The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-11-13

BLOOD
D Rafael Sabaiinti
. RArArl. aABArINi
Arpur FEA akpv,cg rsc

ana locked The door.
Elbows on his lSneea and faca In
his hands, Don Diego sat watching
tho rusty sands as they filtered from
the upper 10 tho lower bulb. And
what time no watched. tho lines IN
his lean brown face grew deeper
Punctnally IA the last grains ran out.
tho door rcoponed.
The Spaniard sighed, and sat up.
risht TO face the returning Captain
Blood with tho answer FOR which no
came.
II havc thought OF an alternative,
air captain; but Il depends upon
your charity, II Is that you put us
ashore on one OF the islands Of this
neStilent archipelago. and leave US 20
shift for ourselves
Captain Blood pursed his lips. 1T
has It's difficulties" said he slowly.
II feared Il would he 60" Don
piego sighed again. and stood up
Let ua say no more"
Tho light blue eyes played over
him like points OF steel.
You arc not afraid TO die. Don
nlego9"
The Spaniari threw back his head.
frown between HIS eyes.
The question Is Offensive. STR"
Then let me put u In another way
perhaps more happily; You do not
desire to llvef"
"Ah. that | can answer. do de.
sire 10 i've: and even mere DO I de.
sire that my son may live. But tho
desire shall not make a coward OF
mo for your amusement. master
mocker." II was the first sign no
had shown Of tho least heat or re-
sentiment.
Captain Blood dld no, directly
answer, As before he pcrehed him.
self on the corner OF the table.
Would YOU be willing. sir. TO earn
life and iiberty--for yourself. your
son. and the other Spaniards who are
on hoard7''
TO earn TT" said Don Diego. and
tho watchfui blue eyes did not miss
The CULVER that ran thru him. ITO
earn Il. do you sayf Why. II the
service you would propose is one that
cannot hurt my honor !"
Gould I be guilty OF that7- pro-
tested the captain. Il realize that
even n pirate has his honor And
forthwith he propounded his offer.
III you viii look from those windows.
Don Diego. You win see what appears
10 BE- cloud on the horizon. That II
the island OF Barbados well astern
All day we have been sailing east be.
fore the wind with but one intent--to
set as great q distance between Bar.
bados and ourselves as possible But
now. almost out OF sight OF land. we
are in difficulty. The only man
among us schoolsd IN the art Of navi-
CATION Is tsyercd. dellrious. In fact.
rs n result OF certain iii.treatment he
received ashore before we carried
him away with US. can handle a
ship In action. and there arc one or
two men aboard who can assist me:
but OF tho higher mysteries OF sea.
nanahip and OF the art OF finding q
way over the trackleas wastes OF
ocean. wa know nothing. To hug
the land. and 70 laundering about
what you so aptiy call this pesfiient
archipelago Is for US TO court dlaas.
ter, as you can perhaps cohesive.
And 40 u COMES 20 thiss We desire 20
make for shs Dutch settlement Of
Curacao as straightly as possible
VIII you pledge me your honor. u
release you upon parole. that you
will navigate ua thlther7 II so. We
win release you and your surviving
men upon arrival there"
Don Diego bowed his head upon
his breast. and sirode away In
thought TO tho stern windows. There
he stood looking out upon tho aunlit
sen and thu dead water In the great
ships wake--his ship. which these
English dogs had wres,od from him:
his ship which he was asked to bring
safely into a port were he would DO
completely lost 10 him and refilted
perhaps TO make war upon his kin.
That was IN one scale. in the other
wero the lives OF is men. Fourteen
Of them mattered little 70 him. but
the remaining two were his own and
his sons.
He turned at length. and his back
being 20 the light. the captain could
not see how pale HIS face had grown.
IL accept" he said.
CHATTER d