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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1910)
Tho story opcnn with the Introduction of John Stephens,, adventurer, a Massa chusetts man marooned by authoritlra nt Valparaiso, Chile. Unlng Interested In mining operations! In Jlollvlu, he who de nounced tiy Chllo as nn Insurrectionist and as a consequence was hiding. At hln hotel his attention was attracted by nn 'Englishman nnd a young woman. Btephcna rescued the young woman from n drunken ofllcer. Ilo was thanked by her. Admiral of the Peruvian navy con fronted Stephens, told him that war had hoon declined between Cpllo and Peru and offered him the olflce of captain. Ho' desiredthat that night tho Esmoraldn, n Chlloan vessel, should bo captured, fltephons accepted tho commission. Stephens met a motley crow, to which, ho was assigned. Ho gavo them llnal In structions. They boarded tho vessel. They iiuccesnfully captured tho vessel supposed to bo tho Esmeralda, through strategy. Cnpt. Stophcns gavo directions for tho do- fiarture of tho crnft, Hq entered thu cab n and discovered tho English woman and her nmhl. Stephens quickly learne-d tho wrong vessel had been captured. It was Iord Darlington's private yacht, the lord'H wife nnd maid being aboard. He explained tho situation to her lady ship. CHAPTER IX. In Which I Learn Our Port. I sank down into tho depths of an upholstered divan without, rested my head within my hands, and endeavored earnestly to collect thought and nerve ' for tho coming struggle. Tho terrlblo neBs of our situation only hecamo more apparent as I considered It in tho light of tho discoveries already made, and In my understanding of tho naturo of tlioso with whom I was now associated. Nolthcr Tultlo nor Do Nova had over mistaken tho Soa Queen far tho warship Esmeralda. It was Impossible to concolvo that theso two trained seamen could havo mudo such nn error, or that the men under them could havo boon so uttorly do colvod. Tuttlo's boat came up directly boneath ho bows, with tho riding lamps burning brightly and revealing tho name; overy man aboard must havo Feon it plainly. Yet what ob ject could havo led to bo deaperato an act of piracy? What part was I des tined to play In tho final working out of their lawless Bchemo? Tho longer I Btudled over tho prob lem tho moro thoroughly did I become mystified und confused. What could theso men over hope to accomplish In this lawless fashion? Thoy must bo fools or madmen. This was not tho ago of piracy; overy league ot sea was patrolled; every port protected by telegraphic communication. Difficult as my own situation un doubtedly was, apparently holpless among this crew of sen devils, with out a man on board in whom I could put trust, it was rendered a thousand times harder by tho presence of thoso two womon. In what way could I pro tcct and sorvo them? I wondered If nil tho crow forward were In the plot, or wore tho lenders nlono Involved? Could I count on finding a singlo lion est sailor In all that riffraff who would Bland by mo In rovolt? Thoro were others on board tho threo seamen nnd tho engineer of tho yacht's crow, tho Chilean ofllccr captured on shore but they wero prisoners, far moro holpless oven than myself. The longer I thought tho darker grow tho pros pect, tho closer tho cords of Fato pressed about mo. Thoro wns noth lng to do except to fnco tho conBplrn tors boldly, and thus ascertain tho wholo truth. I glanced upward at tho telltale compas3 overhead tho ves boI'b course had already been altered; wo wero now headed westward, direct ly out into tho broad Pnclllc. I met Tuttlo at tho end of tho brldgo, clinging to tho handrail, his oilskins flapping in tho head wind. Ilo novor glanced toward mo, tho cool. studied insolcnco of tho follow causing me to feol moro deoply than ovor be fore