Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-10-10

They went across the open space
skirtinp the house. entered the shadow
of the trees, went down hill towards
the village and the murmurouS sea.
The trees opened out before then,
and they saw the dark sea and the
masts of the schooner tall against the
sky. The logs of the letty doomed
hollow beneath their feet.
They came TO the gangway. and the
Kanaka ~squatted against the rails rose
silently. -,
Slade brought Temi aboard. Hold
this man." he said. and was instantly
obeyed. Bring him below ana o
him up. See that he does not escape.
Presently Lii Cheen will come 10 you.
Do as he says, for he speaks Win my
mouth
He left them there. and went ashore,
along the beach toward the village.
Lii Cheen, fully dressed, opened Inc
door to his knock.
q to the schooner" he said short
w. aboard her you'll find a nan
called Tembi, one of Marsh's laborers.
He has been taking opium. stay
aboard as long as necessary, and make
him talk"
Lii Cheen smiled. He will talk"
mo torture" Slade said warnlnGly.
Bring a pipeful of opium with you
and bribe him with it and he'll talk
soon enough when he begins to 1eel
the need Of it."
Back through the trees Slade went,
toward the house. He was p~reoccupled'
thoughtful. If Bland were behind this,
he was a man more dangerous than
appearances would make him seem.
He reaehed the house without inc
dent, entered noiSelesSly. 1t had been
easy to trick Tembi by slipping out
by the front and circling around
through the trees.
Harding came to Alaoi in the Cloud
the following day. Slade met him at
the jetty, shook hands. Harding was
a bluff, genial man, gray headed, slow
of speech. His blue eyes looked hon.
eStly at the world.
Its good to see you again, SladeS'
He jerked a thumb in the direction OF
Marsh's plantation. Things aren't sc
well up there, eh?"
NO. that's what brought me here,
HoW'S trade?"
Not o good" Harding said. "Has
Marsh a cargo for me?"
Yes. You'll take it aboard today?'
Harding nodded. The markets
bad, but the prospects are it's going
to be worse. No use wasting time"
Slade superintendent the loading OF
the copra while Harding went up tC
the house. His voice and his eyes were
cold, and the natives worked as they
had seldom worked before. The last
sack was safely in the hold by mid
afternoon.
Good work." Harding said. I'D like
to stay a day or two, but business is
business" He offered his hand. "See
you again, maybe?"
Maybe" Slade said, but there was
doubt in his smile.
Dusk and the close following dark
ness found the Cloud but a few short
miles from Alaoi. A Kanaka at the
helm, it slid across a tranquil sea
shadow Wreathed and dark, the island
a vague bulk astern.
The man at the wheel hummed soft
ly a little song of his people, and
thought of the slim brown maid who
was to be his wife. He thought OF
her as a knife slid between his ribs
and his life went out in a little sigh
Strong arms caught his limp body
lowered it to the deck.
The schooner went on across the
lazy swells. Little by little it changed
direction, until the reef lay straight
ahead.
1t struck, sheered off, struck again
Harding came shouting from below,
ran aft. The wheel was deserted.
Pat! Where in he'll" He saw
the huddled figure, stopped, saw the
pool of blood broken into little streams
by the ships quick lurch. MY God!'
The crew crowded about in startled
silence. He turned to them. Get sail
in, quick. Bos, run below and see II its
making water. Hustle!"
The Cloud was making water, but
slowly. Harding blessed his luck, got
the boats out, tried to tow her off. 1t
would not stir.
Get the cargo overheard"
Himself he helped to heave the sacks
into the sea, until sweat ran into his
eyes and his breath came in great
gasps. At all costs the ship must be
saved.
That's enough-We,l try it at that
The schooner stirred, moved, slid of
into deep water. Sail was spread, its
bow pointed toward the island. But
it moved, heavily, sluggishly, because
of the water in it.
Man the pumps, there, some Of
you'll"
The creak of the pumps went louc
across the quiet sea Still the water
gained, though more slowly now.
Wen make!" Harding muttered
We'll make It'll"
1t was as the schooner neared the
island that Harding'S keen eyes picked
out a dark speck upon the water. HI
watched it, saw that it moved, knew
it for the head of q swimmer.
Dos, get out a boat and bring thai
man in"
He was obeyed, though the swimmer
struggled and offered some resistance
Brought aboard, he stood before Hard.
ing, a 1.-the brown man naked as the
day he was born, a knife thrust
through the string about his middle
each arm held none too gently by one
of the crew.
Get him below" Harding said with
a jerk of his head. "IT want hin
when we come ashore. He's the mar
who killed Pat"
The native said something in hi.
own tongue, and spat.
In another hour the schooner ground.