The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-04-25
The Blood
Pearl
o0
SSSSSSSSSH
(Copyright)
By ALBERT DoRRINaroN

"The thief must be punished" Sa
shine intimated blandly. 1T was /,
gem OF strange orient and milkiness
/ am told 1t bad blood mist. Their,
are men here who saw it!''
The crew Of japanese shelters mus
tered silently on the oyster-strewI
deck Of the Three Moons. The SEE
was as still as a sleeping child. "
The far south few ragged palms
marked the limit of the Vanderdecker
bank, where the cheeping sun birds
drowsed over the mile-long fleet OF
working luggers.
SashinO was captain of the Three
Moons, and he resented bitterly the
frequent thefts Of pearls from his lug.
ger. The tricks of the average dia-
mond thief become yldicrously appar-
ent when compared with the almosA
superhuman evasions of the Japanese
shell opener. Captain SashinO had
grown subtle with experience, but H."
smiling patience gave out before the
constant offerings of almost priceless
gems.
Four coolies appeared from the for.
ward hatch escorting a naked japanese
diver. A stern silence awaited him
For few moments he remained sui
lenly irresolute, cigarette in mouth,
his bare toes kicking scraps of opened
shell across the deck.
Captain Sashino regarded him con-
temptuOusly from his station near tho
main hatch.
"You steal my pearl, Insumi, the one
you found on the Black Lip bank. !
am willing to hear you. Say what ~
Insumi hunched his reef-scar ed
shoulders, cast furtive, sidelong
glances at the crew, and was silent.
"What made you steal?" Sashino re-
peated. "The German buyers or your
sweetheart In the town? Say quick !"
Insumi frowned.
II work hard, Captain Sashino, for
small pay. Only once or twice have
taken a little pearl My sweetheart
does not ask me to steal"
He turned again to the crew, a
though expecting a friendly Demon
stration on his behalf. There was
none.
A windlass-hand, wearing q coolie
loin-cloth, was holding baited line
over the port bow. Incidentally, a pair
Of tiger sharks drifted from the
shadow of the lugger's keel, and re-
ID xytty, IL 90, n~ls
T the bait.
The pearl thief folded his arms sub.
misslvely, as one expecting punish
ment swift and unannOunced. The 81
lent wrath that moves Japanese le-
gions to impossible assaults flowed
from the captains gestures. He turned
to diver at his elbow and whispered.
The crew, catching his meaning, be-
came suddenly alert. A volcanic rage
swept over them. Oaths Of strange
origin and dialects filed the air. Cap
tain SashinO nodded twice. and called
to the windlass-hand with che baited
line.
Three men caught Ins-mi by the
anu tic llllt uDOut
his waist and hips. leaving his arm
free.
"Over" shouted the captain. LET
him keep his knife"
Insumi was dangling over the bows.
his breast and feet nearly touching the
water. The tropic sun pierced almost
to the sandy floor Of the straits. A
/iger shark does not always swoOp to
the object In sight, but will sometimes
Inspect 1t for short period, then van
Ish for a brief space and return with
the speed Of a hawk.
The thief lay suspended within an
inch Of the water, his knees slightly
updrawn. The knife in his right hand
was held point out from his face.
Above him leant the crew Of the lug
ger, telling him in fluent japanese that
thieves and sharks were the spawn of
devil men.
An inqulsitive snout appeared under
The lugger's bow; q pair of swinish
eyes began to regard the suspended
Insumi with patient interest then.
moving slowly In straight line,
dashed suddenly under his chest. In
'umi's back arched as the gray belly
''yent beneath; quick, srunting stab
followed. and the water grew crimson
or several yards. He breathed hoarse-
y and wagged his bullet head.
"Fool!" sneered the captain. 1.-THE
scent will bring others, and they will
hustle him to death like Americansw
A loud thrashing was heard near the
leun. The strong tide swept the red |
stains clear of the lugger For a neriod