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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 12, 1919)
THIS NORTH PLATTE SKMI-WBEKLY TRIBUNE CHAPTER XXIII Continued. 16 It wns as though my brnln snnppcd back tnto ascendency. I was no long er o raging fury, mnd with the desire to kill, but cool-hended, planning es cape. Before n hand could rench mo In restraint, I sprang backward and ran. I Btumbled up the stairs leading to the companion. The vague glimmer of daylight showing through tho glass, revealed the presence of Watklns. I heard him dash the door wide open, call to those on deck, and then saw him wheel about to again confront the devils plunging blindly forward toward us through tho dark cabin. We could hold them for a time nt least, yet I had tho sense to know that this check would prove only temporary. They out-numbered us ten to one, nnd would arm themselves from the rack. Yet the greater danger lay In the possible disloyalty of my own men. A dozen of us might hold these stairs against us ault, but treachery would leave us helpless. If one among them should teal below forward, nnd forco open tho door from tho forecastle, wo would be crushed between two wnves of men, and left utterly helpless. I snw tho wliolo situation vividly, and as quickly cboso tho one hope remaining. "Watklns," I called sharply back over my shoulder. "Get the boats ready and be lively about It. We'll hold these fellows until you report. Tho two quartcrboats will hold us all. Knock out the plugs In tho others. Sco that Miss Fnlrfnx Is placed safely In tho afterboat, nnd then stnnd by. Send me word tho moment nil Is ready." I hnd glimpse of tho thick fog with out oa he pushed through the door, and of n scarcely distinguishable group of men on tho deck. Thoso about mo could only b located by their restless movements. I stepped down ono stnlr conscious of Increasing movement be low, tho meat cleaver still gripped In my hands. "Any of you nrmcd with cutlasses?" "Oul, m'sleur, Havel DcLasser." "Stand here, to right of me, now an other at my left. Who are you?" "Jim Carter, sir." "Good; now strike hard, lads, and you others bo ready. The cabin Is full of 'cm, nnd It Is your life nnd mine In tho balance. If wo can get away In this fog they'll never find us, but wo'vo cot to hold them hero until tho boats ore ready. I killed their captain, Banchcz. That la where we've Btlll got them, without n leader." "But they've got arms?" "Only hand weupons," broke In Car ter. "Thero'B ball In tho bandoliers, but no powder. I wus goln' ter break open a cask, but Kstadu put me nt another Job." "Then that leaven us on oven foot ing, lads, wo ought to be equal to them with the cold steel." CHAPTER XXIV. In Clasp of the Sea. Tho sounds of voices nnd of mov ing bodies wero plainly discernible, but the darkness wna too dense below to peiinlt tho eye perceiving what wns taking place. The rattle of steel told mo some among them had reached tho arm ruck. There followed tho crash of wood as though tho butt of a gun had splintered a door panel. Then a voice pierced the babel. My mind gripped the meaning of It nil; they had found n leader; they hnd released Manuel Estcvan. Now tho real tight was on I I could hear the fellow ques tlon those about him, seeking to learn tho situation. "Who have cutlasses? So many I n dozen form with me. Now bullies, they aro on tho stairs there, and that Is tho only way to tho deck. Now then -to hell with 'cm I" We met them, point to point, our ad vantage tho narrow stnlrcaso and tho higher position; theirs the faint glim mer of light at our backs. Tho first rush was reckless and deadly, tho In furiated dovlls not yet realizing what thoy faced, but counting ou forco of numbers to crush our defense. Man uel led them yelling encouragement, and sweeping his cutlass, gripped with both hands, In desperate effort to break through. DeLasser caught its point with his blndo while my cleaver missing him with Its shnrp edge, noV' erthcless dealt tho fellow n blow which hurled him bnck Into tho nrms of tho man behind. I saw nothing elso In do tall, the faint light barely revealing In distinct flguras und gleam of steel. It ,vns a pandemonium of blows nnd rolls, strange faces appearing and dis appearing, as men leaped desperately at us up the Bteps, nnd wo beat them remorselessly back. I buw nothing more of Mnnuel In tho fray, but his shrill voice urged on his fellows. It was strike nnd pnrry, cut and thrust. Twice I kicked my legs free from hands thnt