Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1941-02-06
CHAPTER VIII-Continued

CHAPTER VIII-COntinued
3
Mary told him what had happened.
When she spoke of Fritz Aulgur's
first coming to hunt pearls, Richard
asked quickly:
"Pearls? Did he find any?'
eyes"
"Here? On this island?'
He frowned at his own thoughts
as she went on. She told him she
and George had half forgotten Fritz,
because there were so many people
sick on the island, and dying, and
he asked:
"Where'd they catch it?"
George had a cold when we land
ed here. He's not very well, even
now. I'm afraid they got it from
him." She went on to tell him of
the other schooner, and how the
men aboard her killed Aulgur, and
shot George; and how the islanders
surprised that schooner in the night
and dubbed the men and burned her
afterward.
She saw him more and more alert
as she proceeded. That's why
they're hiding now," he decided.
"They're afraid of us. They'll jump
us too if we give them a chance.
They're scared, and when natives
are scared you can't figure 'em." He
asked: MARY, have you told Peter
about the pearls?"
"No. I didn't tell him much of
anything"
"Well, don't, then," he directed.
'Don't tell him or anyone about the
pearls. The men will be wanting to
turn divers if they know"
Cali right"
SIS your husband badly hurt?"
II think he'll be all right. But he's
sick, too, Richard"
Richard, will you take us home
with your"
His eyes lighted. "Sure! Now
you're sensible. You don't belong
here, Mary. How about your hus-
band? Will he go?"
He wants to, yes" He swung to
look vigilantly toward the Venturer
at anchor half a mile off, and she
said: George doesn't know what
happened. l mean about the mas
sacre."
Then Tommy came down the path
to tell Mary that George was awake
and calling her; and a moment lat
er Peter appeared. He saw Rich
ard, and hesitated, and Richard said
briefly:
"Father died about daylight, Pc
ter. Well bury him here this morn
ing, and pull out this afternoon"
Peter protested: ''What's the hur-
ry?"
''The natives here killed three
white men a couple of days ago.
Traders" Richard looked at Mary
warningly. "And burned their
schooner. That was the smoke we
saw. That's why they're hiding
now. 1t wouldn't be safe to lie in the
bay overnight"
Peter stared at his brother, and
Mary saw his lips white. 'Killed
them?" he whispered hoarsely, and
looked quickly around. "Say, are
they laying for us?" He swung to-
ward Mary. "Blast it, why didn't
you tell me?"
''I'm not afraid of them," Mary
explained. II never thought of tell
ing YOU" She said: 81 must go to
George. Don't tell him about the
killing, Peter"
He nodded. At the house, she
went in first. She found George in
his right mind, his fever gone; but
he demanded at once:
"Who was that boy here, Mary?"
'That was Tommy Hanline, my
cousin. Don't you remember told
you the Venturer is here?"
Il don't remember much of any
thing. What happened to the men
from the schooner, the men who shot
me?"
She told him less than the truth.
'They took some girls aboard,
George, but they're gone now"
II tried to stop them, but l WASH t
man enough. Where are the people
from the Venturer? Bring them in. :"
So she called them into the little
room where he lay. They seemed to
fill it; and George on the bed was
very small. Mary said: "This is
Richard Corr, George. And Peter.
And my cousin Tommy"
"Glad you've come" George told
them. We've had trouble here"
1--WE saw no sign of them when