The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-11-02
Chapter 20
Pirates

usual performance before the
guests seated in the saloon, when
suddenly, the English captain
rushed in from the afterdeck, his
face ashen gray.
We've been boarded by river
piratesl" he announced. ''The
first time such a thing has hap
pened to my boat! Take it easy"
Though he wasn't taking it with
ease himself.
Lynn glanced around hastily
for the tour conductor. He looked
much too sick to be suspected of
having staged a false holdup.
Others of the guests from Lanfou
also glanced at him with covert
suspicion. He had probably been
free with remarks about his temp
tations. She learned afterwards
that he had sowed them gloomily
all up and down the river gorge.
Temu, sitting between Peggy
and Mrs. Wallace, stiffened and
watched the doorway through
which the captain had come.
Keep your seats" advised Mr..
Wallace, "and give them readily
what money and jewelry you
have on your persons. Do not re-
sist. It is the quickest way to get
rid of them"
Lynn put a hand to the charm
box at her throat Temu had
turned in time to see the gesture.
He made motion for her to con-
ceal the trinket in the breast of
her gown. She did so.
A shutting could be heard out
side, and in moment a tall
Chinese with a Straggly beard
stood in the doorway. He wore a
long, curved knife in his belt aud
carried two ugly pistols in his
hands, ancient but dangerous
weapons. The other doorways
were Immediately manned.
A pair of ugly ruffians with no
weapons except the 'murderouS
knives in their belts appeared.
Vic VI d OHdI WIFI d
monstrous head, and tall. spare
fellow with long, yellow. tusk-
like upper teeth led the way as
they made the rounds collecting
money and jewelry and placing
the contributions methodically in
red paper envelopes which they
dropped into woven reed sack.
Sam Telford, sitting between
Lynn and his wife, handed over
his plump wallet with the re-
mark: I'VE may have bank BAN
dts in America. but, thank heav-
en-, we don't have river pirates"
The man pointed to a signet
ring of no particular value on
one of Sans fingers. The Ameri-
can showed that he could not re-
move the circlet. It seemed that
it had not been taken off in years.
The man drew his knife from his
belt. Sam turned pale, made tug
at the ring, and somehow, it came
off.
'''The power of mind over mat
ter" he said afterwards. Il be-
lieye my will-power was so great
that it actually shrank the bone"
"Or expanded the metal" sug-
gested someone.
The Chinese replaced his knife
and took the ring. The rest of
the party had their trinkets wait
ing for him. When the two had
finished and stepped out. one of
Al I,lsr- ,..I.1 x-..ksI.k fa.,,&
ed but waited to see if some
thing more exciting would hap
pen, remarked: Really, they
were quite gentlemanly."
Same gave her a disguised
look.
They're not through with us
yet" said Mr.. Wallace in a low
tone.
Worse to Come
LIE was right. One of the
IL guards of the door came for
ward and picked out those guests
that belonged to the town, includ-
ing Lynn and Temu DARN.
II don't like this" muttered the
Belgian doctor.
They were marched out on the
deck and down the gang-plank
to the docks where a sedan chair
waited for each, manned by
frightened coolies of the town.
The Wallaces and Lynn were sent
off first.
MAY 60 with them?" Temu
asked, and was grufiy refused.
Lynn looked back. The Belgian
doctor and his wife were being
ordered into chairs. She watched
until she was whisked around
corner. II was then she diScov-
cred she had been separated from
the Wallaces. She called sharply,
but instead of hating. the men.
broke into the swinging coolie
trot that is the perfection. Of
rhythmic motion by the human
body at labor. Their own dim
lanterns were the only lights IN
the dark and narrow street that
ran between the walls of mud
brick which lined the river-bank.
Lynn reached forward FUN
bling at the door of the chair
when suddenly. out of the black
ness Of a dark cavern, sWarmed q
band of yet blacker figures wear
ing sslitted hoods and carrying
flaming torches above their heads.
At a sharp command her car
riers stopped in terror and low.
cred the chair. Someone opened