The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1920-01-09
Copyright. 81 4. c. Mcclure Z Co.

even mao IL NOT Dcen lCtureO " tno
CHASTITY face, and the dark pool Of
blood underneath. I heard an excla-
nation from lie We're and stood for an
instant utterly unable to move. l
knew already what I should find, yet
finally forced myself forward-he was
stone dead, pierced with three knife
thrusts. I stood up and faced the
mulatto, whose countenance was fairly
green with horror.
"What do you know about this, Sc
nor Leverer I asked sternly. "The
man has been murdered. knitted. Who
did it-and whyT"
He could scarcely answer. gripping
at the table for support. and never re-
moving his gaze from the face Of the
dead man. Yet l believed his words;
was convinced this was not the terror
Of guilt.
my Godi I cannot tell; I have
never dreamed Of this"
"Had the man enemies. Anyone
You would suspectT'
'Enemies1 Az. plenty of them: we
all have. We expect that In our
trade. This ship is full Of devils ready
enough to do such q job but I could
not name the one who did do it. /
know Of no cause. I have heard moth
Ing"
II believe you, LeVere." l said.
"What can we do, sen0rY"
IDOL 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"
shut the door behind us and turned
the key. It 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 q chair.
you fear an uprising. q mutiny7'
I questioned, "when this is r~eported?"
"What will preventr' he asked.
'cThe captain cannot stir; the mate Is
dead; the men already crazed because
we take no prizes. They will murder
MS also and take control. Those devils
a~midships."
"And who leads themf Who would
be captainT
Manuel Estevan," he whispered.
ri thought as much. Then 1t is
Manuel Estevan we must secure nrst
before they know. Whatever his
men may know Of what has occurred
they win make no move until they get
his orders. We must stop the posi-
bility Of his issuing any. Without q
leader the advantage Is ours"
you mean to kill himf"
"Only as q last resort. There IL no
good feeling between those Quartered
amidships and the crew.
"No. senior; 1t il hate generally. al
though they are not all alike. The
real sailors are mostly captured men
they serve to ave their lives, and
only for these others on board could
not be held long. Your plan. senior,
Is to set the one against the otherf"
Eyes. II possible. These sailor men
are Of all races. Can they be trusted7'
"Some might be. sir: 1t Is hard to
tell how many. It is not the race
which counts so much. senior. There
are those among them who would not
care to return to honesty"
And you. LevereT
He spread his hands and shrugged
his shoulders. "There is no hope OF
me; I was born to the free life"
"What then is it with your
"Hate, senor-revenge," and his
teeth cleaned savagely. II would spit
on this Manuel who seeks to be chief.
I can never be-no; I am Of black
skin, with negro blood In my veins
and white men would never have it SO,
But I can hate. senor. That Is why
I am with you now. IL the devil 50
will. Your plan might work-ten me
more of it."
"What are the odds, say you-thirty
to a hundredf Ay, but surprise will
overcome that. Ny plan Is this: First
to secur Manuel as quietly as pos
sible but at whatever cost. With hin
In ur hands, or dead, the buccaneers
have no leader. What them There
are men In the crew on deck and in
the ~forecastle to be trusted-Watkins
is one. and he will know others. q
| uOACu III uOuOl. 4hCy Will UC ChOuSA
We will whisper the truth to these
and have them ready for a signal. The
forward door from amidships Is closed
by iron bars-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 di
rection and it can be no great tasl
to close any passage leading aft
Lower the deck hatch and we hav,
those devils below Gagged like so man.
rats. There need be no fighting; star
walton will bring them to terms"
But, senior, your dozen men canno
guard the buccaneers below and ais
l manage the bark. The crew are no
all lambs-many will sympathize witt
: those thus locked beneath deck. Co
chose is bad, and a friend of Manuel
y He will fight, and there are other
to back him."
II know that, LeVere. The who!
!. a.. 49,. L1.A - A.