gripped me nnd DeLas Mr fell, u plko thrust through him ITbo took his pine 1 never know, but a stout fighter the lad was, wielding his cutlass viciously, so that we held them, with dead men Uttering every step to the cabin deck. But they were of u breed trnlned to such fighting, and the lash of Manuel's tongue drove them Into mnd reckless ness. And there seemed no end of them, sweeping up out of those black shadows, with bearded or lean brown savage faces, -charging over the dead bodies, hacking and gouging In vain effort to brenk through. I struck until my arms ached, until my head reeled, scarcely conscious of physical action, yet aware of Manuel's shouts. "Now you hell-bounds now! once more, nnd you have them. Santa Ma rin I you've got to go through, bullies there Is no other way to tho deck. Hush eml That's tho way I Here yougo in outside uic ran I urotn or belli Now you have him, Pedro I" For an Instant I believed It true; I saw Jim Carter seized nnd hurled side ways, his cutlass clashing ns It fell, while n dozon hands dragged him headlong Into the ruck beneath. But It was only an Instant. Before tho charging devils could pass me, n huge figure filled the vacant space, and the butt of a gun crashed Into the mass. It was the Dutchman, Schmltt, fight ing like n demon, his strength Unit of an ox. They gave way In terror be foro him, and we went down battering our wny, until tho stairs were clear to the deck, except for the dead under foot. When wo stopped, not a light ing man wns left within the sweep of our arms. They scurried back Into tho darkness like so many rats, and we could only staro about blindly, cursing them, as wo endeavored to recover brcnth. Schmltt roared like u wild bull, nnd would have rushed on, but for my grip on his shirt. "Get back, men I" I ordered shnrply. "There may be fifty of them yonder. Our only chance Is the stairs." We flung the bodies on one side, nnd formed ngnln from rnll to rail. Below us thcro was noise enough, a bnbel of angry voices, but no movement of ns- The First Rush Was Reckless Deadly. and sault. What thoy would do next was nnswered by n blnze of light, revealing the silhouette of a man, engaged In touching flame to u torch of hemp. It flung forth a dull yellow Hare, and re vealed a scene of horror. Our assail ants wero massed halfway back. Be tween us, even ten feet from tho stairs, tlio deck was littered with bodies, ghastly faces staring up, with blnck stains of blood everywhere. It wns Manuel's hand which had kindled the light, nnd the first croak of his volco told his purpose. "Now you skulking cownrds," ho yelled pointing forward, "do you see what you aro lighting? There are only five men between you and the deck. To hell with 'cm I Come on 1 I'll show you the wayl" Ho leaped forward; but It was his last step. I sent tho cleaver hurtling through the air. I know not how It struck him, but ho went down, his last word n shriek, his arms flung out In vnln effort to wurd off the blow Schmltt roared out a Dutch oath, and his gun, sent winning above me, crashed Into the uplifted torch. Again It wns black night, through which the eye could perceive nothing, Even the noise censed, hut a hnnir gripped my shoulder. "Who aro you?' "Watklns. The boats ure ready. The ono forward has pushed off loaded Tho aftarboat Is alongside. Thcro Is such a fog, sir, yer can't see two fathoms from the ship. The girl Is In the boat, but I.eVoru ain't. The mute slipped out o' sight in the fog. Ho's somewhere aboard." "Never mind him ; tho fellow can dc no hnrm now. Move back slowly lads. Schmltt nnd I will bo tho last ones out." We closed the companion door as silently ns possible and for the mo ment there wns no sound from within to show that our cautious withdrawal hnd been observed. I stared about, but was able to perceive little beyond the small group awaiting my orders. Tho fog clung thick and henvy on all sides, nnd It wns Impossible for the cyo to penetrate to either rail. Fortunately there was no weight of sea running. "There Is nothing more to keep us aboard lads. Stow yourselves away and hnng on; I'll wait here until you are nil over." They faded away Into the mist, dim spectrnl figures, nnd I remained nlonc, listening anxiously for some hostile sound from below. Satisfied that tho lads were safely over the rail nnd the decks clear, I turned toward the ship's side. As I did so a yell reached my rars from the bluckness below tho hounds hud found voice. 