THE IRON PIRATE
A Ttain Tate of Strange
Happenings on the Sea
By MAX PEMBERTON
-00-
ClIAPTEH XVII. (Continued.)
lis anger was fierce, terriblo an a tor
nado. HIh teeth gnashed, his hands shook,
lie rolled In his chair like a great wounded
beast; but when he saw that I wan un
moved, he fell quiet again, and said In a
low, coaxing voice:
"Don's compel me, lad, to do what I
have meant not to do, You're here for
good or 111. Them men are nothing to
you ; they're lazy hogs that the world's
well rid of let 'em die, and save your
own carcass. You've been here days now
the first man that ever lived among us
without signing our papers. You've a
straight notion that my hand's agen Eu
rope, and, for the matter of that, agen
the world, too ; those that share with me
shall swing with me. It Isn't of my ask
ing that you're amongst us, or that you
took up the work of Hull, who put the
first nail In his coflin that night he came
to my bed at Spezia. I saw him there,
though he thought me sleeping; and that
right I wrote death against his name, as
I wrote it against yours when you entered
my room in Paris. There's reasons why
I've broken my word in your cane, though
you'll never know 'em ; but there's no
reason why you shouldn't swear to go
through it with me. There's my papers.
Sign 'em now, or you lie a corpse before
an hour on the clock."
lie leaned over his writing table and
put into my hands a rough sheet of narch
ment. Rut my eyes were dimmed with
the restless excitement of the situation.
The silence of the room was terrible to
bear; it was as though I struggled for
life while already in (he tomb. My
thoughts went hurriedly to Europe, to my
home, to my friends. I took heart for a
stop which was the last mad design of a
driven man.
"Give me the pen J I" I said suddenly.
lie put the pen into my hands, and
leaned back with a chuckle of satisfac
tion : but the movement cost him the
game. I clutched his pistol with a light
ning grasp, and covered him with It.
"If you raise a finger I'll shoot you like
a dog," I cried.
Then the man, who was no craven, sat
motionless in his chair, and his face might
have been cut from marble.
"If you raise your voice to call out, or
If anyone comes to this room, you die
where you sit, I said.
"Boy, you're the first that's bested
Black," he said. "I'm caught like a rat
In the hole. What do ye want? Name
It, and I'll know how we stand !"
"I want my life now that I refuse to
sign that paiper. You can give the order
that no man's to lay a finger on me, and
you will?"
He thought a moment, looking stralgt
down the barrel of the Colt. Then he
said :
"Yes, I can't avoid that I'll give you
that."
"And my liberty on the first occasion
offering."
"No," he replied very slowly and stern
ly ; "they'd tear me to pieces."
There was no doubt that he had right
In this. I put the pistol down; then I
offered him my hand, and he jumped up
from his seat, grasping It with a great
clutch. .
"You're a sound plank of a boy."
The sound of firing, rapid and oft re
peated, came to us from the shore of the
cove below. He went to his window and
I saw the whole bay lit with silver light
from a full-risen, -moon, end the distant
peaks as grim beacons above a land of
rest. Out on the snow there was a hun
gry crowd of starving souls, crying for
bread; and those to whom they cried an
swered them with their muskets, dyeing the
glittering white with many a red stream.
"For heaven's sake, help those men, If
you have anything but the Instincts of a
brute In you !" I cried.
There was a pause before he answered
me. Then he snatched a rifle from a
case and said;
"Take that pistol and come on. There's
blood to, let."
I followed him down the passage to the
beach, where he blew a whistle sharp
and shrill.
"That'll wake 'em on the ship," he ex
plained. "I'm not afeard of these, but
there's fighting to be done now don't
ehow till you're wanted."
He advanced towards the snow plain
and sang out :
"John, you there, Dick bands to quar
ters, do you hear me? Move right quick,
or I'll move youl"
They put down their arms from their
shoulders in blank amazement, and list
ened to him as he went on:
"There's enough down for one night, I
reckon, and I'm not going to be kept
awake by your firing."
They came round hlin slowly and sulk
ily, and he drove them to the big houses
with fine round phrases. I lurked near
him, but an American saw me and cried :
"Say, Cap'en, hev ye took to adoptin'
that boy es ye seems so fond of?"
"Shut your jaw, or I'll shut.lt for
you!" replied Black. "Is the boy your
affair?"
"I calcerlate, an' some of us wishes to
know particler If he's signed or no."
"Oh, you want to know, do you? Let
them as makes complaint step right bwe."
