The Dolores star., 1920-03-12

well, I've done little of every
work"
During most OF the remaining hours
| OF the morning the mate kept me EN-
ployed below, in company with num-
her of others OF the crew, In sorting
over the miscellaneous cargo. which
had evidently been very hastily load
ed. The work was hard and dirty,
and after few hours of II l mus,
have looked my assumed part TO per-
fection. The overseer gave me hat
which added little to my personal ap-
rearance. and by the time we were
called to knock of for the noon meal
| was thoroughly tired and disguised,
feeling as much 4 roustabout AS GER
tainly looked.
The meal was served on an un-
planed plank, the ends resting on kegs
in front OF the boilers. was still
husily munchIng away on the coarse,
poorly cooked food when Mapes.
proving about. Glanced to spy me
among the shadows.
''Hullo; is that you. Stever he
asked gruf.iy. well. when yer git
done eatin l got another job fer yer
on deck. Yer hear me?"
signited that did. and indeed was
even then quite ready to go. my heart
throbbng ut this opportunity to sur
| vey other sections of the boat. fol-
| lowed him eagerly up the ladder, and
| ten minutes later was buSily employed
| with scrubblng brush and bucket Of
water. in an endcavor to improve the
, outward appearance of the paint of
the upper deck. | was engaged busily
| scraping at The dingy paint of the pilot
| house, when a negro, evidently cook
| from his dress, came up from the
lower deck, bearing Il tray well laden
| with food in one hand. and disap-
| peared aft. He did not even notice
my presence or glance about. but |
! Instantly shranl back out of sight for
| | became Immediately conscious that
| someone was closely following him
| This second man proved to be one OF
| the fellows in civilian clothing l had
| previously noticed nj the table below,
ii tall, sallow individual, attired in Il
suit Of brown jeans. his lean. cracker
face ornamented by griZzled bunch
of chin whiskers.
Yer wait minute thar. jim" he
| called out. 'till | unlock that thar
door. | amt ther kind thet takes
| chances with no nigger"
| recognized the peculiar voice in
s'aptly, for had listened to that lazy
drawl before while hidden in the dark
ness beneath the BeauCaire veranda-
the fellow was Tim. the deputy sher-
if from st. Louis. The negro rested
his tray on the rail, while the white
man fumbled through his pockets for
Il key finally locating it and inserting
the instrument into the lock of the
second cabin from the stern. ! heard
no words exchanged with anyone with
in, but the negro pushed the tray for
| ward without entering, sliding II along
the deck, while Tim, evidently salts
fed that his charges were quite safe,
promptly reclosed and locked the door,
| returning the key to the security of
his pocket. After staring moment
over the rail at the shore past which
we We're gliding he disappeared after
the negro down the ladder Eager as
certainly was 10 make the poor girl
aware of my presence on board. the
chance of being seen, and my purpose
suspected by others, restrained me.
Besides as yet l had no plan of res.
cue; nothing to suggest.
Even as l hesitated, industriously
scrubbing away at the paint. Kirby
and the captain appeared suddenly,
pausing a moment at the head of the
ladder in friendly conversation. Part
ing at last, with n hearty laugh over
some joke exchanged between them.
the latter ascended the steps to the
pilot house. while the gambler turned
aft. still smiling. cigar between his
lips. ] managed to observe that he
paused in front Of the second cabin,
as though listening for some sound
within, but made no attempt to enter,
passing on to the door beyond, which
was unlocked. He must have come to
the upper deck on some special mis-
sion, for he was out of my sight
scarcely a moment, returning imme-
diately to the deck below. This occur
renee merely served to make clearer
in my mind the probable situation
the after cabin was undoubtedly Occu.
pied by Kirby, perhaps In company
with the deputy; while next to them,
securely locked away and helpless to
escape, were confined the two slave
women. In order to reach them |
must operate under the cover Of dark.
ness. and my only hope of being free
to work. even then, lay in the faith
that the gambler might become so In
volved in a card game below as to
forget his caution. So far as Tim was
concerned I felt perfectly capable of
outwitting him; but Kirby was dan.
gerous.