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About The Maupin times. (Maupin, Or.) 1914-1930 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1920)
CHAPTER XXX Continued. 19 I heard her cry out, and barely caught the lantern as It fell from her hand. At first I doubted the evidence of my own eyes, snatching the bit of flaring candle from its tin socket and holding It where the full glare of light fell across the grewsoine object. Ay, It was a woman, with lower limbs doubled back from lack of space, but otherwise lying as though she slept, so perfect In preservation her cheeks ap peared flushed with health, her lips half smiling. It was a face of real beauty an English face, although her eyes and hair were dark and her man tilla and long earrings were unques tionably Spanish. A string of pearls encircled her throat, and there were numerous rings upon her fingers. The very contrast added immeasurably to ' the horror. "She Is alive I Surely she Is alive 1" The words were sobbed Into my ear from Dorothy's lips. "Alive I No, that Is Impossible I" I touched the figure with my hand. "The flesh Is like stone," I said, "thus held lifelike by some magic of the Indies. What can It all mean? Who could the woman be? It Is love or hate?" "Not love, Geoffry. Love would never do this thing. It Is hate, the gloating of revenge; there can be no other answer this Is the end of a tragedy." There was nothing, not a scrap of paper, not even the semblance of a wound exposed. The smile on those parted lips had become one of mock ery ; I could bqpr the sight no longer, and rose to my feet, clasping Dorothy close to me, as she still gazed down In fasclnutlon at the ghastly sight. "We will never know. The man who could tell is dead." "Captain .Paradllla?" "WIw else could It be? This was his schooner, and here he alone could hide such a secret. There Is nothing more we can learn, and the horror un nerves me. Hold the light, dear, while I replace the lid of the chest." It required my utmost effort to ac complish this. I was glad to have the thing hidden, to escape the stare of those fixed eyes, the death smile of those red Hps. It was no longer a reality but a dream of delirium; I dare not think or speculate my only desire being to get away, to get Dor othy away. In absolute terror I drew her with me to the open door then Btopped, paralyzed; the half revealed figure of a man appeared on the cabin stairs. "Stop! Who are you?" "Watklns, sir. I came below to call you. There's sumthlu' bloomlu' odd tnkln' place out there in the fog, Cap tain Carlyle, We want yer on deck, sir, right away." CHAPTER XXXI. The Boat Attack. He waited for us Just without the companion, but my eyes cnught noth ing unusual as I emerged Into the daylight. I could barely see amidships, and on either side hung the Impene trable bank of cloud, leaving sea and sky Invisible. "What is It, Watklns? Where are the men?" "Forrnrd, sir, a-nangln' over the stnr board rail. Thnr's somethln' cursedly strange a-hnppenln' In that fog. Ole was the first ter hear the clutter ov en oar sllppln' In a rowlock. Then, sir, wfille we wus a-listenln' we both caught sound ov a Spanish oath, spoke as plain as If the buck was aboard." "A lost boat, likely shipwrecked sailors adrift in the fog; perhaps our other quarterboat. No one hailed them?" "No, sir ; I told the men ter keep still till I called you." The crew were all gathered at the rail, staring out Into the mist, whis pering to each other. I pressed my way In among them. We may have been clinging there a minute of two, breathlessly listening. Then a voice spoke directly In front of me out from the dense fog. "Try the port oar, Pedro; we must have missed the d n ship." I straightened up as though struck, my eyes seeking those of Watklns, who stared back at me, his mouth wide open in astonishment. "You heard that?" I whispered. "Do you know who spoke?" "Do I? Dead or alive, sir, It was Manuel Estevan," "Ay; no other, and alive enough, no doubt. Lads, come close to me and listen they must not hear us out there. By some devil's trick the Na niur has followed our course, or else yonder are a part of his crew cast way. They clearly know of us per haps had a glimpse through some rift tu the cloud and are seeking to hoard with a boat party. 