The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-08-30

CONTINUED from Page IL
Nv JOSEPH L CHADWICK

WORKING WIN Fofptr, eiu 80
don't know whats so Valuaos
aboard the Sonora
And you didn't break with Hal
loran and Forbes and make play
for me. right now. because l beat
them to the punch. Sure. l believe
your story. Go on With IL Tell me
you're in love with me-so long as
YOU think I'm in the money
She looked as though she had
been slapped. There were tears IN
her eyes. and she kept biting hard
on her under lip.
Finally she said, "All right,
Jim
He went over the side and drop
ped into the Auroras boat He
sat in the stern and didn't look
back at the yacht as the seaman
pulled for the salvage ship.
Aboard the Aurora. he went to
his cabin. Curly came in and found
him pacing bac' and forth like
Gagged tiger. Curly Bates lighted
his pipe and patiently waited.
Curly. I'm the worlds cham
pion fool" Jim final said. Il fall
in love with a girl who isn't worth
a mans second look"
Il knew that girl meant trouble
when she first came aboard the
Ajax tug. Jim
She made a play for me. be-
cause she thinks the Sonora IS
making me rich What laugh"
What are we going to do about
the Sonora. Jim ,"
Were going To go through her
from stem to stern. There's no
manganese aboard. but there's
something else. I've bunch it's
something in the first mates
cabin"
Both got into diving suits the
next morning and were lowered
through forty fsthoms of dark
water. They reached the Sonora's
hull. With the ship lying on its
side they had difficulty reaching
deck in its vertical position.
The crew above Unanswered
their booms, swinging the divers
so they finally managed to reach
the wrecked bridge. Lamps had
been sent down. The light showed
shell had exploded in the cap
tain's cabin and had damaged the
cabin beyond it which must have
been the first mates.
They worked for a time. moving
loose timbers with the pincers at
the ends of the diving suits metal
arms. staying below as long as
they could. They didn't get into
the ca bin in that descent.
Aboard the Aurora again. Jim
saw the Hammond yacht had lifted
anchor and sailed away He wanted
to believe he was glad it had gone,
but he wasn't. He wasn't yet over
his love for Mary Larsen.
Just before dusk that evening
one of the crew sighted a ship.
Jim watched it through pair Of
glasses. II was the Cuban schoon-
err. Ii came in from the south,
making directly for the Aurora's
position, and it kept coming until
it was within three miles and there
it stood by. Jim could count eight
men on the schooner.
Curly Bates said, Trouble
Jim ?"
Looks like it. But I doubt if it
will come tonight. They can't
know we're not armed. think
they'll try to jump us at daybreak
when wed be more likely off
guard. But were not going to be
here at daybreak."
Curly's scanned old face showed
surprise. You're going to run?
Sure. After ! go through the
Sonora's cabins. I'm going down
after dark"
There was no moon that night,
and the complete darkness was a
bit of luck. The schooner couldn't
observe the Aurora's activity.
Jim got into rubber suit 50
that he could enter the sunken
ships cabins. He stood on the
Jacobs ladder waiting for Curly to
place mis- helmet when Blaeksheep
came to the railing. The Caymans
ebony face wore an uneasy grin. a
sheepish look.
Spike. sub. I done got a con-
fession to make. I done somethin' =
you won't like, no subj"
Curly said, "Scram, Blackie,"
and eased the iron helmet down on
Jim's shoulders. bolted it fast.
Jim carried 2 pince-bar and a
small lamp down with him. He
didn't light the lamp until he
reached the Sonora ne didn't want
the schooner's crew to know he
was down. He used the bar to dig
away into the Sonora's cabin. II
took a lot of work and a lot of
time. and he was staying below
too long. But he kept at 1t and
finally got into the cabins.
He found the stuff in the first
mates room, several wooden cases
of II. and when he pried open one
case he understood a lot. He UNI
derstood everything The cases con-
tanned gold bars. There vas no
doubt of IT, Those duly ginting
yellow metal bars were gold.
Jim said, into his phone. Curly.
I've found II. Send down a line to
haul IT up"
He got no answer. The wire was
dead. And suddenly chill terror