The Lamar register., 1921-11-23
Continued from Page Two)
Copyright Bobbs Merrill Co.


'Never mind his gun. | amt afraid
of his gun" He nodded with such su-
preme confidence that Rainey felt
himself suddenly relegatlng the doc
tors possession OF the gun to the
background. ''If his guns the only
thing trubblin' you. forget it. You an
me got to know where we stand. It's
up to you. / won't blame you for
shlftln' over. An can git along with
out you. If need be. But we've got
along together fine; I've took notion
to you. I'd like to see you get whack
of that gold. an all the devils In HI
an out of It aln't goin' TO stop me from
gittin' itr'
He talked In a low voice, but II rum
bled like the distant roar of bull.
Rainey looked at the indomitable jaw
that the beard could not hide, at the
great barrel Of his chest. the bOugh-
like arms, the swelling thighs and
calves, and responded to the sugges-
tion that Lund could rise In Berserker
rage and sweep aside all opposition.
"Carlsen says that the sklpper's life
is In his hands" he said. what do
you make of thatY'
Il don't know what to make of It,"
skipperl l reckon he's In a bad way.
Ennyhow. he's out of 1t for the time
bein'. Rainey."
There's the girl" said Rainey. II
don't believe she wants to marry Carl
sen."
.If she does" said Lund. "she amt
the kind we need worry about. II
you're Interested about the gal. Rainey.
an take 1t you are I'm tellin' you
that Carlsen'll marry her II II suits his
book. II 1t don't, he won't. An II he
wins out. he'll take her without both
erin about prayer-books an ceremo-
nies. i know his breed. All men are
more or less selfish an shy on morals,
In streaks more or less wide, but that
Carlsen's Just plain skunk. I'm no
saint, but. so long as ] can keep wig
glin', there amt emmy hunter or sea-
man goin' to harm decent gal. That's
another way they amt my equal,
Rainey. Savvy7 Nor is Carlson
There amt enough real manhood In
that Carlsen to grease Il skillet. How
about 1t. Rainey; are you lined up
with mer
AUST as far as can go. Lund. I'm
with you to the limit"
Lund brought down his hand with a
mighty swing and caught at Rainey's
In mid-aIr, gripping 1t till Rainey bit
his lips to repress Il cry oS pain.
you've got the gutsl" cried the
giant. checking the loudness of his
voice abruptly. 81 knew 1t. II aiDt
all goin' to go as they like 1t. Watch
my smoke. Now, then, keep out OF
Carisen's way all you can. He may
try an pick a row with you that'll put
you In wrong all around. Go easy an
speak easy till lands sighted"
"what do you think Carlsen's game
is, II 1t goes throughf'
Hes fox enough to think up
dozen ways. Run the schooner ashore
somewhere In the night. Wreck her.
Git 'em In the boats with the gold. In
side OF Il week. Deming an one or two
others would have won It. Then-hed
have the only gun-he'd shoot the lot
of 'em an say they died at sea. He
amt got emmy more warm blood than
a squid. Or he might land, and accuse
'em all of piracy. What do we care
about his plansf He aln't goin' to put
'em over"
Rainey had to relieve Hansen. He
left Lund primed for resistance against
Carlsen. against all the crew. If neces-
sary, resolved to save the girl but, as
Lund stayed below and the time slid
by, his confidence oozed out of him.
and the odds assumed their mathemat-
ical proportion.
What could they do against so
many7 But he held firm In his deter
mination to do what he could, to go
down with the forlorn hope.
The Karluk was bowling along
northward toward landfall and the
crisis between Lund and Carlsen at
good speed. The weather had subsid-
ed and the half gale now served the
schooner instead of hindering her.
Rainey turned over the wheel to sea-
man and paced the deck. Lund's mys-
terious hints were unsatisfactory. He
could not believe them without some
basis, but the giant would never 90
further than vague talk Of Joker" or
card up his sleeve And they would
need more than one card, Rainey
thought
He wondered whether they could