The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1919-11-13
CHAPTER XVII.
On BOARD the SLAYER.

On bodfC tnc olaNcr.
The terror of the two men as this
thought dawnrd upon them In all It's
horror was apparent enough. Nothing,
not even fire, was more to be dreaded
than n visitation of this awful nature
on %shiphoard. Churnel ship though
this might be, 1t was safer by far tran
the cocklcshell towing alongside.
Lots find out the truth first, men,
| said quietly. "lIuld your tongues.
There Is no use giving up until we
know what the danger Is. VIII you
come with mo-"
The terror in Sans eyes caused me
to laugh and my own courage came
back with n rush.
afraid OF dead men, are yOu7 Then
we'll face them together, my lads, aud
have II over with. Come On, now, both
OF you. Buckle up; there Is nothing
to fear, II you do what ! tell YOU
this isn't the first cholera ship I've
been aboard"
II IA no pleasant Job confronting
us, although we had less dead men TO
handle than anticipated. Indeed. we
found only five bodies on board. There
were only two on deck. n giant, coal
black negro, and n grny.bearded white
man, his face pitted with smallpox.
Determined on what wa to be done, !
wasted no time with either body. The
two sailors hung back, terrori2cd at
the mere thought of touching these
victims OF plague. | stecled myself 10
the job and handled them alone, drag.
cling the bodies across the deck and
launching them over the low raj, into
the sea. | ordered Schmitt to cut the
laShlngs and take charge Of the wheel.
"See here, Sam. and you too,
Schmitt. l am In love with that girl
In the boat. DO you suppose | you'd
ever have her come on this deck II ]
believed she might contract choleraf
You do rs | say and you are perfectly
safe. Now. Schmitt. remain Mt the
wheel. and you, Sam. come with me.
There will be a dead Niger aboard
unless you jump when | speak"
He trotted close at my heels as I
flung open the door leading into the
cabin. The air seemed fresh enough
and / noted two OF the ports wide
open. A tall, sinOoth.shaven man, with
an ugly scar down one cheek, lay out
stretched on n divan AT the foot Of the
after mast, his very posture proclaim.
Ing him dead. His face was the color
OF parchment. wr!nklcd with age
The negro crcpt up behind me and
stared ut the upturned face.
my Gaud. sab. he wus de Of cap
tain. raradil'a, sab; damn his soul -
In what was evidently the captains
room | discovered Il prlcked chart and
!. log.hook. with 40 entry IN Il for three
days. Without waiting TO examine
these | slowed them away In my peck
ct. Between us we forced the stifened
form Of the captain through the open
after port and heard Il splash into
the sea astern. There were two dead
scamen In the forccastlc. both swarthy
fellows. with long Indian hair. ! never
saw Il dIrtler hole, the filth overpow-
erlng, and once satisfied that both
men were beyond help, | was content
TO lower the scuttle and leave them
there. God II was n relief 10 return
once more to the open deck and breathe
in the fresh air. hailed the boat tow.
ing below.
Come aboard, Watkins" 7 called
sharply. PASS the lady up first, and
turn the boat adrift."
/ caught porothy's hands and aided
her over the rail.
"Why was The vessel a~handoncdf'
she askcd, "What has happened: DO
you know"
Quietly | told her the truth and as.
surcd her that IL we staid on deck and
used our WI bedding and provisions
we were In no Sanger.
"ilow can | help youf'
Tel the men just what ! have told
YOU" | said Graycly, They viii be
ashamed to show less courage than
YOU"
We turned and faced them together
as they formed a little group against
the rail-. iIallln was first 10 speak.
CO EE Continued