'Tis not like ly those devils know who we are; nrobablr taka us for a merchant ship becalmed In the fog and liable to be come an easy prey, If they can only slip on us unseen. How are you, bul lies? Heady to battle your old mates?" "Those were no mates o' ours, sir," said Watklns Indignantly. "They are half-breed mongrels, and no sailors; Estevan Is a hell-hound; an' so far as my voice goes, I'd rather die on this deck than ever agin be a bloody pirate. It that the right words, lads?" The others grumbled assent, but their muttered words had In them a ring of sincerity, and their faces ex hibited no cowardice. One only asked a question. "I'm fer flghtln', sir," he said grim ly, "but what'll we use? Them lads ain't comin' aboard bare-handed, but damn If I've seed a weapon on this hooker." "Dar's three knives, an' a meat cleaver In der galley, sah," chimed In Sam. "We'll do well enough; some of you have your sheath knives yet, and the rest can use belaying pins and capstan bars. The point Is to not let them get aboard, and, If there Is only one boat, we will be pretty even-handed.' Pick up what you can, and man this rail quietly now, hearties, and keep your eyes open." It proved a longer wait than I ex pected. Unable to withstand the In action any longer I turned and took a few steps aft, thinking to gauge our progress by the wake astern. I was abaft the cabin on the port side when Dorothy called my name a sudden ac cent of terror in her voice. The alarm was sounded none too soon. Either fortune, or. skill, had served those demons well. They had succeeded in circling the stern of the Santa Marie, unseen and unheard by anyone aboard. Even as she shrieked the alarm, a hand was at her throat, and she was struggling desperately in the merciless grip of a half-nuked In dian. Yet at that they were too late, the advantage of surprise had failed them. A half dozen had readied the deck, leaping from the rail, the others below clambering after their leaders, when with a rush we met them. It was a fierce, mad fight, fist and club pitted against knife and cutlass, but the de fenders strucK like demons Incarnate. I doubt If the struggle lasted two mln tes. I heard the blows, the oaths, the cries of pain, the dull thud of wood ngalust bone, the sharp clang of steel In contact, the shuffling of feet on the deck, the splash of bodies hurled over board. Each man fought for himself, In his own way. I thought only of her, und leaped straight for her assailant with bare hands, smashing recklessly through the hasty guard of his cutlass and gripped the copper devil by hair and throat. I knew she fell to the deck beneath our feet, but I had my work cut out for me. He was a hell hound, slippery as an eel In his half nakedness, strong as an ox, and fight ing like a fiend. Yet I had him foul, my grip unbreakable, as I forced his neck back against the rail, until It cracked, the swarthy body sliding Inert to the deck. Whirling to assist the others I found no need. Except for bodies here and there the deck was clear; men were struggling In the chains; two below In the bout were endeavoring to cast off, and Schmltt, with Estevan helpless in his arms, staggered to the side and flung the shrieking Spanish cur overboard out into dark water. I heard the splash as he fell, the single cry his lips gave, but he never again appeared above the sur face. Above the bedlam Watklns roared out an order. "That's It, bullies I that's Itl Now let her drop I We'll send them to hell where they belong. Good shot; she landed I" It was the hank of a spare anchor, balanced for an instant on the rail, then sent crashing down through the frail bottom of the boat beneath. The wreck drifted away Into the fog, the two miserable occupants clinging des perately to the gunwales. I lifted Dorothy to her feet, and she dung to me unsteadily, her face yet white. "Watklns, have you figured up re sults?" "Two of our men are cut rather badly, and one hasn't come to yet from a smart rap on the head." "None got away?" "Not 'less they swum, thar's six dead ones aboard. Four took ter the water, mostly because they hed to. The only livln' one o' the buach Is thet nigger 'longside the wheel, an' nuthln' but a thick skull saved him." "Then there were eleven in the party. What do you suppose has be come of the others aboard the Na- mur?" "I (lunuo, sir'; they might be a waltln' out there In fog. Perhaps the nigger cud tell you." I crossed over to where the fellow sat on a grating, his head In his hands. the girl still clinging to my sleeve, as though fearful of being left alone. The man was a repulsive brute, his fact stained with blood, dripping from a cut across his low forehead. He looked up sullenly at our approach, but made no effort to rise. "Look yere, you black villain," roared Watklns, driving the lesson home with his foot, "don't be a playln' possum yer. Stand up an' answer Mis ter Carlyle, or yer'll git a worse clip than I give yer afore. Whar Is the bloody bark?" 