hla consciousness of power. "Tho yacht Is sovoral points off her course, Mr. Tuttle," I said, sharply, dotormlncd to tost htm. "May I ask if tho chango was mndo by your order?" Ho swept one long arm toward tho north, and, following tho direction of his flngor, I dimly perceived a spiral of black Bmoko barely vlsiblo above tho horizon. "I thought wo had bottor sheer off, ns there waB no guessing who that fellow yonder might provo to bo." I remained silent, watching the dis tant smudge, and occasionally glan cing asldo into his imperturbablo faco. Ho yawned sleepily. "I rather guess one of us had bettor turn in, Mr. Stophens," he suggested finally, "for wo'll havo to arrango about our watches aft." "Presently, Mr. Tuttlo; wo hnvon't breakfasted yet. Mcanwhllo I should prefer to understand matters a little moro clearly. I'vo Just been through tho cabins. Nono of tho yacht's olll cors aro on board." I could sco bis thin Hps drawn back in a sinister grin, which re vealed his yollow teeth. "Tho Lord hclpoth thoso who help themselves,'' ho returned, piously, up rolling his eyos. "Tho race 13 not al ways, to tho swift, nor tho battlo to tho strong." "Tho Hell "I also discovered," I wenton, an gered by bucIi abominable cant, "that this vessel wo havo captured Is not tho Chilean Esmeralda at all, but tho yacht Sea Queen, owned by Lord Dar lington, and flying tho English flag." "Tho hell you say." "Moreover, I havo not tho slightest doubt that you know It from tho first. Now I demand somo explanation, Mr. Tuttlo. What docs this mean?" Ho stood leaning back against tho rail facing mo, tho disagreeable grin gono from his lips, his hulf-closed oyes glinting uneasily. "Woll, what of it?" "Only that we have committed nn act of piracy. Evory naval vessel of tho civilized world will bo used to hunt us down. Wo shall not bo safe on any sea, nor ablo to land In any port of the globe. Jf wo resist wo shall bo blown out of the water; If captured, our crime moans death. You havo de liberately decoyed mo Into .this affair for somo secret purpose of your own; you havo Involved mo In your crime, und now I Insist upon some knowledge of your plan, nnd nn explanation re garding my future authority on board." "Oh, you nro tho captain," sneorlng ly. "What more can you want?" "Then, if I nm, wo will head direct ly back to Valparaiso." "Oh, I rather guess not;" und Tut llo's eyes bocamo Instantly hard and ugly. "NovortholeBB you'ro captain all right, Just so long as you keep tho noso of tho old girl pointed tho way wo want hor to go," "That is it, Is it?" "Yes, that's oxnetly the ticket." I turned partially asldo, glancing to ward tho wheohnan. Tho follow was loaning forward ovor tho spokes, ovl dently deoply Interested in our contro vorsy and ondoavorlng to henr all wo had to say. Tuttlo followed tho direc tion of my oyes, but with upparont In difference "Oh, thoy all understand about it," ho romarkod, carolossly. "And now I gucsB mnybo It's about tlmo wo gnvo you tho mnln points to chow on. If you'll stop down Into tho charthouse, Mr. SlophonB, I'll fotch eoino things 1 want lo show you, an' bo along myself In a Jiffy. Then I'll spin a yarn that'll causo you to como with us wlllln' enough, or olso you'ro a dam' fool." There was nothing oIbo to do, and I followed him down tho brldgo stops to tho main dock. Tho charthouso had its singlo door opening aft, and .was a small, plainly built structuro painted a dingy gray, with two narrow windows on either sldo, nnd Just enough spaco within to contain n deal table, locker, and three rudo benches. I sat down upon ono of theso, filled nnd lighted my plpo nnd waited In sllonco, gazing Idly at tho chart pinned flat on tho tablo, It was a map of thoso waters lying off tho Chilean coast, and a vessel's courso had been pricked upon It from Juan I'ornandoz to Valparaiso. This