The Adair County news., 1921-11-08
SYNOPSIS.

Francisco water front, John Rainey,
newspaper reporter, is accOsted by blind
man, a giant in size, who asks Rainey
10 lead him to the sealing schooner Kar-
LUX. The blind man tells Rainey he is
an old shipmate of Captain Simms of the
Karluk and desires TO make his visit
aboard, and Rainey does so. In the
cabin they find Captain Simms and a man
named Carlson. Simms recognizes the
blind man, calling him Jim Lund. Lund
accuses Simms of abandoning him, blind
on an ice foe, and denounces him for
what he calls his ingratitude. Simms
denies the charge, but Lund refuses to
be pacified. He declares his intention of
accompanying the Karluk on its eXpedi-
ton north, where il is going in quest
of a gold field which Lund has discov-
cred. Peggy, Simms' daughter, is aboard,
and defends her father. Garrison, who is
a physician, drugs Rainey.
He sat up in his bunk, fully clothed
as he had come aboard, the door Of
his cabin opened and the doctor ap-
peared, nodded cOolIy as he saw
Rainey moving, disappeared for an in
slant, and brought in a draft of some
sort in long glass.
Take this" said Carlson. "Pull
you together. Then We'll get some
food into you"
The calm insolence of the doctors
manner, ignoring all that had hap
pened. seemed TO send all the blood in
Rainey's body Tuning to his brain. He
took the glass and hurled its contents
at Carlsen's face. The doctor lodged,
and the stuff splashed against the
cabin wall, only a few drops reaching
Carlsen's coat.
'fDon't be a id fool" he said to
Rainey, hiS voice irritatingly even.
%Are you afraid it's drugged? would
not be so clumsy. / could have given
you a hypOdermic while you slept,
enough to keep you unconscious for
as many hours as / chOSe-Or for
ever.
I'll mix you another dOse-one
mOre-take it or leave it. Take it,
and you'll soon feel yourself again
after Tamada has fed you. Then We'll
thrash out the situation. Leave it, and
i wash my hands of you. You can go
f0r'ard and bunk with the men and do
the dirty work"
Rainey felt that he had made a fool
OF himself, and he took the second
draft, which almost instantly relieved
him, cleansing his mouth and throat
and, as his headache died down, clear
ing his brain.
'Why did you drug me?" he de-
handed. pretty high-handed. 1 can
make you pay for this"
Eyes? HOw2 When? We're well
of Cape MendOcino, heading nOr'west
or whereabouts. Nothing between us
and Unalasiia but fog and deep water.
Before we get back you'll see the pay
ment in a different light. We're not
pirates. This was plain business. A
million or more in sight.
'Lund nearly spilled things as il
was, raving the way he d.I. It's a
wonder some one didn't Overhear him
with sense enough TO tumble.
"But we didn't take any risks after
his blowing off. He might have done
II ashore before you brought him
aboard. ! don't think 81. But be
might. And 50 might you, later"
I'D have given you my word"
And meant TO keep it. But you'd
have been an uncertain factor, a weak
link. You knew 100 much. Suppose
the Karluk fought up to KotZebue bay
and found dozen pOwer-vessels hang
ing about. waiting for us to lead then
or
all the way up, with you loose.
Il don't suppose your salary is much
over thirty a week, is it? Now, then
here you are in for touch Of real adj
venture, better than cleaning dOcl
gossip, to a red-bloOded man. If VIZ
Win-and you saw the gold-yOI
win. We expect to give you share
More than you'd earn in ten years
likely, more than you'd be apt to saw
I'm a lifetime We kidnapped you TO
your own good. You're a prisoner d.
luxe. with the run of the ship"
20. Il can work my passage" sail
Rainey. He didn't trust the doctor
though he thought he'd play fair abOu
the gold. But it was funny, his as
Stunning control.
"Ah!" The doctor appeared TO dis
miss the subject with some relief
'Well,'' he went on "are you open t
reason-and food? I'm sorry abou
your friends and folks ashore, bu
you're not the first prodigal who ha
come back with the fatted calf in
stead of hungry for IT,"
''That part OF it is all right" SAT-
Rainey. There was no help for tn
situation, save 10 make the most 0
it and the best. "But I'd like to asl
you a question
go ahead. Have n ciGarette?"
Rainey would rather have taken
from anyone else. but the whiff o
burning tobacco, as Garrison lit III
gave him an irresistible craving for
smoke. Besides, it wouldn't do 70
the doctor to know he mistrusted hin
If he was to be a part Of the ship
life, there was small sense in actin
pettisllly He took tlle cigarette, az
cepted the light and inhaled CRATE
fully.