'Pounding her heart out on the rocks yonder," he said civilly, "unless she's slid off an' gone down. To the west, maybe a mile er so." "What about the crew?" "They got away In the boats, an' likely mostly are ashore. We were In the last boat launched, and headed out so far ter get 'round a ledge o' rocks we got lost In the fog. Then the mist sorter opened an' give us a glimpse o' yer topsails. We didn't ex pect no fight, once we got aboard." 'Expected to find something easy, of course? Perhaps It would have been If what Is It you see out there, Slmms?" The seaman, who was standing with hollowed hands shading his eyes, star ing forth Into the swirling drapery of fog, turned at my call and pointed ex citedly. 'There's a bark aground yonder, sir ; and it looks like the Natnur I" Even as I crossed the deck to bis side the wreaths of obscuring mist seemed to divide, as though swept apart by some mighty band, and there In the full glow of the sun, a picture In a frame, lay the wrecked vessel. Others saw It as I did, and gave vent to recognition. "Damned If It ain't the old hooker 1" "She got what was coming to her all right mates." "And she's lousy with treasure I" "Come here, Sam I That's the last of the Namur." CHAPTER XXXII. The Last of the Namur. The vessel was plainly a total wreck, rapidly pounding to death on a sharp ledge of rock. Both masts were down, and, lifted as the bow was, It was easy to perceive the deck was In splinters where falling spars and topmasts had crushed their way through. The bows had caught, seemingly Jammed in be tween rocks, the stern sunk deep, with cabin port holes barely above reach of the waves. Not a living thing appeared on board, and, as the fog slowly drifted away, my eyes could discern no sign of any boat, no evidence of the crew, along the wide sweep of water. A voice aroused me. "What was It you said, Jack, 'bout treasure on the old hooker? Why not get It afore It's too late?" "It's thar, all right, Ole," and I knew the speaker to be Haines. "Ain't It, Mr. Carlyle?" "Yes, lads, there must be money on board, unless those fellows took It with them In the boats. I know of fifty thousand pounds stolen In Vir ginia, and no doubt there Is more than that. The bark Is liable to slide off that rock any minute and go down like a stone. What do you say, bullies? Here Is a risky Job, but a pocket full of gold pieces, If we can get aboard and safely off again. Who'll go across with me?" There was a babel of voices, the men crowding about me, all else forgotten as greed gripped their imaginations, "Stand back,, lads ! I cannot use all of you. Four will be enough. You'll not lose anything of what we bring back ; It'll be sliare and share alike, so fall, to, hearties." I paused an Instant to speak to Dorothy, seated on the flag locker, ex plaining to her swiftly my object In exploring the wreck and pledging my self not to be reckless in attempting to board. I read fear In her eyes, yet she said nothing to dissuade me. I slipped down a rope and dropped Into the boat, taking my place with a steering oar at the stern, and we shot away through the green water. The Namur proved to be a more complete wreck than our distant view had re vealed, and lying In a more precarious position. It was no pleasant Job get ting aboard, but ordering Haines to ac company me, and the others to He by, I made use of a dangling backstay, and thus hauled myself up to a reasonably secure footing. The fellow Joined me breathless, and together we perched on the rail to gain view of the deck, It was a distressing, hopeless sight, the vessel rising before us like the roof of a house, the deck planks stove In, a horrible Jumble of running rig ging, booms and spars, blocking the way forward. There were three bodies tangled In the wreckage within our sight, crushed out of all human re semblance, and the face of a negro, caught beneath the ruins of the galley, seemed to grin back at me in death, Every timber groaned as the waves struck and rocked the sodden mass, and I had no doubt but that the vessel had already broken In two. