The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-14

now he has convicted himself out of
his own lips"
Murray gently deposited the snuff
box upon the table In front Of him.
"Ah," he murmured. II see! You
were referring to my nickname, or,
shall we say, nomme de guerre?"
My father laughed bitterly.
"Nomme de- guerre! Name of a
piratel But let us have it, fair and
openly, Andrew Murray. Are you Cap
tain Rip-Rap?''
II suppose most people would agree
with your description" replied Muir
ray; although personally prefer the
word buccaneer. 1t is susceptible to
so much wider use, and there is about
it suggestion Of However, we are
not interested here tonight in the
more abstruse branches of etymology.
/ am the person popularity known on
the high seas as Captain Rip-Rap, and
l fancy / might have logical grounds
for arguing that if any disgrace adj
heres to me by that admission, twas
you, Ormerod, who drove me to the
practice of what you call piracy"
"'Tis like you to take that tone"
said my father. 81 drove you from
the practice of what amounted to
piracy on the land. There is no diff
ference in the way you earn your live
lihood today, Murray. You were an
outlaw, and you are an outlaw"
II fear you are incapable of doing
me Justice" sighed Murray. "You
should know that / have always la
bored to serve higher ends than the
mere sordid pursuit of money, such
as has possessed you and those like
you
He swung around suddenly upon
me-
"But 1 am forgetting my purpose !"
he cried. "Stand up, grandnephew,
and let me have look at you"
would not have needed him, but
my father said quickly:
do as he asks you. Robert. I'd
not have him think you are crooked
in the legs"
So / stood.
ga likely build" he remarked warm
ly. you favor your father, / see
save in the face, it may be. There
you are your mother, my maid Mar
jory. All, sweet chit, would she were
with us now! A sad loss; a sad loss,
lad"
The expression which came to mS
fathers face was terrible in it's in
tensity of passion. He leaned closer
to Murray, white to the cheekbones,
his nostrils pinched in.
Murray" he said, make an end of
such talk! AS you value your life,
mention her not again. I know not
what cards you hold up your sleeve
here, but If we all die in the next mo-
ment will slay you as you sit If you
profane her memory with your foul
tongue"
Murray stared up at him coolly and
took pinch of snuff.
"Ah, well, you were always prejuc-
diced" he answered. Ct But it
serves no purpose to reopen old
wounds. am Of one mind with you
there"
He leaned abruptly across the table.
II will be frank with you, Ormerod-
and with Nephew Robert here. l am
somewhat in difficulties"
eff tbs money" began my father.
My great-uncle's gesture was suffi-
cient check to this.
81 am not in difficulties for money,
although l am like to be in difficulties
shortly in connection with an embar-
RAISING squantity of it. In fine, sir. /
am upon the point of launching the
coup of my career, one which will en-
tail consequences of a stupendous
character, and in the end, / venture
to predict, echo in throne-rooms and
'chancelleries. Aye, kingdoms shall"
He broke off.
'sIt is not necessary that l should
go into that. Suffice it for the pres
ent if 1 say that am in the position
Of a man who has partially tanned an
unwieldy band of wild animals. NV
own ship can rely upon up to a GER
tain point, but l have associated with
me"
"That would be Flint?" interjected
my father.
~ am flattered by the knowledge
of my affairs which you display" re-
piled my great-uncle with one of his
courtly inclinations. yes; l had oc-
casion, when / first went to sea. for
a competent navigator. Flint served
me in that capacity until l became in
dependent, and D then fitted him out
with his own ship. We have cruised
in company since. am not betraying
a professional secret when / add that
he is a man whose undoubted force of
personality is offset by a certain
turbulence and crudeness of wit which
make him difficult to handle-increas-
ingly difficult to handle, 1 may say.
| foresee trouble with him In the flu
ture in connection with the coup to
which /, have already referred / re-
quire young man to stand at my
elbow and assist me in curbing unruly
spirits. / promise a great future for
SUCH"
Command of his own pirate craft,
no doubt?' pressed my father
"That would be an offer to draw
most stout youths" returned my great
uncle. bah, what is piracy, that you
and your kind prate against it, Orme-
rod? Is it any worse In character
than four-fifths of the business prac-
ticed in this world? What are you
and those like you but men who seek
TO deprive others of their lawful
gains that you may add to your stores
what the Others possessed? ! take
from the wealthy, who can afford to
lose, what they have dishonesty got,
more often than not, and much of
what win contribute to the Cause
to which you gave Your first loyalty