Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1922-04-28

amount O1 nulnOr, coupled Win tne
zest of a gambler who loves the game
whether the stakes are for death or
dollars.
Carlsen had paper under his hand,
but deferred its reading until he had
addressed the meeting.
"A ship" he said "is q little COM
munity, world in itself. To its safe
ty every member is necessity, the
lookout as much as the man at the
wheel, the common seaman. the nRpi-
gator. And, when ship is engaged
In certain calling, those who are
hired as experts in that line are equal
ly essential with the rest. Each mans
responsibility being equal, his reward
should be also equal.
Payment for all services comes on
this voyage from an uncertain amount
Of gold that Nature. mother of us all,
and therefore intending that all her
children shall share her heritage, has
washed up on beach from some
deep-sea vein and thus deposited upon
an uncharted, unclaimed island. 1t ia
discovered by an Indian. the discov-
cry is handed on to another"
"Meanin' me-" Lund seemed to be
enjoying himself Despite the fact
that Carlson was presiding and most
evidently assumed the attributes Of
leader, despite the fact that ten Of
the twelve at the table were arrayed
against him, with the rest of the sea-
men behind them. Lund was decided
ly enjoying himself
"Share and share alike" he said.
"I've got yore drift, Carlson. Let's
get down to brass tacks. The idea Is
to divvy the gold into equal parts,
amt it? How does she split? There's
twenty-five souls aboard. Does that
mean you split the heap into a hun
dred parts an each one gifts fourT
mo" 1t was Deming who an
swered. ut don't. The Jap don't
come in, for one"
"A cook amt brother7"
mot when he's got a yellow skim"
answered Deming. "We'll take up a
collection for Sandy. Rainey amt In
on the deal. We split 1t just twenty
two ways. What have you got 10 say
about it?"
His tone was truculent, and Carlson
did not appear disposed TO check him.
He appeared not quite certain of the
temper of the hunters.
you f1gger we're all equal aboard"
said Lund slowly, ''leavin' out Mr..
Rainey, Tamada an Sandy. You an
me, an Carlsen an Harris there'-he
nodded toward one Of the seaman
delegates who listened with his slack
mouth agape, scratching himself I'M
der the armpit-"are all equalf'
Deming cast u glance at Harris and,
for Just a moment, hesitated.
Harris, squirming under the look Of
Deming, which was aped by the sud-
den scrutiny Of all the hunters, found
speech: How in h-ll did you know
l was heref" he demanded Of Lund.
II amt opened my mouth yit"
"That amt the truth, Harris" re-
piled Lund composedly. ITS allus
open. But If you want to know,
smelled ye."
There was Suffaw at the sally.
Carlsens voice stopped it.
"I'll answer The question. Lund. Yes
we're all equal. The world is not a
democracy. Harris. 50 far, hasn't had
chance to get the equal share that
belongs to him by rights. That's what
| meant by saying that the Karluk
was little world of its own. We're
all equal on board
Except Rainey, Tamada an Sandy.
Seems to me yUre argumint'S got holes
III il, Garrison"
eve are waitil- 20 know whether
you agree with us?' replied Carlson.
His voice had altered quality. II held
the direct challenge. Iund accepted
1t.
"I don't" he answered dryly. There
uin't emmy one uG You my equal. an
you've >h"N"d H. You had tn band TO-
gether in Il pack, like Il flock Of sheep.
with Carlson for shecphrrder I'm
talking" he Went Oh in II tone that
suddenly !eaped to thunder. None of
You have got the brains of Carlscn.
becnz he had - put this >ch"mr inter
yOre noodles. Dcming, you know d-n
well you play hcrter poker than the
rest an you agreed 10 this hccoz you
fgger yOu'll win most of the gold
afOrc the v'yagr is over. The rest Of
you suckers li>fciird hecoz some one
tells you you are roin' to get more
than what's rightly comm to you.
"ThiS gold IS mine 10y right of dis
coyery. l lose luy ship through lad
luck, an ! make a deal whereby the
skipper gets the same as | do an the
ship. which is the same as his daugh-
ter gets almost as much. You men
were offered share On top of yore
wages If you wanted to take the
chance-two shares 10 he hunters. II
was id liberal, an' you grabbed at
It, got left on the ice, blind on Q
breakin' foe. an Sou sailed of an