did not particularly Interest me, and my thought drifted naturally to tho wom an Impatiently awaiting my roturn In tho cabin. What a distressing situa tion for ono of Lady Darlington's birth and refinement! And yet with what You Say." dignity of manner had sho mot tho unexpected! It was plain to bo soon that hers was a hoart of courage, not oaBlly broken under adversity. And how could 1 hopo to servo hor? What would this crow of hell-hounds, thoso mcrcllesB soa-wolvcs, permit mo to do? Trans-ship them upon somo passing vessel? Put into somo iso lated Island port? This was scarcely likely, for either act would involve tho dnnger of nn oxposuro thoy would bo little Inclined to ns3umo. I com prohonded already that It would bo according to their decision, and not iulno. I had been plainly informed how HttJo my control extended over their desires. And whither wero wo bound? Into what strango seas? Into what species of wild ndvonturo? Tho utter Impossibility of keeping thoso two concoalcd bulow for any length of tlmo was clearly ovldont. Ship Ufa was far too restricted. Both Tuttlo and Do Novn would naturally expect to lodgo aft, and It wns a prlvllego thoy could not easily be denied. Yet what would thoy say, how would thoy act, when thoy finally dlscovorcd theso two unwilling passcngors aboard? Whnt was my duty In all tho circumstances? It was all a deep, unsolvablo mystery. yet out of Its mist constantly floated tho appealing faco of that woman nwaltlng mo below. I could not desert her. I could not constdor anything oxcopt how I might best sorvo her In terests, best protect hor from tho con tamination of this hell afloat. Threo shadows suddenly darkened tho doorwny, and Tuttlo, accompanied by Do Nova and tho big seaman named 11111 Anderson, ontorcd. Tho Bocond officer nodded to mo In genial fash- Jon, his whlto teeth gleaming, but Anderson slouched surlily past and dropped heavily on a bonch, his coarso bulldog foatures dovold of all expres sion, his square Jaws munching tho tobacco In hln cheek. I took notlco of his oyes, staring straight out of tho window opposite, dull, dog-like, deeply sunken under thntchod brows, his skin like brown leather drawn tight, hlB short red neck, nnd gnarled hands. Al together ho appeared a ropulslvo brute, no moro easily subdued than a Jungle tiger. Tuttlo Bldlcd along to tho opposlto sldo of tho tablo, upon which ho placed a tightly rollod, yol-lowlsh-backcd paper, ovldontly a navi gating chart. As I watched him curl ouEly, ho suddenly prossed tho point of his thumb down upon tho pnpor. "There's our first port, Mr. Steph ens," ho announced dogmatically. "There, whero you soo that red cross." I bent over, startlod out of nil as sumed lndlfferonco as I studied tho position indicated. "Longitude 110 30' west, and lati tude CG9 17' Bouth!" I exclaimed, scarcoly crediting olthor ears or eyos. "Why, good God, man, that is almost upon tho antarctic circlo!" Ho nodded, running his long fingers through his thin hair. "Right you aro, sir. I guess there won't bo no warships a-trailln' aftor us down la them latitudes; not at this Ecason of tho year." "But thoio's uotblng thorol" I con- tinned, staring Incredulously at tho map. "Nothing but fog and floating ice. Thero Is no land marked within COO miles." "Jimt tho snmo thcro'a land thoro," ho retorted, positively, his thin lips pressed togother. "I'vo scon It; two islands, an' that's whero tho Sea Queen pokes her noso." 1 could merely sit back, staring at tho fellow, who remained loaning both hands on tho tablo, his glinting eyes on my fnco. "It's n rum yarn, Mr. Stophons, I'll admit," ho said, slowly, his nnBal tone much in evidence, "but it's all truo, sir, so help me, Coil! Her6o tho straight of It, an you listen quiet till I get done. Then 111 answer your questions ns long as' you've got any to