The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1921-02-03

ster but n the chief engineer happens

ster, but II the chief engineer happens
TO be short one coal-passer and the
captain sends me down to the stoke
hole. your responsibility for my death
begins, for I'll be put ashore publicly
at San ~Buenaventura and two hours
later ri be facing a firing squad in the
cemetery at the Cathedral de la Vera
Cruz"
"Gosh," John Stuart Webster MUIR
INJURED dazedly. I'm afraid ] can't take
a chance like that for fifty dollars. I'm
whipped to a fragile. Any time I'm
sitting IN back of a royal flush and the
other fellow bluffs me out Of the pot, l
always buy the wine. When It arrives
we shall drink to u better acquaint-
ance. Pending its arrival, please be
advised that you are welcome to my
pajamas, my cigarettes, my book and
my stateroom. You are my guest and
you 1--WE me nothing, except, perhaps,
your confidence, although do not in
siSt upon that point. Where I come
from every man kills his own snakes"
And he held up his hand for Andrew
Bowers to shake.
"Mr. Webster" the latter declared
feelingly, II am not a lord Of language,
so cannot find words to thank you. I
agree with you that you are entitled
to my confidence. My name is"
"Tut. tut, my boy. Your name Is
Andrew Bowers. and that Identifies
Won cr,f1iniapf1u For thn tfoa kaf~~
When ] suggested that l was entitled
to a measure of your confidence. I
meant on a few minor points only
points on which my curiosity has been
a%bnormally aroused.
"Very well, my friend. Fire away"
"Are you an American citizen?"
mo. ! am a citizen Of Sohrante."
you had no money to pay for your
passage to San Bu%enaventura so you
schemed to make me pay your way.
Hence take 1t that your presence In
the capital Of your native country Is a
matter of extreme Importance and that
the clerk in the ticket office Of the
Caribbean Mail line Is a friend of
yours"
Quite true. He knew my need"
"You were under surveillance and
could not leave New Orleans for San
B~uenaventura unless you left secretly.
When ] purchased both berths in this
staterOOm and the ticket clerk knew !
held a frSt-class ticket for a valet that
was not, he decided to saw off on me
a valet that was. Disguised in the Iiv-
cry Of a chauffeur and carrying hand
baggage you hoped to get aboard with
out being detected by your enemies
who watched the gangplank."
Andrew Bowers nodded.
DO you think you s~ucceededY" Web
ster continued.
Il do not know. Mr.. Webster. l hope
so. If | did not-well, the instant this
steamer drops anchor in the rOadstead
at San Bu%enaventura, she will be
boarded and searched by the military
police, ! will be discovered and" He
shrugged.
Lawn party in the cemetery. eh?"
Webster suggested.
Andrew Bowers reached under his
pillow and produced two heavy auto
matte pistols and q leathern box con-
tanning five clips Of cartridges. These
he exhibited In silence and then thrust
them back under the pillow.
81 see, Andrew. In case you're cor
nered, Ell? Well, l think / would pre-.
fer to die fighting myself"
I'm not worried, Mr.. Webster.
Somehow, ! think I ran the gantlet
safely"
But why did you throw your livery
o~verboard?"
ut was of no further use to me-"
"But you'll have to have some
clothes in which to go ashore. you
amazing man."
mot at all. TIE steamer will arrive
In the harbor Of San B~uenaventura
late in the afternoon-toO late to be
given pratique that day. After dark I
shall drop overheard and endeavor to
swim ashore. and in view of that plain
clothes would only prove an embar-
rassment. shall land in my own coun-
try naked and penniless, but once
ashore ! shall quickly find shelter. I'll
have to risk the sharks, of course"
"Man-eaters?"
"The bay is swarming with them"
You're breaking my heart" Web
ster declared alphabetically. II sup
pose you're going to feign illness
throughout the voyage"
mot the kind of illness that will in
terfere with my appetite. | have pre-
scribed for myself a mild attack Of in
%lammatory rheumatism, as an excuse
for remaining In bed and having my
meals brought to me. This service, Of
course, will necessitate INT slight ex-
pense In the way Of tips. but l am hop
ing you will see your way clear to TAX
ing care of that for your guest"
Silently Webster handed Andrew
Bowers ten dollars in silver. "That
ought to hold you," he declared. "For
the rest, you're up to some political
skullduggery in Sobrante, and what It
Is and what's your real name are two
SUhioCfc In uhich 7 or MT tDforoctod