The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-06
Copyright. by A. c. mcclure Il Co.

CTOOheu dSdlust TIC oluc wall. IlS
very posture was that of sudden death,
even had it not been pictured by the
CHASTITY face, and the dark pool of
blood underneath. / heard an excla-
nation from lie We're and stood for an
instant utterly unable to move. l
knew already what l should find, yet
finally forced myself forward-he vas
stone dead, pierced with three knife
thrusts. / stood up and faced the
mulatto, whose c~ountenance was fairly
green with horror.
what do you know about this, Sc
nor LeVerA?' / asked sternly. "The
man has b1sn murdered, knitted. Who
did it-and why?"
He could scarcely answer, gripping
at the table for support, and never re-
NOV ing his gaze from the face of the
dead man. Yet / believed his words
was convinced this was not the terror
of guilt.
my God! I cannot tell; 1 have
never dreamed Of this"
Had the man enemies. Anyone
you would suspectY
Enemies? Ay, plenty of them; we
all have. We expect that in our
trade. This ship is full Of devils ready
enough to do such a job; but 1 could
not name the m who did do it. l
know of no aus l have heard moth
ing"
81 believe you, LeVere," 1 said.
what a we do, senor?"
do! We must talk that over first.
We cannot meet this thing until we
are prepared. There is more danger
in hasty action than anything else"
l shut the door behind us and turned
the key. 1t was a relief to get out
side, even into that dismal cabin, be-
yOnd view Of Estada's dead face. Lee
We're, who had evidently lost his nerve,
sank into a chair.
"You fear an uprising, a mutiny?"
I questioned, when this is reported?"
what will p~revent?" he asked.
1.-THE captain cannot stir; the mate is
dead; the men already craZed because
we take no prizes. They will murder
us also and take control. Those devils
amidships."
"And who leads them? Who would
be captain?'
Manuel Estevan," he whispered.
II thought as much. Then it is
Manuel Estevan we must secure first
before they know. Whatever his
men may know of what has occurred
they will make no move until they get
his orders. We must stop the posi-
bility of his issuing any. Without a
leader the advantage is ours"
you mean to kill him?"
"Only as a last resort. There is no
good feeling between those quartered
amidships and the crew."
"NO, senior; it Is hate generally, al
though they are not all alike. The
real sailors are mostly captured men /;
they serve to save their lives, and
only for these others on board could
not be held long. Your plan, senior,
is to set the n against the Other?"
Eyes, If possible. These sailor men
are of all races. Can they be trusted?"
"SOme might be, sir; 1t Is hard to
tell how many. 1t is not the ace
which counts so much, senior. There
are those among them who would not
care to return to honesty"
"And you, LeVere"
He spread his hands and shrugged
his shoulders. ''There is no hope of
me; / was born to the free life"
What then is it with you?"
Hate, senor-revenge," and his
teeth cleaned savagely. II would spit
on this Manuel who seeks to be chief.
l can never be-no; 1 am Of black
skin, with negro blood in my veins,
and white men would never have 1t so.
But I can hate, senior. That Is why
I am with you now, IL the devil 30
will. Your plan might work-tell me
more Of it."
what are the odds, say you-tHirty
to a hundred? Ay, but surprise will
overcome that. My plan Is this: First
to secure Manuel as quietly as pos
sible but at whatever cost. With him
in our hands, or dead, the buccaneers
have no leader. What then? There
are men in the crew on deck and in
the f%orecastle to be trusted-Watkins
Is one, and he will know others, a
dozen no doubt. They will be enough.
We will whisper the truth TO these,
and have them ready for a signal. The
forward door from amidships is closed
by iron b~ars--is it not?"
"Si, senor," his eyes again sparkling
with interest. "The men quarreled,
and there was fighting"
"Then there is no escape in that d.
rection and 1t car be no great task
to close any passage leading aft.
Lower the deck hatch and we have
those devils below Gagged like so many
rats. There need be no fighting; star
walton will bring them to terms"
"But, senior, your dozen men cannot
guard the buccaneers below and also
manage the bark. The crew are not
all lambs-many will sympathize with
those thus locked beneath deck. Co.