ask." CHAPTER X. In Which I Hear the Talc of the First Officer. Tuttlo required n whllo gqttlng started, pulling nsldo his dangling coat-tails to sit down facing me, and then twiddling his long fingers with his gazo bent on tho deck. I tako it that hlB Intellectual operations wore nnturnlly slow, although ho was swift enough In all mattors appertaining to scnmnnshln. Anvhow. he nt thorn for so long, his wholo nppcaranco so sleek nnd oily, that I lost all patlenco, shuf fling my feet on tho dock. Tho nolso scrveu to nrouBO him. "It commoncod somcthln' Hko over two years ago sir," ho began, mouth inK each word with caro. "a lltllo earlier in tho season than this Is now. I was mastor of tho whalln bark Uotsy, 8allln' from Provlnco town, an' wo wero homeward bound after about 18 months' crulsln' in tho South Pacific, cnrryln' a fair cargo of oil nn whnlo trimmings. Wo woro roundln' tho Horn, bolng about 70 degrees west ana 5b degroos south when tho real trouble becan. I know that wna rnth. or a low latitude but wo hml honn buckln ngnlnst head winds an' a high sea for moron a week, an' besides woro short-handod. five of tho crow hnvln skipped out nt Somors Island, wnoro wo put In aftor fresh water, Anywny, it was about thero that n storm hit us from out thn nnr'nnct I guess it must hnvo been ono ond of a hurricane I novor bco nothln' florcor, ovon In thoso sens. Thoro was nothln to do but turn tall an' scud, tho ropes and canvas being bo stiff with lco Well, wo battened down, an' took chances, but for n whllo I thought overy wavo was goln' to do for tho ol hooker an' send us all to Davy Jones' I couldn't seo flvo foot from tho rail an' I had to koon dlKcln' lco out o my oyes to seo at all. Tho wind hnd tho feel, of a solid wall, sir." Tuttlo was leanlnK forward now. hln olbows on tho tablo. Ills lean, solemn countenanco hnd lost its llHtlnnnnnns nnd I also noticed tho oagor Interest imprinted on tho racos of his two com ratios. "Wo was Jest roundln tho point," ho went on ns soon as ho took a long breath, "tho Betsy kcolln,' over bo's nor deck was half awash, an' with no moro than maybo 100 yards o' clear water to tho good. Back o' an ugly lookln' headland tho const soomod to fall away autlden Into a sort o' cove, which was piled high with great lco hummocks, behind which tho lco wall roso up sheer almost to tho top o tho rocks. Thero was a sorter sholf along tho edgo of It, an' a-sottln' up thero In full vlow was the damndest lookln1 vessol ovor I saw in CO years 'o' sea' farln'. So help mo Cod, sir, I saw It with my own oyes, as plain us I'm lookln' at you! It wns h'lsted up all o' 20 feet abovo tho lower Ico-flold, an1 sort o careoned over whero It wns frozo fast so as to show tho decks amidships clonr to tho lnnor rail, You romomber thorn shlpa what Columbus sailed In? Well, this hooker wns that kind, only a blnmo' sight blggor. I guessed her ut 850 or 900 ton, but sho had tho samo sort o' build a big high stern, with au nfter-cabln clear ncrost It, tho waist sunk down In a curve an tho fo'cnstlo raised up like a houso, with blunt bows, an' a monBtcr bow sprit forkln' strulght up Into tho air, Tho wholo outfit wnB so cased with lco an' glittered so In tho sun that it Bcomod llko a part o' tho lco cliff, J which had took that queer shapo from lliawin' un' freozln'. Dammo If didn't think It was somothln' llko that for n minute a blame' freak o' naturo but when I grabbed tho glasses, an' got a good look through them, It was a ship all right, tho kind you road about in tho hooks what navlgatod thoso waters a hundred or moro yoars ugo. I was BtJII a-starln nt It with all my oyes whon wo raised tho stern which stood h'lsted up a bit higher than tho bow, an' whero tho steady daBh of tho waves didn't break rJcan ovor It, an' tho Bun fell Just right so I read tho hooker's name. By God, I