1 ran through the fog In the direc tion the others had disappeared, and had tnken senrcely three steps when I collided ngnlnst the form of a man, whose presence wns not even noticed until we came together. Yet he must have been there expectant nnd ready, for a quick knife thrust slashed the front of my Jacket, bringing a spurt of blood ns the blade was Jerked buck. Even ns my fingers gripped the uplift ed wrist, ere he could strike the sec ond time, I knew my ncttuxmlst. I knew also this was a fight to thv Oath, to bo termlnntcd before that ungunra ed crew below could attain the deck. It wns LeVero's llfo or mine, nnd In the balance the fato of those others In the waiting boat alongside. The knowl edge gnve me the strength and tho ferocity of a tiger. I ripped tho knlfo from his lingers, and wo closed with bnrc hands, his voice uttering one croaking cry for help as I bore In on his windpipe. He was n snake, n cnt, slipping out of my grasp as by some magic. At last I had him against the rail, the weight of us both so hard upon It that the stout wood broke, and we both went over, grappling un til we splashed Into the water below. Tho 'shock loosened my hold ; ns I fought a way back to the surface I was alone. My strength began to fail, hope left me as I sank deeper and deep er Into tho remorseless grip of tho ocean. I was not nfrnid; my Hps ut tered no cry, no prnyer I drifted out Into total unconsciousness und went down. CHAPTER XXV. The Open Boat. I came back to a consciousness of pnln, unable nt onco to realize where I was, or feel uny true senso of per sonality. Then slowly I comprehend ed that I rested In n boat, tossed about by n fairly heavy sea ; that It was night and thcro were stars visible In tho sky overhead. I stared at these, vacant of thought, when a figure seemed to lean over me. and I caught the outline of n face, gazing eagerly down Into my own. Instuntly memory camo back In u Hash this was not death, but llfo; I was In n bont with her. I could not move my hands, and my voice wns but n hoarse whisper. "Mistress Fairfax Dorothy I" "Yes yes," swiftly. "It Is all right, but you must Ho still. Watklns, Cap tain Carlylo Is conscious. What shall I do?" He must have been behind us at the steering oar, for his gruff, kindly volco sounded very close. "Yer might lift him up, miss," ho snld soberly. "Ho'll breathe better. How's that, Captain?" "Much easier," I mnnnged to breathe. "I guess I am all right now. You fished me out?" "Sam did. He got n bout hook In your collar. We cast oft when yer went overboard, and cruised nbout In tho fog hunting fer yer. Who was It yer was Ilghtln with, sir?" "LeVero." "That's what I told the lads, ne's a gonner, I reckon?" "I never snw him nfter we sank. Aro all tho men here?" - "All but those In the fonvnrd bont, sir. They got away furst, an' we ain't had no sight ov 'cm since. Maybo we will when it gets daylight. Harwood's In charge. I give him a compass, an' told him ter steer west. Wus thet right?" "All I could have told him. I haven't had an observation, and It Is all guess work. I know tho American coast lies to thnt direction, but that Is about all. I couldn't tell If It be n hundred, or a hundred and fifty miles nway. I must have been in bnd shape when you pulled mo In?" "We thought you wns gone, lr. You wns blccdln' some, too, but only frurn flesh wounds. Tho young lady she Just wouldn't let yer die. She worked over yer for two or three hours, sir, nforo I bed any hope." Her eyes wero downcust nnd her facu turned away, but 1 reached out my hand nnd clasped her fingers. The mystery of the night and ocean whs In her motionless posture. Only as her hand gently pressed mine did I gain courage, with a knowledge that she recognized and welcomed my pres ence. "Watklns says I owe my llfo to you," I snld, so low tho words wero scarcely audible above tho dnsh of water alongside. "It will make that life more valuable than ever before." (TO HE CONTINUED.) French photographers have de veloped a process for treating nega tives by which the effect of stereo scoplc rellof produced In picture. FARM LICE INJURIOUS TO TURKEYS Common Body Louse of Chickens l Often Found In Sufficient Num bers to Be Harmful. (Prepared by tho United Stntos Depart ment of Agriculture.) Four species of lice nro commonly found on turkeys In this country. One of these, which occurs particularly on turkeys associated with chickens, Is the common body louso of chickens. This species Is not found In great numbers on turkeys, but It sometimes becomes sufficiently abundant to