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Bigger and Heavier Hen Fruit. It Is thought by naturalists that the eggs of domestic hens of the present day are larger and heavier by nearly a third than those of the hens of the ancients. Eggs differ a good deal In weight, the average weight being about two ounces. A good egg Is made up of ten parts shell, 60 parts white and 30 parts yolk. The white of an egg contains 88 per cent water. The shell contains about 2 per cent aulmal matter and 1 per cent of the phos phates of lime and magnesia, the rest consisting of carbonate of lime. Half the various specimens of snakes lay eggs. Instead of shell the covering of the egg Is t tough, white, leathern sub stance. The largest egg of any bird to day Is the ostrich egg. it re : IN BRIEF. ! A A A A D. A D, A A A A A A A A-X Amity. The Amity drug store was broken into Monday night and all the jewelry, valued at about $500, was stolen, besides several cameras, flash lights, cigars and what small change was in the till. North Bend. The annual report complied by City Recorder Maybee shows that 68 arrests were made In the city In 1919. Of this number 21 were for speeding, 16 for drunkenness, 10 for having liquor in possession, 7 for minors in pool halls, 6 for disturb ing the peace and 8 for other offenses. Salem. A state game and fish com mission composed of seven members, as proposed following a conference of the fisheries industries and game committee of both houses of the legis lature held here Monday, has the in dorsement of Senator John Gill, of Portland, according to a letter receiv ed from him at the executive offices. Bend. To make the pay for the work of census taking sufficient to Insure a thorough enumeration of res idents of this city, the Bend Commer cial club directors have decided to pay 4 cents a name in addition to the 4 cents already offered by the govern ment. Unofficial enumerators may be appointed to work the week end to assist the government employes in ob taining population data. Marshfleld. The perennial threat from Medford and other Rogue river valley cities to close the lower Rogue to commercial fishing has stirred up the residents of Curry county as usual, and they are out with a determination to block any such bill at special ses sion of the legislature. Fishermen down there have organized to fight what they term "hold-up" and the Marshfleld chamber of commerce is backing their efforts. Salem. There were 44 fires in Ore gon, exclusive of Portland, during the month of December, according to a report prepared by A. S. Barber, state insurance commissioner. Klamath Falls suffered heaviest of any town in the state, the aggregate fire losses there for December amounting to $40, 000. Total losses from fires in De cember showed a marked decrease when compared with those of the pre vious month, according to Mr., Barber. Gold Hill. The city councU of Gold Hill in regular session Monday night passed an ordinance, repealing and amending several license ordinances, which will tax nearly every business and oqcupation in the city. This rev enue will tide over the deficiency which the regular 5 mills levy for the current year will fail to cover, and serve to keep down a bonded indebt edness of which the city has been free for the past decade. Eugene. Notwithstanding alarming reports to the effect that the recent cold weather has killed the loganberry vines that had been trellised and that appeared above the snow, the vines in many Eugene gardens and in fields throughout Lane county are beginning to sprout It Is believed that the dam age will not be half what it was thought to have been. A number of farmers in Eugene say that the vines in many places are budding out as if nothing like zero weather has hap pened. In each county of the state a com mittee of women who have been ac tive in patriotic service is now being formed to cooperate with Miss M. Belle Jeffery, the State Director of Oregon, in the World's Service Pro gram of Education and Finance which the National Board of the Young Wo men's Christian Association are carry ing on throughout the United States during January and February. The purpose is to raise a $3,000,000 fund to meet the increased demands of the reconstruction work among girls in this state, our own country, in France, Russia, Turkey, and other war strick en centers, and to provide leadership for such countries as China, Japan, In dia and South America. Health and recreation are to be featured for the girls in industry, business and in the