Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-25
The Gift
Supreme
BY
George Allan England
Author of
Darkness and Dawn"
"The Alibi." etc.


the mariner. clicking his worn out
heels together and touching the vizor
OF his cap with saluting fore
finger. 'Jethro Lawless, at your
service, sir,"
What is that you say asked
Vinton. "Jethro Lawless again. aft
er all these years? What do you want
of me?"
"A few words sir. I'm glad you
sir, trimmest hooker ever sailed out
O Boston under white canvas, clip
per-bnilt an II JOY to handle. If a
man knew how to take, her. That
was in the fall an winter of 1864,
Cap'n an"
Come in" said vinton brusquely,
gesturing toward the glass door,
1--WE can not stand talking here"
"Right-o. Cap'n." affirmed Lawless,
nodding his weather worn head Wig
orously The packet o. news i got
for you amt for cabin boys to hear"
He glanced contemptuously at Tat
low. Lead aft to the cabin, sir an
I'll follow"
When they were inside the office
and the door was shut, Vinton faced
his one-time mate with frown.
Now. them" he queried. II re-
member you. Lawless. Of course. But
must admit I am not well dis
posed toward you. Your conduct at
last accounts-years and years ago
deserved the strongest censure. II
you have come back to me asking
employment or begging favors. I
frankly tell you have none to give"
II amt nowise surprised Mt that.
Cap'n." answered the sailor, deposit
ing his cap on the desk and swab
bling his bald forehead with n ban
dana Of astonishing chromatic
violence. II amt askin' for none,
neither. All ram askin' is few min
utes' gam with you. You've went up
in the world, Cap'n, an I've came
down since them days when mud
hooks want histed with steam
windlass, but was brung to the cat
heads with a chantey OF
oh, Sharlo Brown. love your dat
ter.
Awa-a- ay my rollin' river!
Oh. Sharlo Brown, love Your datter,
All! All! We're bound with ava
a-ay,
Cross the wide Mizzouri!'
"The days, Cap'n. when you learn
ed the ropes aboard your own hook
ers. as junior member O. the firm.
same as all the Vintons done afore
you. an come aft thru the
hawse- pipes only to get booted for
rard again an stay there ever
since. But no mntter about that. We
once sailed as man an man together
an It's as man to man want this
little end O. talk. Talk, Cap'n, to re-
mind you bout your son Bradford,
am"
IT have no SOM" retorted the old
shipnaster coldly, facing the mari
ner with an expression of inflexible
pride
Jethro Lawless swabbed his head
again as he answered:
THE real fact, Cap'n. an the real
trouble is that there boy of yours
amt got no father. No, no." he i'm
placably continued, mo, Cap'n. 1t
amt no use tellin' me to stow my
lip, an clap stopper on my jaw. 1
can speak, to-day, even IL l couldn't
then: an speak I'm goin' to. full an
free
He fixed steady eye of clearest
blue on the agitated. angry face of
his one time captain, and, stroking
his beard, went on:
"Cap'n Vinton, sir, listen to me.
the hospital with a wownd in his
lung you could put q marlin-spike
into Bleedin' to death. they say.
Smashin' up on the reefs. Cap'n. Now
here's the question l put UP to you
all, fair an proper. Are you goin to
jettison your cargo of pride and up
anchor for Hull Street to put your
eyes onto him afore he plunges UNI
der, or amt you? That's what I'm
aslin' you, Cap'n, an that's what
you're goin' to answer me, here an
now"
"How do you know anything about
him? demanded the shipmaster
harshly. about his being hurt?"
How. Cap'n? Why, l was there
when he was run afoul of. I'm one of
his men, down to the snug harbor
barnacled an would like to careen
an scrape their hulls, before put
tin out to sea again for better
passage than what brung 'em in
I'm the man as crossed the muir
dered's bows when he was scuddin
off, an rounded him to-Meiny
Stage. If you'd like to know his name
-"
"StaggT' gulped the old man, with
staring eyes. You said Stage? No
no, 1t couldn't have been anybody OF
that name!"
why not, Cap'n, SEEM as it was
Yes, the man as run that butcher
knife into your sons body was
Meiny, son of Irwin Stage, both OF
'em the BLACKLIST hearted pirates that
ever scuttled woman's reputation
or run the black flag up over a cargo
of loot"
mo, no. not that" quavered Vim
ton, terribly agitated clutching his
lean hands together. Don't tell me
that, Jethro This thing couldn't
have come about thru Stage, in
any way!"
But 1t did Cap'n, I tell you. Cos
pei truth. Why? What's Stage tc
you?"
"Nothing-nothing at all" the old
man stammered, laboring to master
himself. Nothing in this world. just
as henry son that was-is nothing
now"
mistake, Cap'n! Biggest mistake
of your life! He's everythin', every
thin to you now, you understand
me? An you're going to up-stick an
beat down to Hull Street to see him
with me, afore the Big Skipper calls