Only four joined the leader; bat the
Captain suddenly snatched my revolver
from me, and fired four shots; and for
each shot a man dropped dead on the
beach ; but the American stood untouched.
rne appalling nrutaiity or tne acnon
seemed to awe the rest of the crew. They
stood motionless, dumb with their rage ;
but when they recovered themselves they
rushed upon us with wild ferocity. I
heard a shout from the water and. look
ing there, I saw Doctor 0bart in the
lnunch ; and there was a Maxim gun In
the bows of her.
"Clear that beach!" roared Black In
awful passion ; and Instantly, as he drop
ped flat and I Imitated him, there was
a hall of bullets, and the main part of
the crowd fell shrieking. The victory was
awful, Instantnneous. As the men fled
towards the hills, Black called after them :
"Bring to, you carrion, or I'll wipe you
out, every one of you 1 Any man who'll
save his throat, let him come here.!"
At these words they turned back to a
man, and came cowering to the water's
edge. Thirty of their fellows lay dead
or wounded on the stones.
"Whore's your leader?" asked Black,
and they pointed to the American, who
lay with the blood pouring from a wound
In his left thigh.
"He's there, Is he?" screamed the Infu
riated man. "Well, I'll cure him like a
ham. Get torches, some of you, and Ice
him in."
All helped hlra In his ghastly work, and
brought shovels and picks, which they car
ried to the higher plane of snow.
"We've got to die, both of us," said the
American at last ; "you en me, Black, en
there Isn't much ez we kin look for. Go
on, lay me right here as I lay now; but
I'll rize agen you, and the day'll come
when you'd give every dollar ye're worth
to dig me up, en give me life agen."
I touched Black on the arm and was
about to plead with him ; but at the sight
of me he raised his fist, and I moved
away. He stood foaming and muttering,
his hands clenched. The haste of the
men was not half haste enough for him ;
and when they began to dig he hurried
them the more, until a great pile of snow
had been thrown out.
I watched them roll the man over Into
the trench and shovel the snow quickly
upon him. He watched them, silent In
his terror; but when his head only was
uncovered he gave a shriek of agony,
which rose like the great cry of a man
going before his God, and ceased not to
echo from height to height until long min
utes had passed. Black gave a great
start, and shivering as a man struck
down with a deadly chill, he passed from
the grave to the beach.
CHAPTER XVIII.
It was on the next afternoon, near to
the setting of the sun, that Doctor Osbart
came to my room with great news for me,
"This business with the men has com
pletely upset our plans," said he. "Black
hoped to winter here ; and to let the hub'
bub In Europe quite subside before he
put to sea again. Now he can't do that
There's only one thing that will keep the
hands quiet, and that s excitement. He
has determined to sail to-nigbt; but, be
fore we talk of that, we must have the
conditions.
"What have you to ask?" said I.
"Simply this," he answered. "You
shall give your word, as a man of honor,
that you will make no attempt to leave
the ship without permission."
"I accept."
Then slowly the great engines began
their work, and we swept out to the open
sea. We dined that night in the saloon
upon the deck, a commodious place light
ed by electricity, and In every way luxurl
ously fitted. The walls of It were paneled
In white and gold, and were covered with
curious designs, old heroes fighting, old
gods drawn by lions at their chariots;
Jason seeking the fleece in a golden
barque ; Orestes fleeing the Furies. The
long seats were covered In leather of a
deep crimson, and there was a small
piano. The dinner Itself was admirably
served, and was partaken of by the deaf
and dumb engineer, by the doctor, the
Scotsman and myself. Black talked with
out reserve before me, knowing well that
I could do hlra no injury. He relied
mostly on the doctor for advice, and dis
cussed everything with him in the best of
tempers.
"My plan Is this," he said ; "we're short
of oil, and Karl here Is beginning to get
uneasy. I shall knock over a couple of
whalers in these seas and fill the tanks.
Then, as they're looking for us In mid
Atlantic, we'll get south of Madeira, and
run against two or three of the big ones
making for Rio or Buenos Ayres. We
shall pick up a good bit of money; and
It'll be a month before they get on our
course that way, for I mean to let 'em
down light when It's not a case of saving
our own skin."
We passed the Danish settlement of
Godtbaab early on the next morning,
though so far out at sea that I could
make nothing of It; while we lost the
coast of Greenland altogether before the
day had passed, a hazy shower of dust
like snow greeting our coming to the
Atlantic and to a perceptibly warmer lat
itude. During this day, and until we
sighted the Shetlands, the small screw
tender kept our course, and we exchanged
signals with her every morning.
