notion
less, staring out through the open port
at the sunlit waters. 1t seemed to me
my best course was to at least pretend
to yield to their wishes. To acquiesce
would insure me a measure of free
dom on board. an opportunity to learn.
the exact conditions, and might enable
me to save the ship from destruction.
AS to Mccain, he had some object in
all this far more important than ap-
peared on the surface. He was never
assuming this risk, or investing all
this money in an illegal cause, without
a more serious purpose than an lille
desire to return to New York. He
was taking a tremendous chance, driv-
en- by some impulse I could not com
prehend. What "a the secret-hate,
revenge, greed, love? I would find
ou sometime; but now I could only
grope in the dark, guessing at his mo-
tives. Yet [ knew this-his promises
were lies. He would make use of me
he would induce me to pilot the ship
to the spot he desired to attain on the
broad bosom of the ocean, and then
what? The man would never be fool
enough to permit the Indian Chief to
sail into any harbor to accuse him of
such a crime. Back of all his words,
his explanations, his apparent fair.
ness, lirked treachery. I felt it, and
knew it, and the very suspicion led me
to reach swift decision. My eyes met
his with a smile.
II cannot conceive that I have much
choice" I said quietly. sit is to either
do this in freedom, or under compul.
sion. Naturally / prefer the former
"You mean you accept u offer?"
eyes; I will figure out the proper
course, and report to you when the yes
sci is at the place you designate. That
is all that is asked Of me. In return
I have your pledge that the ship will
be left in good condition, with all who
are loyal safe on boards" w.. y.
EYES," - RI ar
"There is one more condition. Nc
Cam"
"What?" IS
! "That Miss Darlington be left abso
lutely unmolested by either you or YOU
men, until the time comes for you tt
take to the boats"
"Hah! So that is really where the
shoe pinches"
. 1--WE willnot quarrel about it-eithe1
say yes or no."
"What do you mean by unmolested.
Am i prohibited from speaking to thu
lady?"
THAT is to be left to her choice
not yours. She is to retain the key t.
her stateroom; to eat alone if she
prefers, and to see such associates
aboard as she DESIRES"
i. Liverpool laughed drunkenly.
"That amt the argument" he sale
easily. $50 far as ! see, that don't
change things none. She's locked her
self in anyhow, an won't answer no
body"
Mccain grow1ed something which
took to be assent; AID 1 was myself
so anxious to ascertain our exact posi-.
ton as to have no desire for further
argument: I could be of no possible
value locked d prisoner in that state.
room; no protection to her. Indeed. If
I refused to navigate the vessel, leav.
ing the ship TO drift blindly through
these unknown waters, exposed con.
stanfg to peril, I would be guilty of
a failure to do my duty almost as
great as fTfo crimo If fhoco o+ho,, n.