American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-12-09
SPANISH
DOUBLOONS
Continued from page p

kick to it-aot much, but jes' enough
to make a gennelmun feel LAX he Is
one"
Cookies tones dripped humility and
Precipitation. He offered the brimming
cup cringingly to the pale-eyed, red
nosed Chris, who reached for 1t with
alacrity, drank deep, smacked his lips
meditatively, and after a m
passed the cup back.
"'Tain't so worse" he said approx
.ngly. Anyhow, it's drink! !"
Magnus suddenly began to laugh.
"S'elp me, it's the same dope what
laid out the Honorablep he chortled.
Here, darky, let's have a swig of It'll"
Cookie complied, joining respectful
ly In the captains mirth.
II guess you-all is got stronger
haids den dat young gennelmun y he
remarked. dis yere ole nlggah has
help hisself mighty freely and dat
prohibitionist Miss Harding amt even
found it out. Fac is, 1t am puffeckly
harmless 'cept when de haid is weak"
False, false Cookie! Black brother
in perfdy to Mr.. Tubbs! One friend
the less to be depended on If a chance
for freedom ever came to u.s.
Cookie reflled the pirates cups, and
set the crock beside them on the
ground.
"In case you gennelmun feels yo'-
sells a lille thursty later on" he re-
marked. He was retiring, when Cap
tain Magnus called to him.
'Blackie, this amt bad. It's GOBLIN,
but thin-a real nice ladylike sort of
drink, | should say. Suppose you take
a swig over to Miss Jimmy there with
my compliments-Tm one to always
treat a lady generous If she gives me
half a chance"
Obediently Cookie FASTENED for an
other cup, set it on a tray, and APP
preached me with his old-time ornate
manner | faced him with a whitening
look, but, unmindful, he bowed, pre-
senting me the cup, and interposing his
bulky person between me and the
deeply quaffing pirates. At THE same
time his voice reached me, pitched In
a low and anxious key.
"Fo' de Lawd's sake, Miss jimmy,
spill 1t outl It am mighty powerful
dope-it done fumented twice as long
as befo'-it am boun' to give dat trash
de blind-staggahs sho'tly"
Instantly l understood, and a thrill
of relief and of hope inexpressible
shot through me. | put the cup to my
lips and after a brief parade of drink
ing passed 1t back to Cookie, spillinG
the contents on the ground en- route.
Gradually the rough disjointed tall
of the sailors began to languish. Gov
ertly watching, l saw that Chris head
had begun to droop. The hand thai
held the cup was lifted, stretched out
in the direction of the entieing jar
then forgetting it's errand fell heavily
After a few spasmodic twitchings OF
the eyelids and uneasy grunts, Shrii
slumbered.
Captain Magnus was Of tougher fl
Der. But he, too, grew silent al
there was a certain meal-sack limp
ness about his attitude. His dullet
eyes stared dreamily. All at once
with a jerk, he reused himself, turne,
over and administered to the sleeping
Chris a prod with his large boot.
Hey, there, wake upl What RICH
you got to be asleep at the switch2
But Chris only breathed more heaS
lily.
Captain Magnus himself heaved
tremendous yawn, settled back
greater comfort against his sustain
ing tree and closed his eyes. l waited
counting the seconds by the beatin
Of the blood in my ears. In the bach
ground Cookie lowered a~pprehensiv'
ly. Plainly he would go on hoverin
unless loud shores from the pirate
gave him assurance. For myself,
sat lingering my penknife, wonderin
whether l ought to rush over an
plunge IT into the sleepers' throat
This would be heroic and practica
1 merely tried to free the prisoner
and Captain Magnus woke, whit
them The palm where they were tie
was a dozen yards from me, muc
nearer to the guards, and within rams
of ever their most languid glanc
Beyond the prisoners was Nil
Browne, glaring uncomprehendlng
over the edge Of her book. There va
no help In Miss Browne.
1 left my seat and stole on fe'
which seemed to stir every leaf an
twig to loud complaint toward Il
captive pair. Tense, m~otionless, wit
burning eyes, they waited. There WI
a movement from Captain Magnui
he yawned, turned and muttered.
stood stricken, my heart beating VII
loud thumps against my ribs. But Il
captains eyes remained closed.
"yirginia-quick, Virginia !" Duga
Shaw was stretching cut his boui
hands to me, and l had dropped
my knees before him and begun to c
at the knotted cords. They we
tough strong cords, and I was hsckii
at them feverishly when sometht
bounded across the clearing and flu
itself upon me. Crusoe, of course J