cause considerable Irritation and doubtless Is Injurious both to tho grown fowls nnd to the young. The shaft louse of chickens nlso hns been found on tur keys, but probnbly does not breed on that host. The other two species seem to be native to the turkey, prob ably existing on this fowl In tho wild state. Tho large turkey louse prob ably Is most nhundnnt. It occurs on the feathers on various parts of the body, especially on tho neck nnd breast. Tho slender turkey louse Is a species of good size, though rathet elongnte, resembling In shnpo the head louso of chickens. Normally neither of theso species Is excessively abundant, but on crippled or unthrlftj turkeys they mny cause serious annoy ance nnd undoubtedly they nro Injuri ous to poults. INEXPENSIVE HOUSE IS GOOD Fowls Should Be Given Serviceable Fairly Roomy and Well-Ven-tllatcd Structure. (Prepared by tho United States Depart meat of Agriculture.) It Is not necessary to build expensive houses for poultry, but they should bj serviceable, fairly roomy, well lighted, and well ventilated without drafts. The house should be built with a view to simplicity, economy, nnd conven ience, nnd should be constructed ac cording to the location and climatic conditions. The walls may consist of (1) one thickness of bonrds, matched or un matched ; (2) one thickness of boards -1 An Inexpensive Open-Front Hen House. matched or unmntched, covered with ouo or two thicknesses of building paper or roofing; (3) ono thickness of boards covered with paper, then shin gled or covered with lopped siding or matched lumber, making n solid double wall ; (4) double boards with dead air spaco between; (5) double boards with spaco between filled with strnw, hay, or other similar material. The second and third methods aro tho most common. BIG EGG LOSS PREVENTABLE Consumer Compelled to Pay Higher Price for That Portion Which Finally Reaches Him. (Proparod by tho United States Depart ment or Agriculture) In marketing poultry nnd eggs thero Is nn enormous preventnblo loss In quality and vnluo between tho produc er nnd the consumer. It hns been conservatively estimated thnt this loss amounts nnnunlly to $75,000,000 In poultry and $-15,000,000 In eggs. While this loss falls upon nil who handle poultry nnd eggs It Is borne chiefly by tho producers und tho consumors. Tho producers' loss, caused bj n decrease In price, under present conditions rep resents thnt due to spollngo or pooi quality. The consumers' loss Is due to a curtnlled supply because of the pounds of poultry and dozens of eggs that nro either of poor quality ot a total loss; henco tho consumer has to pay n higher price for thnt portion which flnnlly reaches him. Large Selsmologlcal Library. Dr. J. C. Branner of Leland Stanford university has purchased the selsmo loglcal library of Count F. do Mon tessus de Bnllore, director of the sels mologlcnl service In Chile, nnd pre sented It to Stanford university. This Is snld to bo ono of the lnrgest col lections of selsmologlcal literature In existence, nnd Is ncccompnnled by u mnnuscrlpt catalogue Including some fi.OOO titles. Scientific American. Wheat for Mexico. Argcntlnn Is offering to Mexico at low prices 3,000,000 kilos of wheat, 1, 000,000 kilos of oats, nnd C0.000 bnr- relB of corn. What is Castoria C ASTORIA 1b a harmless substitute- for Castor Oil, Paregoric, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is pleasant It contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcotic subotanco. Its age is Its guar antee. For moro than thirty years it has been in constant use for tho relief of Constipation, Flatulency, Wind Colic and Diarrhoea; allaying Feverish ncsa arising therefrom, and by regulating the Stomach and Bowels, aida tho assimilation of Food; giving healthy and natural Bleep. Tho Children's Panacea Tho Mother's Friocd. Tho Kind You Have Always Bought, and which has been in use for ovor 30 years, has borne the signature of Chas. H. Fletcher, and has been madeunder his personal supervision oinco its infancy. Allow no ono to deceive you in this. All Counterfeits, Imitations and "Juat-as-Good" aro bnt Experiments that trine with and endanger tno neaitn oi iniants ana Children Experience against Experiment. f Gcnnlne Castoria always bears tho signature of UZ47ZCCUA Hard to Guess Why. Wonder why n spinster can never remember anything that happened a good many years ngo? Some people can't even bo crnzy without attracting attention. , KIDNEYS WEAKENING? BETTER LOOK OUT! Kidney and bladder troubles