Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-05

.ssH. 'Think he's at the bottom of it. do
-e':you?" he grunted. Amt changed your
-..'in,inds any, take it! And with another
r one OF you cash:ng in it's put the busi-
'!+&tesS in the certainty class That's your
argument. amt it,"
Gn.s "Sahih" said Var Lal paSSionately
a. "as Allah lives we are sure. The man
.s!s Is accursed-and the curse has fallen
st' upon us all. Give him TO US, sahio-and
500 50 even the law TO which the sahio
journeys with him will b. fulfilled"
-. The scowl on the little red-haired
81 mans face grew deeper.
Il am not the law" he growled, And
70 Z am no p,urderes; Var Lal', ,oos.
svs -sahih." Var Lal answered swiftly. And
no man shall know what has come to
PASTOR even as it was with Wajib
Abdur and Chunder Kheyl. who were
swept overheard in the storm. so shall
1t be reported of this man.
-. Capt. Munlm tweeked at his beard,
n Seyeing through lids that were narrowed
to Sits, now. first one and then the other
of the two men in the cabin with him
sea, laundering aboard. struck the
x~vessel as though with the bow OF some
- mighty hammer. and the Break O'Dawn
AZ Qulvered fore and aft like stricken
sa. thing The lamp swung furious arc.
.Hickered. emitted puff Of black, evil
smelling smoke, almost went out, then
burned on again. A rush OF water SWIRL
Pa mill-race-and poured away through
the scupper ports.
Cod" whispered Capt. Josephus
% sMumnl. Then in growl again: And
M -. wha. II refuse: Var Lal2~ :, .ns
-rt'sieam of white teeth showed in mar
=. row smile. we viii still do with him
even as have said
"Mutiny" said Capt. Josephus Munlm
-. IN a curiously judicial way: "Yunder-
.,s stand that. don't you? 'Twould De mutt
TT is in our minds" said Var Lal,
:. with an ugly nonotony in his voice,
-that II is better to mutiny than that
YEA We should die
Capt. Mumm leaned suddenly across
-. the table toward Peter.
-. ''D'you hear, Bake" he said grufly.
-. II hear said Peter.
~ Well what am TO say?"
hcsPeter eyed ths other for an instant and
could read nothing save sort OF gath
ering. unfriendly fury on the others
xpountenance. HIS glance travelled to
the motionless figure of Var Lal The
man looked more like beast than q
r.shuman being-:i1e eyes were strangely
w thot, ,es though reason haa neo from
a. what you CANNED please" said
Peter cu.efsy- and. reaching out sud
denly. possessed himself OF the knife
that, little while before. he had flung
upon the table.
A silence fell for an instant In the
cabin: then Capt. Munm took step
forward-toward Var Lal-
"Muttny would you! And make
murderer out OF me. would your, ne
reared. You try any OF your dirty
games On Capt. Josephus Mumm. and I'll
teach you whats o'clock" He took an
other step forward. shaking clenched
fist Get out OF here. damn you! Get
back to deck you dog, where you belong!
Var Lal re:-eated slowly up the
companionway.
The sahib uses hard words" he
"Aye!" beloved the little red-haired
man. "And III use harder-ycu scum
OF the pest holes Of Asia! Til"
A laugh, ugly. discordant, sinister.
came from Var Lal's tight lips.
"Sahib.' he said. in my country
there Is saying that he who rides a
tiger cannot dismount. Let 1t be so then,
sai1ib ] 60"
The companionway was empty, Var
Lal had vanished.
For the fraction OF q second Capt
Mumm stood staring UP the companion
way: then he turned, and with jump,
quick and agile as cats. reached the
after end of the cabin, and. unlocking
o small cupboard, wrenched the door
open.
Peter moved impuls,yely toward the
red-haired skipper.
Look here" he said, this is rather
decent OF you. for II I'm any judge OF
o Eantanic mug that chaps got one.
and"
"Ehut your jaw" bawled Capt.
Nunm furiously. He. whirled around
with two Yeyolvers In his hands-and
pushed one across the table 10 Peter.
"Are you going 10 teach me what that
snaky bt'u 90 when they run amuck?
Not Capt Mumm-wfO's lived among
'enn, boy and man, for 40 years! They'll
be On lie as soon as that blasted mate
can carry the tale 10 the fo'c'sle. and
IT'S us or them now, and that's all there
L. 10 H."
ITS all the more decent Of you.
then" said Peter earnestly. 1T you
think it's as bad Is that"
"Hel!t" snorted Capt. Josephus Numm.
"D'you think it's on your ACCOUNT D'you
think I'd life finger for you. you swtne2
DO blasted fear amt fighting for you
I'm fighting for that rs 000l Aye, and"
he laughted Yaucousiy"so'Il you.
too, unless you want 10 60 overheard
with knife In you Come On now
quick! II they trap us down here. we're
gone"
Peter had no opportunity 10 reply
the red-haired man with the gargoyle
face was already halfway 10 the deck.
But he was not sure that he would have
made q reply anyway. No earthly use.