Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-09-24

LayntOn and the others are after, and
you have been told by Gunga here
that, though you may not choose to
believe it, they are inviting their own
destruction. In an hour, in twenty
four, there will not be a man alive
aboard this ship. and"
A terrific smash upon the door cut
short his words, and, whirling around,
he jumped to Gunga's side. The shock
of some heavy object, used obviously
as battering ram, had lOOSened their
makeShift prop, the door had yielded
by perhaps an inch, and Gunga now
was Straining with might and main
to force it back into place.
WaIlen flung his weight against the
dOor-nOt an instant too soon. 1t
came again, the smash upon the door,
but with it scream of pain above the
shouts and cries. Came another
scream-then again the scurrying of
feet in retreat-then silence. Gunga
had fired this time, but not at the floor
"Sahib," said Gunga calmly, 1--WE
were in too great haste. See"-he
damned the dismantled cabin door
more securely into position, wcdging 1t
against the iron base of the chair with
a piece of wood that he wrenched from
the chairs back-'it will not slip
again"
Wallen nodded, testing the barri-
cade. 1t was firm now, and would hold
as long as anything of the saloon door
itself remained.
He looked around.
Helen MacKay had gone into her
cabin-and the door was shut. Pos
sibly half an hour passed, and they
waited-Gunga on one side little out
of direct range from the door And
then Wallen distinguished a muffled
sound of voices.
For moment he could not place the
southland then he smiled mirthlesSly.
Helen MacKay was talking through
the portfolio of her stateroOm to some
one out on the deck.
And then, abruptly, in shout, came
LayntOn's voice, apparently from the
top Of the cOmIaniOnway:
"You below thereW
Wallen smiled grimly. He had been
waiting long while for that.
"Well?" he answered indifferently.
"Look here nOw!" Laynton's voice
became modulated and unctuously
smooth. "YOu amt doing yourself any
good by playing the fool this way. You
come on out of there, give us the in
formation we want, and we'll forget
about this, for all that two of my
chaps have got bullets through their
shoulders"
"What's the ships position?" in
quired Wallen coolly.
There was a quick oath from Cap
tain LayntOn. II guess you know
blamed well!" he growled.
"We've Arru abeam, haven't WEI"
persisted Wallen quietly.
eyes"
SWELL" said Wallen slowly, "Ill tell
you what you want to know-on one
condition"
"Aha! So you do know, eh?"
snarled Laynton. II thought we'd get
1t out of you before we were through.
You're beginning to show some signs
of sense, my lad. What's the cOndi-
tionT'
Its simple enough" Wallen replied
shortly you'll stand in close to Arru
opposite MacKnights station-and let
Miss MacKay and Gunga here go
ashore"
II, sahib-no!" Gunga had slipped
quickly to Wallen's side and was
clutching at Wallen's sleeve. 81 will
not go. sahib. If the sahib gives his
life for the Miss MacKay. shall the
shame come upon me that I let the
sahib die aloneT'
"Quiet. Gungai" Wallen commanded
softly. II cannot hear what the cap.
tain says" Then raising his voice:
"What did you say, captain?"
II said you mean you'd kind of
count on going along with them after
loading us up to the eyes with some
fake DOPE" LayntOn flung back sar-
castically. swell, you can forget it.
You'll never get away from this ship
like that.
81 don't expect to get away" said
Wallen simply. ''They are to go.
When they are safe I'll tell you every
thing you want to know. If what I
tell you proves to be a lie-I am still
aboard"
"Well, that's fair" admitted Layn-
ton. "Tll take you up on that, and"
His words were lost in a sudden flu
riOus alteration in which Wallen
could distinguish Motifs voice. Then
came q below from the captain:
you close your jaw! What's the
girl compared to the other?'
Almost a smile was on Wallen's lips
"a smile that was curiously like a
prayer. 1t was his last card, and he
had played it, and it was the master
trump,
Gunga, in low, passionate words,
was still pleading with him. CAPTAIN