did, sir! It was thoro plain as day Uonna Isabel, Cadiz," (TO BE CONTINUED.) Secretary Dickinson IIT ASHINGTON. Do the onerous du V" ties of tho Job of secretary ot war put cobwebs on tho brain of Jacob M. Dickinson ot Tcnnossco nnd Chi cago? Thoy do not, chorus nil the members of tho Tonneasco society ot Now York, who snt in front of tholr crumpled napkins nt tho ond of tho annual dlnnor of their organization at tho Waldorf recently nnd llstcnod to somo now ones that woro uncorked to pop nnd slzzlo by tho gonial Ton ncsBCcan nnd Chlcngoan who holds down tho portfolio of war In tho Tnft cabinet. "When I heard that this was a rep- rcscntntntlvo body of Tonnossecans," said the secretary after ho had arisen from his placo nt tho speakers' table nnd cnBt his eyes around on tho fem inine products ot that heralded stnto whero tho blucgroea grows in fiction and song, "whon I heard this I could not believe It." Here thoro was slight gnep of an ticipation aud doubt from tho fair ones. "BocauBO," tho secretary hurried to add, with n touch ot gallantry, "I Bald to mysolf, 'It any Btato turns out nil this galaxy of fair women thero can't bo enough left within its borders to ronko it a real state' " That set Jacob M. Dickinson solid with about onc-hnlf tho 300 Tonnes- seenna gathered about tho tables, and ho proceeded in n mollow vein of rem iniscence "You know a fellow from Tonnossoo camo to Now York a fow yenrs ago and boforc ho camo ho told tho poo- pie down homo that he Intended to show thoso Now Yorkers they didn't know It nil. Ho reckoned thero woro Government Declares War on Sparrows THE English spnrrow Is tho plrato ot tho air, Just aB tho rat Is tho froo- hooter of tho earth, and ought to bo exterminated. So rules tho depart ment of agriculture in a bullotln Just published, which also tolls how to got rid of tho pest. This declaration of war by tho gov ernment Is in striking contrast to ro- ,Hof movemonts started In certain cit ies recently to save theso birds front starvation because of tho Bovcro win tor. This spnrrow studiously, says tho department bullotln, hunts and eats insects that aro bonoflclnl to plant life, whllo It pnsBes over moro or less those that aro harmful. Tho only good thing It doos is to cat tho seod of weeds and provont their spread. ABldo from that thero Is nothlnE to bo said In Us favor. Moro than that, It Is murderous. It Orders a Lunch at AWASHINQTONIAN decided ho would cut it out. Ilo went to u doctor and' told him nil about It. Tho doctor looked him over. "Oom hooni," tho doctor said a cou plo ot times. Then ho asked: "Oot any rolntlvos In town?" "Nope All llvo up north." "Do you wrlto to them?" "Nope. Never wrlto lettors." 4 "How'c your nppetlto? Ent much?" "Nope Haven't any nppotlte" "Well," said tho doctor, "you do threo things. Stop dissipating. Eat regularly. Get Into touch with your rolntlvos. That's all tho mental and physical reclpos you need." Charley Mann Discovers a Taxpayer A NEWSPAPER man, recently como to Washington and now to tho sen ato prcBB gallery, hustles Into tho out er room. "What what?" a3ked Charley Mann, superintendent of tho gallory. "Oh, I'm on tho Blank News," said tho correspondent. Mann looked him over vory care fully. Ho'll know him next tlmo, Just as ho knows all tho correspondents. Mann Is always on tho Job. Ho takes proat caro of all tolograms from tho home offices that como for any mom Is a Merry Wag a fow tricks to bo learned from a real llvo ono from Tennessee A friend mot him aftor ho'd boon hero threo months nnd asked him how its waa go ing.. 1 "'Well,, said this follow who'd had ambitions, 'I'vo about made up my mind that It they'll lot mo havo mlno they can keep tholr'n.' " "You nil hnvo heard tho story about tho follow who'd boon bitten by a rat tlosnnkc," said Mr. Dickinson, In n gentlo query, "No? Woll, tho