The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-01
CHAPTER xxxII-Continued.

keep my footing on the wet incline. A
light spar had lodged here, and by
making this q species OF bridge, we
crept as far as the companion, the door
Of which was open, and gained a view
Of the scene below. 1t was a dismal
hole in the dim light, but presented no
obstacle to our entrance, and | led the
way down the stairs, gripping the rail
to keep from falling.
The door Of the captains room gave,
but 1t required our combined efforts to
press 1t open against the volume Of
water, slushing about within. For a
moment my eyes could scarcely recog-
nize the various objects as / chung TO
the frame Of the door and stared blind
ly about in the gloom. Then slowly
they assumed shape and substance.
Screwed to the deck, the furniture re-
tanned Its place, but everything else
was jammed In q mas of w~reckage, or
else floating about In a foot of water,
deepening toward the stern. There
were two chests in the room, one Of
which I instantly recognized as that Of
Roger Fairfax. The sight Of this made
me obllvlous to all else.
There's the chest we want, Haines,"
I cried. pointing 1t out. "Have the lads
back the boat up to this port; then
come down and help me handle It,"
Eyes, sir" his voice trembling, "but
but isn't that a man over therein
the bunk? Good God. sir; look at
him"
The white, CHASTITY face stared at us,
looking like nothing human in that
awful twilight. / actually thought 1t
a ghost, until with desperate effort the
man lifted himself, clinging with gaunt
fingers to the edge Of the bunk. Then
/ knew.
Sanchez! You those towards left
you here to dieH"
mo one came for me-" he answered,
choking so the words were scarcely in
telligible. "Who are you, and what
brought you here?"
"TIl tell you frankly, Captain
Sanchez" and I stepped closer. "We
risked coming aboard to save that
chest-ROger Fairfax's chest-befOre
1t went down. This vessel has it's
back broken, and may slide off into
deep water at any minute. We must
get you out Of here first"
"Get me outl" he laughed ~hideously.
ITO hell with your help. / want none
Of 1t. / am a dead man now, and the
easiest way to end all will be to go
down with the ship-'twill be a fit
coffin for Black Sanchez. BY God! /
know you now-Geoffry Carlyle?"
"Yes, but an enemy no longer"
THAT Is for me to say. l hate your
race, your breed. The very sound Of
your name drives me mad. I accept
no rescue from you! Damn you, take
your gold and 60"
"But whyT I insisted, shocked at
the mans violence. rs 1t because I in
terfered between you and Dorothy
Fairfax"
THAT chit; bah, what do I care for
her but Is a plaything. No, my hate
runs deeper than that. How came you
herein the boat stolen from the Ma
murT"
mo. Captain Sanchez. The day after
we left the ship we boarded o schooner
found adrift, the crew stricken with
cholera. with not a man left alive on
deck. or below. She lies yonder now,
the Santa Marie-a SLAYER"
snfornif~,v NoA 80 >-A Ill - S~t~I-
blazed into mine as he suddenly forced
his body upward in the bunk. 1.-THE
Santa Marie adrift! the crew dead
from choleraf And the captain-Pera-
dilla. Francis Paradilla-what of
him7"
"He lay alone on a divan In the
cabin-dead also"
He tried to speak, but failed, his
fingers clawing at his throat. When
he finally gained .u%tterance once more
II was but q whisper.
'Tell me-" he begged. "there was nc
oma with himT".
'There was no woman" / sale
gravely, ION deck or in the cabin"
what mean you by saying that
There was one on board! Don't lie Il
me! In an hour l am dead-but frs
tell me the truth. Does the woman
liver"
"No, she died before. We found hel
body in a chest, preserved by SOM
devilish Indian art. richly dressed ant
decked with Jewels"
"Englishr
II judged her so, but with dark hail
and eyes. You knew herr"
I'm the name Of all the fiends, yes
And l know her end. He killed her
Paradilla killed her-because she wa!
as false to him as she had been to me
He'll but 1t is strange you should b.
the one to find her-to bring me thi.
tale, Geoffry Carlylew
"Why7 What Is 1t to mer
you go back to England and tell tn,
duke Of Bucclough how his preciou,
sister died."
"His sister! Good God, you canno,
mean that woman was Lady Sara Car
Iyle?"
who sho1ld know better than L?
sneeringly. "Once / was called in Eng