smaller towns and rural districts. So cial and moral standards are to be emphasized. Foreign born women are to be helped along lines of American ization. The Y. W. C. A. has pledged itself to care for the womanhood of America and to do all it can for the young women of the world. It needs the cooperation and help of every community, for ell are more or loss affected by the great impetus to bet ter living, and the protective Influ ence of this organization. Girls from the smaller towns are constantly drift ing into the cities and colleges where the Y. W. C. A. Is ever ready with open doors and warm hearts to wel come and assist the girls needing its help and protection, or its friendly social life. Is not $21,600 a small amount for the prosperous State of Oregon to raise as its share tor the protection and development of the young womanhood of the world? CPA)PC TVTTTTTrC? TREATY IS SIGNED .S. State of Peace in Europe Is Formally Proclaimed. GERMANS ARE HAPPY Nation Will Do Utmost to Fill Obliga tions, Says Delegate War Trials Only Thorny Problem. Paris. Ratifications of the treaty of Versailles were executed and peace between Germany, France,' Great Brit ain and the other allied and associated powers, with the exception of the United States, became effective at 4:16 o'clock Saturday afternoon. The outstanding comment tonight on the ceremony was that it left the United States the only power which was actively at war with Germany not now on a peace basis. That was the note sounded by Baron Kurt von Lersner, head of the Ger man peace delegation, in a statement to the Associated Press, after the ceremony. . "I am naturally happy that peace has finally become effective," he said. My great regret is that the United States is the only country with which Germany is still in a state of war. I hope, however, that this situation will soon be changed. 'Execution of the treaty of Ver sailles imposes upon Germany the heaviest sacrifices ever borne by a nation in modern times. We lost in the west and in the east territories that belonged to Prussia for many centuries. We have assumed enor mous economic obligations. Neverthe less, I am glad that peace is at last re-established, because it will give back to Germany her beloved sons still prisoners abroad." Asked as to the execution of the terms of the treaty, Baron von Lers ner declared that Germany was ready and determined to do her utmost. He continued: "We have already, even without being obliged by the terms of the treaty, delivered a considerable quantity of products, including 2,500 000 tons of coal to France, and I can say that Germany will go to the utmost limit of possibility in fulfilling all the obligations she has incurred. It will mean hard times for Germany, but with the recovery of our ardor of labor and production, we hope to meet every emergency. "The recovery of our economic prosperity is as much to the Interest of the great economic difficulties that threaten all Europe. It is obvious; speaking chiefly of France, that her economic prosperity depends upon the economic recovery of Germany." BERGER SHUT OUT AGAIN BY HOUSE Washington, D. C Victor Berger, Milwaukee socialist re-elected from the fifth Wisconsin congressional district after the house had refused him mem' bershlp "because he gave aid and com fort to the enemy," was barred from taking his seat again Saturday by a vote of 328 to 6. Chairman Dallinger of the elections committee, which held Berger ineli gihje the first time, presented a reso lution barring Berger and reviewed the reasons why Berger was excluded at the special session. Representa tives Mann, republican, Illinois; Voigt, republican, Wisconsin, and Sherwood, democrat, Ohio, supported Benger's right to a seat Quake Leaves Trail of Death. Mexico City. Six hundred persons were killed when Barranca Grande was destroyed by the earthquake of January 3, according to special dis patches from Vera Cruz Sunday night Jalapa, former capital of the state of Vera Cruz, and Teocelo were prac tically ruined, it was said, while the village of Ayahualco was crushed by great rocks dislodged from the adja cent mountain. A similar fate is re ported to have been that of Exhuacan. New Zealand Still Wet Wellington, N. Z. By reason of the failure of prohibitionists to obtain a majority of votes in the recent "no license" referendum, New Zealand will remain wet and the present license system will continue. The official vote made public Sun day showed that for continuance of the licensing system 240,998 votes were cast, for state purchase and con trol of liquors 32,148 and for prohibi tion 270,178. I U ABSENT HIDES AND JUNK THt..nir a. rvr Si a Front St Pay full market values for hides, pelts, old rubber, metals, etc. . HEMSTITCHING . K. Stephan. hemstltchlag, scauoping. braiding, accordion aide pleat, button! covered mall order. 