Finally we sighted the coast of Ireland,
and I know not if I have ever had a
greater pleasure than that distant view.
It was as though I had paused from a
dead land to the land of man, from the
silent ways of night to the first break
ing of the duy.
, CHAPTER XIX.
It was not until daybreak on the fol
lowing morning that we reached the track
of ocean-bound ships ; but our voyage was
altogether in favor of Black, for the sun
bad scarce risen when Doctor Osbart got
me from my bed to see what he called my
first introduction to business.
'There's the Red Cross Line's Bel-
Ionic not a mile off on the starboard
quarter," cried he exultingly, "and we r
going to clear her."
I dressed anyhow, almost as excited as
he was, and stepped on to the gallery.
All eyes were turned to the north, where,
now almost abreast of us, there was the
long and magnificent hull of the great
liner. She went at a tremendous pace
and was rapidly leaving us, when the
great gun forward sent a shell ploughing
the sea fifty yards ahead of the Bellonic.
The effect of the call was seen upon the
great vessel, whose decks were soon dot
ted with black objects, while three more
men appeared on the bridge, and the sig
nal flags ran up.
"Give It him for'ard," roared Black;
and the shot that answered his command
struck the quivering hull not twenty feet
from the windlass and you could see the
splinters carried fifty feet in the air, while
the shrieks of terror came over the sea
to us.
Screaming like wild beasts, the mei
turned the handles of the Maxim guns
the balls rained upon the defenseless liner
as hail upon a sheepfold. I saw strong
n reel and fall their length as death
took them ; the breeze bore to me the
wailing of women, and the sobs of chil
dren.
The flag dropped and the signal was
made to us to come aboard.
"Lower away the launch, you John !"
cried Black, "and take every shilling you
can lay hands on, and hang up that skip
per for a thin-skinned fool."
"You'd better go," said Osbart to me,
"you'll be amused ;" and suggested It to
Black.
"Yes, he shall go," he cried; "if we
swing, he shall swing. Let him get
aboard."
I might as well have put a pistol to my
head as to have refused. They bundled
me Into the launch; but they would not
leave me when they came alongside, and
"Roaring John" himself drove me up the
ladder. Seven of us at last stood on the
bridge, and were face to face with the
captain of the Bellonic, and four of his
officers. ,
The deck was a very babel of sounds,
of groans, of weeping. The ship's surgeon
himself seemed paralyzed before the sight
of the carnage around him. But above
all this terror, I know of nothing which
struck me with such fearful sorrow as the
sight of a fair young English girl lying
by the door of the great saloon, her arms
extended, her nutJbrown hair soaked In
her own blood, while a man knelt over
her, and you could see his tears falling
upon her dead face, and his ravings were
incoherent and almost those of a maniac.
Meanwhile another scene was passing on
the bridge between the man John and
the captain of the Bellonic.
"What do you want aboard of my
ship?" cried the latter; and "Roaring
John" answered him with a mocking
leer:
"We've come aboard to hang you, to
begin on !"
The men with the young officer cocked
their revolvers at this, and I said in a
mad frenzy which would not brook si
lence :
"You scoundrel, if you' touch another
soul here I'll shoot you myself;" for I
had my revolver on me. "Do you make
a business of killing children?" I cried
again, and pointed to the dead body of
the girl-child. I don't know who was
more surprised, the captain of the Bel
lonic, listening, or the man John.
"You cub," he cried; "If you talk to
me I'll skin you alive!" but I said quick-
"Gentlemen, these men want every
shilling on this ship. Give it them now
and save your lives, for you have no al
ternative. If you give the money up, you
have my word that they won't touch you."
"As there's a heaven above," exclaimed
the young captain, "they shall pay for
this day's work with their lives. I hand
my specie over under this protest; but
don't deceive yourselves half the war
ships in Europe shall follow you within a
week."
He turned away, and presently the ruf
fians with me had lowered money to the
value of a hundred and fifty thousand
pounds into their launch. When at last
we put off again, and the launch was full
of the jewels and the money, It seemed
that I had passed through a hideous
dream.
On the second day after the robbery
of the Bellonic, we stopped a second and
then a third ship; though I saw nothing
of It, as all the fighting was on the star
board side, and my cabin was to port;
but there was a sharp fight on the third
morning with a Cape-bound vessel, and
again towards the afternoon with one of
the North German Llloyd boats home
ward bound to Bremerhaven ; Osbart,
coming to my rooms, delighted to give me
the details of these captures.