fellow; got bitten by tho rattlesnnko nnd ho was In n despcrato condition. A friend of his grabbed n quart flask and start ed tor tho placo whoro ho know ho could , got tho only recognized antidote for a rattlosnako bite "Tho man thoro started to fill up tho flask, but it was ono of thoso eastern commercial flnBks that didn't hold a quart whon It ought to have You know tho kind, gontlomon. Tho man who wnB filling tho flnsk hnd about n threo finger dose left ovor and thu kind friend who was waiting to tako tho flask to tho stricken man saw thoro wns this much loft ovor. '"Whnt shall I do with this left over?' asked tho man who waB filling the flnsk. '"Well, como to think of It, that pesky snnko took an awful loap nt me said tho follow who was waiting for tho flask, 'and ho pretty near got mo, too.' "And, speaking of flasks, thoro was tho follow who went to tho legislature down in Nashville once, and ho Btood up nnd started to mako n Bpeoch. Maybo ho'd bcon trontlng his bald spot with that stuff that comes in flaBks; anywny, ono of tho opposition party and thero isn't much ot nn op position party In Tonnesseo lcglshv turo at any time got up and hollered, You'ro drunkl' " 'I may bo drunk,' the mombor said. It I am, that's a temporary condition, But you'ro n damn fool, and that's n permanent condition.' " hunts tho nesting places nnd destroys eggs and young bluo birds, house wrons, treo BwnllpWB nnd barn swal lows. Tho robin, tho catbird and the mocking bird it attacks nnd drives out of pnrka nnd shndo trees. It has no song, but drlvos out tho sang birds nnd brings only nolso In return. Aftor having loarncd all this about tho sparrow, after an cxtonslvo In vestigation, tho dopartmont of agricul ture shows n way to dostroy tho bird. First, whenever sparrows roost around your houso, dostroy their nostB. If they roost nt nlgljt on your caves trough, drlvo thorn nway with a long pole By destroying ncstB wherever thoy aro seen tho lucronso can bo pre vontcd. Tho Bparrowa likes to nest In cavl' ties and can bo trapped through this preference It will roost In boxes that may bo put up to mako Its cap turo easy. It may bo lured to sproad grain and shot nnd killed In other wnyp, or may bo poisoned. Wheat soaked In strychnin Is Bald to bo preferable This method had boon adopted In California,, whoro It was necessary to protect ripening fruit. the Stamp Window Tho man gavo tho doctor two dollars and went away. That night ho tolled painfully up tho otono steps ot tho post office He had resolved, though ho had dU oboyed Injunction No. 1 that day, ho would at least keep two nnd threo. Ho presently found himself In front of n Bqunro, opon window. Behind tho window stood n mnn sovoral, mayhap. "Well?" tho man asked. Tho would-ho purchaser braced hlmsolf with hands. Ho wanted to remcmbor JtiBt what two and threo were nnd which was which. "Well?" tho mail asked, his tono a llttlo sharper. Tho situation waB becoming some what embarrassing. Why couldn't ho romomber? What what his mind groped back through his visit to the doctor.. Quit cat wrlto homo. H1b faco brightened. Ho beamed upon the ran bacu of tho window. "Ah, yos',' ho murmured. "Sot" boll' eggs, tons' nn' coffee," bor ot tho "gang," and ho carefully notes all telophono calls. So all you havo to do, in tho rush and hustle, Is to keep in touch with Mann, and the mnnnglng editor will novor have causo to complain ot dolay. A atrnngor enmo bustling Into Mann's room ono day. "What what?" said Mann. "Oh, 1 guess I can stay here," said tho stranger. "I'm a taxpayor, I want to seo what my representative la do ing." Mnnn at first was for having him put out. Thne ho changed hla mind. "You any you'ro a taxpayor?" ho asked. "Yes, I'm a taxpayor." "Well, you como with me," said Mann. "You're a dodo bird or al most. Your kind is protty nearly extinct"