219 flttoca oioca. Accordion Pleating, Hrautitchmg, button! covered. Custom made hirte. Art Embroidery & Button Co.. Morgan Building, Portland. LOOK OUT! IV CCU juui willUBiiiciu kicai it -' of weather. Use SEE-CLEAR and AVOID t- .nllkUU 1.I.H11 In all lflnrla AUCIUEINTS. sena du cents turn uo SAFE. R. C. Fiske, 230 Stark St., Port land, ure. PORTLAND MARBLE WORK 264-266 Fourtn Bt. JNeu uroa. OXY.ACETYLENE WELDING AND SiilliDtSL, - T ..n a nyulno (niH. DID tuflnh VOll how to weld all classes of metals. Write for circular and prices. W-C WELDING WORKS 105 East Water St. Portland. Ore. 18 First St., Portland. PORTLAND fin with the crowd to the Ablaaton Bids., Portland to buy, sell or aange Keal Estate. Fran mcuuire. PLATING NICKEL AND 8ILVER rftTTodayfornrices wepayrSturn postage on small parcels. California Plat ing worxs, an ma ou, i-orutuiu, PERSONAL liLRKTllTONELTitorismts, try me; oest ana most euccessrui "tiuau MAKER;" hundreds rich wish marriage soon; strictly confidential: most reliable; years of experience; description free. "The Successful Club," Mra. Ball, Boa 566 Oakland, California. PLUMBING & PLUMBING SUPPLIES e can supply you with any kind of plumbing supplies at wholesale priees. We will gladiy estimate cost of amy ok. Write for prices. HTAKK.-1JAVIB JU., 212 Third Ht . Portland SAFES Fire and burglar proof safes, new and second hand, at right prices, bought, sold and exchanged. NORRIS SAFE & LOCK CO. 106 Second Street, Portland. RAILWAY TELEGRAPH INSTITUTE Youna men and women: best returns for am't invested. Position when qualified. 434 Railway Exchange Bldg., Portland. RAZORS The famous compound for tempering razors without heat. Makes shaving a delight. The Stratanum Co., 60 Chamber of Com. SANITARY BEAUTY PARLOR veneTiTThe appearance of vina. Twenty-two Inch switch or tnuufonu Hon. value 7.00, price 12.41. to 412 ueKum wing rsiDW,.'i..rtMi:si Repairs for all stoves and heaters. Prnmnt attention to mall orders. Spokane Stove & Furnace Repair Works, Spokane. TEACHERS' AGENCY Rockv Mountain Teachers' Agency. Frank K. Welles, ex-asst State Supt, mgr. Portland, or. Teacners piacea promptly. At wholesale and retail. Mall orders Eromptly filled. Smith's wall paper louse, 108-110 Second St. Portland. II Stupptif Tags ui Prict tin cm i tu am uinc A Uffint Pft rJlV 144 Frost St am "J infW Portland Li. Carpenters Wanted for work on new unit of pa per mill at West Linn, $5.20 for 8 hrs. work. . Splendid accommodations in new ho tel. Meals 35c; beds 10c, 25c, 35c. Apply Crown Wil lamette Paper Co., West Linn, Oregon. NAME 'BAYER' MEANS ASPIRIN IS GENUINE Prescribed by physicians for over eighteen years Each package and tablet of genuine "Bayer Tablets of Aspirin" Is marked with the safety "Bayer Cross." The "Bayer Cross" means you are getting genuine Aspirin, prescribed by physicians for over eighteen years. In the Bayer package are safe and proper directions for Colds, Headache, Toothache, Earache, Neuralgia, Rheu matism, Lumbago, Sciatica, Neuritis and Pain generally. Handy tin boxes of 12 tablets cost only a few cents. Druggists also sell larger Bayer packages. Aspirin is the trade mark of Bayer Manufacture of Monoaceticacldester of Sallcylicacid. Adv. , Averse to Borrowing Trouble. Jimmy has been rather unfortunate lately in the way of minor accidents, and his mother has grown quite cau tious about his taking chances. One day he came in and wanted to ride his tricycle down to his auntie's house. His mother hesitated before consent ing to his, request, and Jimmy cut in with the comforting assurance, "May be there won't be a thing happen, mother, so don't make a worry for yourself till it does." Alcohol From Molasses. Alcohol is now made from "black strap," a very cheap and common grade of molasses which comes from the West Indies. Are Yon Saii&fid? beunke-walker me ion oausDeai business college ll the biggest, moat perfectly qulaie Buslaesa Training School In the North west Fit yourself for a higher poaltio with more money Permanent positions sured our Graduates. Write for tlnc- f"rt uj YaaMD P. N. U. No. 3, 1920 "Mil i