American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-12-02
SPANISH
DOUBLOONS

~ ~ 80 So a 4 -N0N
care about tyin' youse up. in case we
can help it, SO jest be good girls, and
I'll let youse run around loose for a
while"
But Magnus struck In with an oath.
Loose? You're turnin' soft, / say
The future Mrs. NJ. there-which
mean to make her if she behaves right
she's a handful, she is. There amt
no low trick she won't play on us If
she gets the chance. Better tie her
up, say"
"Magnus," responded Tony with Sc
verify, it'd make a person think to
hear you talk that you wasn't no gen.
tleman. If you can't keep little Red
top in order without you tie her, why,
then hand her over to a guy what can.
| bet I wouldn't have a speck O. trou-
BILE with her-her and me would git
along as sweet as W turtle-doyes."
you dry up, Tony" said Magnus,
lowering. "Tl ook after my own af-
fairs of the heart. Anyway, here's
them two old hens what have been
maxim me sick with their jabber and
nonsense all these weeks. Amt l go
in to have a chance to get squarer"
Here, youse p struck In Slinker,
quit your jawin'l Here's a feed we
amt seen the like of In weeks"
Tony thereupon ordered the m
TO sit down on the ground In the shade
and not move under penalty Of "get-
tin a wing clipped" We obeyed in
silence and looked on while the pirates
with wo4fish voracity devoured the
meal which had been meant for us.
They had pocket-iasks with them, and
as they attacked them with frequency
The talk grew louder and wilder. By
degrees it was possible to comprehend
the extraordinary disaster which had
befallen us, at least in a sketchy out
line of which the detail was filled in
later. Tony, 1t appeared, was the mas
ter of a small power schooner which
had been fitting out in San Francisco
for a filibustering trip to the Mexican
coast, and his three hard companions
we're the crew. None was of he old
hearty breed of sailors, but wharf-rats
pure and simple, city-dregs whom
chance had led to follow the sea.
Tony, in whom one detected a certain
rough force and ability, was an Ital-
ian, an outlaw specimen of the breed
which mans the fishing feet putting
forth from the harbor of San Fran
cisco. When and where he and Mag
nus had been friends I do not know.
But no sooner had the wisdom Of Miss
Browne impaired the great secret to
her chance acquaintance of the New
= York wharves, than he had commune
Gated with his old pal, Tony. The
pow~er-Schooner with her unlawful car
go stole out through the gate, made
her delivery in the Mexican port, tool
ON fresh supplies, and stood away fol
Leeward island. The western anchor
age had received and snugly bidder
her. Captain Magnus, meanwhile, by
means of a mirror flashed from Look
out, had maintained communication
with his friends, and even visited then
under cover of the supposed shooting
y expedition. And now, while we hat
been striving to overcome the recall
citrancy of Mr.. Tubbs, Captain Mag
nus had taken a short cut to the SAM
end. You felt hat the secret of MI
luDS WOulu ne cAlIdtieui IL hSSh w
by no delicate methods.
But Mr.. Tubs character possesse
none of that unreasonable obstinac
which would make harsh measure
necessary under such conditions. HI
~countenance, as the Illuminating cor
versation of the pirates had proceed
ed, lost the speckled appearance
which had characterized 1t at tn
height of his terrors. Something lik
his normal hue returned. He sat u
%straighter, moistened his dry lips, an
looked around upon us, yes, ever upo
Aunt Jane and Miss Higglesby-Brown
with whom he had been so lately an
so tenderly ~reconciled, with a sid
long, calculating glance. After II
pirates had eaten, the prisoners on u
log were covered with a rifle and the
hands united, while Cookie, in a
gubrious silence made eloquent by b
rolling eyes, passed around among
the remnants Of the food. Yet und
all the terror was a bedrock conhden
that there was, there must be som
how In the essence of things, an etc
nal rtghtness which would keep n
safe from Captain Magnus. And
/ looked across at Dugald Shaw al
met for an instant his steady, waite
full eyes, / managed a swift little smi
a rather wan smile, l dare say, b
still a smile.
Cuthbert Vane caught, so to spea
the tail of it, and was electrified.
Cau- his Inns form at Mr. ghaW's q
the words. Wonderful LITTLE sport,
Jovel'
A curious stiffening had come oy
Cuthbert yane. For the first time In I
knowledge of him he showed the &C
sciousness-instead Of only the 81
consciousness-of the difference
tween Norman blood and the ordina
...-.,L.. aid III. .Aa.,Iaars saEa 70