(To be continued.)
His Identity.
"Papa, wba is a 'gentleman of the old
school'?"
"One, my son, who Insists on having
Brlght's disease when he can abundant
ly afford appendicitis." Puck.
Brute.
His Wife Whit t do you think of my
new photographs, John?
Her Ilusbrtud Tliey flatter you, my
dear. The man must have hypnotized
you into looking pleasant,
PROCEEDINGS OF OREGON LEGISLATURE
Friday, February 15.
Salem, Feb. 15. The senate, by a
vote of 18 to 11, passed the reappor
tionment bill of Senator Hart,
There will probably be no b. iking
legisUtion this session. One bill was
reported in the senate today, but it is
certain to he killed and most of the
others will die for lack of time.
The senate bill compelling the issu
ance of passes to state officers was
passed by the house today and sent to
the governor.
The irrigation and water code bill
was slain in the house this afternoon.
The senate voted to buy the half
block between the capitol building and
the Southern Pacific to complete the
capitol grounds. An appropriation of
$30,000 is made for the purchase.
The senate indefinitely postponed
Hodsn's . bill making the Associated
Press a common carrier.
The house joint resolution favoring
five Supreme court judges as adopted
by the senate.
Both houses passed the juvenile court
bill over the veto of the governor and
themeasure is now a law.
The bill creating the Port of Colum
bia for control of pilotage and towage
at the mouth of the Columbia passed
the house.
The house passed the Jones bill for
the purchase and maintenance of the
Oregon City locks in conjunction with
the Federal government.
The senate today passed 32 bills and
the house 11.
Thursday, February 14
Salem, Feb. 14. The house today
adopted a resolution fixing 12:01 a. m.,
February 24, as the time for adjourn
ment of the legislature. It was also
voted that no more bills should be re
ceived except by the standing commit
tees. There are 440 bills on the calen
dar and consideration of senate meas
ures has not yet commenced. The sen
ate is becoming anxious and is discuss
ing means of forcing the house to act
upon senate bills.
The house passed the bill appropri
ating $150,000 to the Agricultural col
lege.
The house bill creating the office of
inspector of mines passed that body
without opposition
Smith's bill to abolish two of the
four1 normal schools passed the house
tonight by a vote of 38 to 16, six ab
sent. Only one slight amendment was
made from the way it passed the sen
ate, changing the time of the meeting
of the new board from the third Wed
nesday in June to the third Wednesday
in May.
A house resolution provides for the
printing of 5,000 copies of the railroad
commission bill for distribution to
those who desire copies.
The house passed seven bills and the
senate nine. Eleven new bills were in
troduced in the house this morning be
fore the resolution checking the flood
appeared.
Wednesday, February 13,
Salem, Feb. 13. With only one
dissenting vote the senate today took
the Chapin railroad commission bill
from the table. It is now ready for
the governor's signature and it is said
he will sign it. It was also reported
tonight that he ana tne secretary oi
state and state treasurer had already
conferred on the appointment of the
commission.
At the session tonight the house do
voted 90 minutes to consideration of
the senate bill providing but two nor
mals. While a vote was not reached,
the sentiment of the house is appar
ently for but two schools.
Representative Newell proposed a
constitutional amendment providing
the recall of public officials. The idea
is tnac wnere an onicer is not serving , 14c per p0Und; mixed chickens, 11
the people the way he should, a peti-1 l2c; spring,1314c; old roost
tion containing the names of 25 per eraj ei0c; dressed chickens, 1415c;
cent of the voters in his district may be turkeys, live, 1717c; turkeys,
filed asking his resignation. Should dressed, choice. 20022c: ceese. live.
mis not oe ioruiuoiiniig, a epeuiai elec
tion is called to elect a successor. At
the special election the officer whose
resignation is asked is also a candidate,
and should he not be re-elected he
must vacate the office to the successful
candidate.
Jl ' ' 1 i.i.l 1 1
xvopicocmmuvo occ.i ,iuo a y.uu jj c per pouna ; cauliflower, fz.ou per
which would increase the legislature to dozen ; celery, $3 3.25 per crate;
36 members in the senate and 72 in the onions, 1012c per dozen; sprouts,
house. ! 9c per pound.
