Evening star., 1924-06-15

RED in THE SUN.
cult and cassava meal, utensils, such
as might be useful in a rough coun-
try. These he bore aft from the tran
som and the main hatch to the taft
rail, where he stacked them. Once or
twice he paused to sniff curiously at
the air, detecting an unusual quality,
a haziness. He even looked for signs
OF storm, and swept the placid hori-
zon before he stopped to cast loose a
rope just under his hand.
Brewer"
Charlie Dibdin had fallen away to
the frame of a man. Clinging there
beside the mainmast he was like
some rickety toy that says on its
strings, a CHASTITY white and spotted
apparition. But the rum had been
his servant for once. Rum or emo
ton had rallied him to the strangest
nervous elation.
Brewer" he cried. i've found
I've found out"
Brewer made an abrupt movement.
Whats wrong with the ship" Dib-
din went on between a gulp and
inside, through the focs'le. l
meant to sink her, she haunted me
so" He showed a smoking torch of
tarred oakum. Faith, ! meant to
sink her and the whole cursed out
fit. And l started to before l saw
saw
He stopped, pen-mouthed. The
stock of supplies by the taffrail had
caught his glance, and from that it
quickened on Brewer.
II say, you weren't going to skip
Il mean to- said Brewer.
Swift suspicion struck very diff
ferent note from Singing Charlie.
Without me-"
The other nodded.
And the-the bank? By Jove.
you'd never go without it-never tell
me you would! You were doing us,
after all, You've got the gold, too?"
It's just here" said Brewer ami
ably, where it's been right along
fattened up from time to time
He held up the loosened blight of
rope and pointed below and astern
at an inconspicuous canoe, Uttered
with rubbish, which had been trailing
behind the schooner from the start,
to which none of his companions had
even given a thought.
X X
THIS was Mr.. Brewers little tri-
umph. After the unexpected
strain his success had cost him he
could have wished it this way. 1t
was such a climax, as the abn
conceit of the criminal savors with
greatest zest the dramatic gesture of
the double-cross. He savored it, and
none the less when the hammer of
Dibdin's revolver clicked twice,
thrice.
That's ALL" he said, grinning side
ways. Il never did have no use for
you chaps. / thought I'd show you
up a bit while I was cornerin' the
dust. l was goin' to take you along
till you worked the craft hereabouts
for me and then let you kill each
other off. y see. 1t would ha' been
fun, only this blame old schooner be-
gun cuttin' in with her blame plague
spots and her ghosts of dead niggers."
He drew the canoe alongside, and,
mounting the rail- began to make
fast to a stay-a stout and vigorous
figure. blotted black against the west
too much interested in self-apprecia-
ton to notice the ominous haze that
had been thickening about the Jor-
guina's deck.
Dibdin had sunk upon the transom
in a state of apparent collapse, star
ing at him.
Go on" jeered Brewer, you and
what you found. I've beat the old
ship with all her tricks, and I've beat
you for the stake-forty thousand
dollars worth. Kind of slick, hey?
Kind of easy-what? AS easy as
pickin' cartridges from the gun of
military gent when he's drunk"
Yes" said Dibdin. Its fair do"
With the word, his right hand
dipped back over his shoulder and
shot forward. Something like a
great dragonf1y flashed at the target
offered by the stocky silhouette. 1t
struck in the side of the throat
Chrispim's knife.
Brewers start almost threw him
backward. and as he caught at the
stay to save himself the towline
slipped from his grasp. With violent
effort, he recovered, drew his re-
the transom, point-blank.
Then he tried to retrieve the canoe.
The schooner had moved ahead. He
missed it. The gap widened. He
fumbled at his wound. With an oath,
whipped out his 'kerchief and wrapped
it about his neck. ran aft, and low
cred himself and found the little
canoe with his feet.
Meanwhile, the writhing form on
the transom had struggled to the
after-break. Just as Brewer bobbed
up oversize from the canoe and
climbed clumsily aboard again with
the towrope, Dibdin reached the
bolted cabin doors and threw them
open.
A great pent cloud of smoke and
heat burst out from below, and
through it and with it another and
darker cloud-a cloud that broke
into countless fitting and skimming
units. ravenous. predatory, loath-
some.
| When Brewer staggered to his feet
once more he was covered with a.
furry, living mantle of little. winged.
reddish creatures that clung and bit
and rose and settled again as fast as