don't disappear of themselves. They grow upon you, slowly but steadily, under mining your health with deadly cer tainty, until you fall a victim to in curable disease. Stop your troubles while thero is time. Don't wait until little pains be come big aches. Don e trifle with dis ease. To avoid futuro suffering begin treatment with GOLD MEDAXi Tlaar lem Oil Capsules now. Take three or four every day until you feel that you are entirely free from pain. This well-known preparation has been one of the national remedies of Hol land for centuries. In 1690 the govern The Possibilities of Peat The Comraerclnl museum of Phila delphia hns been holding n large ex hibition to Illustrate the possibilities In the utilization of peat. There are about 11,188 square miles of peat bog In the United Stntes, cnpable of pro ducing more than 12,000,000,000 tons of fuel. The exhibit shows how, npnrt from Its use as fuel, peat may bo spun Into yarn, made Into paper, used for packing, etc. It Is valuable ns a pre servntlve, ns It contains lurge amounts of humlc acid. Ground up peat may also bo used as a filler for fertilizer, making possible the use of slaughter house waste for this purpose; also as n filler for stock feed, such as mo lasses. Its manufactured products In clude Insulations, soundproof boards, paving stones, and alcohol. Scientific American. Toad In a Coal Seam. A toud has been found burled In Nethersenl colliery, ivenr Burton-on- Trent, England. A collier wns mining GOO feet below the surface nnd n mile from the pit shaft when his pick struck Into n pocket of clay, and out rolled n toad three Inches long. It Is being kept In the mnnager's office, nnd Is re covering sight nnd moving nbout. In tho United Kingdom there are said to bo 1,500,000 spinsters with no hope of marriage. While in the act of acquiring a black eye a man Is apt to see u lot of stars that are unknown to astronomers. Will buy a Big Package of POSTUM Cereal weighing over a pound, net. What are for Shades of Meaning. Jimmy had been cnught red-handed. Ills fnther grabbed hlui, and prepared for action. Jimmy wriggled frnntlcnlly. "Pn, pn, wnlt a minute I" he panted. "Didn't you tell tho cnllcrs last night that I couldn't be beaten for mis chief?" "That's Just what I did, you young rnBeol I" "Well, then, pn," gasped Jimmy, "why aro you beating me now?" Wisconsin Early In Field. The practice of law by women wna legalized by the Wisconsin legislature In 1877. Tim almond trees of Spain yield nbout 25 per cent of the world's sup ply. Real widows and grass widows sym pathize with one another, but why they do it Is a mystery. ment of the Netherlands granted a spe cial charter authorizing Its sale. The good housewife of Holland would almost as soon be without food as with out her "Real Dutch Drops," as she quaintly calls GOLD MEDAL Haarlem Oil Capsules. Their use restores strength and is responsible in a great mensuro for the sturdy, robust health of the Hollanders. Do not delay. Go to your drueglst and insist on' his supplying you with a box of GOLD MEDAL Haarlem Oil Capsules. Take them as directed, and if you aro not satisfied with rssults your druggist will gladly refund your money. Look for the name GOLD MEDAL on the box and accept no other. In sealed boxes, three sizes. PERSONS OF ROYAL DESCENT In Natural Course. Millions Might Lay Claim to Blood of William the Conqueror. There are more clnlms of descent from William the Conqueror thnn from any monarch In tho world, nnd In most cases n descendant of this king comes down a line of 15 or 20 other royal personages, although sometimes the uescent from monarch to plain, un titled yeoman seems to have been ac complished In two or three genera tions. There Is practically no limit to his descendants todny and one geneal ogist says this fact Is accounted for by the stntement that, according to the regular proportion of Increase In each generation since, his time, the descend ants of Wllllnratho Conqueror would now number more thnn twice the pres ent population of the British Isles. So, of course, It Is very eusy to see how many of them came over to the United States. As Ordered. A rookie who was detnllcd in the mess hall for a week, got along fairly well until one day the head cook said: "Put some water on the fire." He went out Into tho storage room to open a can of peas, and when he camo back, tho fire was out. When Aloft. "I was Just reading that an Eng lish clergyman hns become an aviator." "A high churchman, eh?" you paying coffee?