The two house bills providing for Onions Oregon, $11.35 per hun
the placing of the state printer on a dred.
flat salary and for the purchase of a j Potatoes Oregon BurbankB, fancy,
site and erection of a building for a $1.401. 50; common, $11.25.
state printing office have been adverse-1 Wheat Club, 6970c; bluestem, 71
ly reported. The house did not ac- 72c; valley, 70c; red, 6768c.
cepted the report. Oats No. 1 white, $29; gray,
Among the other bills passed by the $28.50.
senate are: Liquor licenses not to be Barley Feed, $22.50 per ton; brew
granted persons who violate liquor $23; rolled, $23.5024.50.
laws; appropriating $125,000 annually Rye $1.451.50 per cwt.
for the State university; authorizing Corn Whole, $24.50; cracked,
railroad bridge across the Willamette $22.50 per ton.
near Oswego. Hay Valley timothy, No. 1, $14
In the house the general appropria-! 15 per ton; Eastern Oregon timothy,
tion bill, carrying $2,267,070, was $1718; clover, $9; cheat, $9; grain
passed and the $1 poll tax law was also hay, $910; alfalfa, $14.
repealed. ' , I Veal Dressed, 59o per pound.
The senate passed 35 bills and the! Beef Dressed bulls, 23c per
house 16. The larger part of these nound: cows. ra fici cnuntrv
T t,.ti..n aii,a hna A n nn
were in a lui-tu iinoure.
i i.
There is some talk of the session be-
ing extended 10 days, as the work is so
laroehind.
Tuesday, February 12.
Salem, Feb. 12. The senate today
indefinitely postponed Bailey's bills
changing the primary law. The vote
was so decisive as to make it clear that
the law will remain as it is.
The senate also voted down the con
stitutional amendment to be submitted
to the people granting woman suffrage.
With but one dissenting vote the
house passed the bill compelling the
sale at $2.50 an acre of land granted
the Coos Bay Wagon Road company ac
cording to the terms of the grant.
A bill has been introduced in the
house creating Hood River county from
the western part of Wasco county.
the senate has cut the allowance for
the Agricultural college to $37,500, a
reduction of $12,500.
The habitual criminal bill passed the
house today. It provides that on sec
ond conviction ot a crime equal to fel
my the punishment shall be double the
sentence provided by statute.
The senate passed the Bingham rail
road commission bill and tabled Cha
pin s measure. The Bingham bill pro
vides for appointment by the governor.
The house tabled this bill. Except for
the method of choosing members the
two bills are alike.
The house passed the bill providing
for the state buying ground and erect
ing armories for the National Guard in
stead of paying rent as at present.
A bill appropriating $26,000 for the
support of orphans, foundlings and
wayward girls was passed by the house.
Monday, February II.
Salem, Feb. 11. By unamious vote
the Chapin railroad commission bill
passed the house today. At the June
election in 1908 two of the three com
missioners will be elected by the peo
ple. The third will be elected in 1910.
Until then the governor, secretary of
state and state treasurer will appoint
members. It is probable the house
will accept the bill as it came from the
house.
The house passed the bill providing
for a cheese and dairy inspector and a
creamery and dairy commissioner. The
appointees are to receive salaries of
$1,500 each and expense allowances of
$1,000 per year.
The bill making appropriations for
Drain, Weston and . Ashland normal
schools was favorably reported to the
house. The three schools are to receive
$112,000 if the bill should become law.
The measure appropriating $100,000
for the Seattle exposition was also fa
vorably reported.
The proposed banking law is causing
the senate much concern.
The juvenile court bill is now in the
hands of the governor. He may veto
it as he considers too much expense
would be attached to it as a law. Mult
nomah county would be put to an an
nual expense of $10,920.
The house passed a bill to tax timber
land in proportion to the amount of
timber it contains.
The bill providing "no seat, half
fare" v.aa voted down by the house.
The measure giving the state uni
versity $125,000 a year was passed by
the house.
The senate passed a bill providing
$60,000 for extensions to the portage
roa
PORTLAND MARKETS.
Butter Fancy creamery, 3235o
per pound.
Butter Fat First grade cream, 36o
per pound; second grade cream, 2c less
per pound.
Eggs Oregon ranch, 2325c per
dozen.
Poultrv Averase old hens. 13Ura
' . . ' o '
1012c; ducks, 1618c.
Fruits Apples, common, 5075c per
box; choice, $12.50.
Vegetables Turnips, $11 25 per
sack; carrots, $11.25 per sack; beets,
$1.25 1.50 per sack; horseradish, 7
! 8c per pound; sweet potatoes 3
. , . . - A
'. '. ' --' o
steres, 56c.
Mutton Dressed, fancy, 89cper
pound; ordinary, 67c.
j pork Dressed, 68c per pound