The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, October 18, 1903, Page 2

a tributary of that gigantic apula, which flows between : and Lake Bangweolo, in Lo- butary existed the territory and at some point out- | stronghold of that people at the desd man had dwelt harmony with them. Then meg, the tribesmen changed a toward him, and he pre- i to escape, but left action until too he had been siain on all probabllity by his r friends. The mi e thag oc- ed him in the very moment of death ntly represented high fetish to rer, and became an amulet of power sccordingly; but it was certaln the savage responsible for the mur- der could not read what the dead pros- pector had written; therefore, in all hu- man probability, the diamonds etill lay n the “stony seed-pods” of the uscript. This much Roy Meldrum knew as well cousin; but the additionel light of the single line was possessed by Falin alone. It indicated that at some point in clear that the Batoncas’ land there rose, near or ac- nce known s Antelope probably on account of its resemblance to & besst familiar in that region. From point of sight the horns of this mal might be observed in line, one hiding the other; and, at a certain elevation of the sun, the natural phenom- inbow on the mist thrown up by & waterfall w also to be seen. And where the purple ring of that rain- upon the shore amid forest trees hould be found & white ants’ he dead man's directions, i read the rest with- nest were the in the pods the out pods words of the tree, an hought unt!l Big Ben sol- 2 o'clock. Then, with the nce as b re, he took v, half e great rusty drop of Indeed, the face of the anged; but now the line » had vanished from the soon occupled & secret ¥ ba 1 pocket book. Then he dr v glass of whisky and soda, knocked out his pipe and retired for the My ¢ of mine our expec * he sald to him- melf, 2 if upon his bed; - such a revela- ng comes more within the polith hall ache. finger ba amonds—why, v tell him all about 1 may not. In for him- dmost.” Fain re- Yet the ideas of and he moved and m-scenery of tropic t creepers, and full h unu monoto- »rms. he morning ©f his ream dawned d the sun rose end brightened .d stem and shining leal of a Then he looked at re‘urning, and ed again; for i 0ld sun there had 1 1 from the it for Tracy n may here be hit off in a ter He was a man absolutely lack- principle, though to describe him as cist, as most men dfd, Was 10 err. his own god and to himself and his own selfish aims and amuseme 1 terests he had heartily dedicated his it happened, however, that he was a nd had been ocbliged to g since he left school. ¥ redounded but little to lly on the Stock F nis sark, come to grief, and been “ram- nces that those bound to re- as highly discreditable, Put it was just the truth that the young hid from his relatives. His piteous man story of undeserved misfortune had com- (who y ! ¥ decelved Roy Meldrum begged to be allowed to £o into the ci to “punch” respectable_men of business on a grand scaie wherhe heard of cousin’'s misfortune), and it had also Ge iuded his uncle, Sir Rupert. Thropgh the exertions of that kind friend Tracy Fain indeed obtained his present employment; and now, as senior cierk in a small shipping firm, he pros- pered beyond his deserts and hoped some day to be taken into part preliminary step to that en months before the beginnin rative he had offered mas ge 10 the only daughter of the head of the firm; but she, though plain enough to shake the pluck of even penniless men, was shrewd as well, and had astounded Tracy by curtly refusing bim without conditions. Lastly, it need only be said that Roy Meidrum was wholly ignorant of his cousin's real character, but recognized his undoubted ability, aithough he could not see through his superficlal charm of man- mer and simulated generosity. Roy swore by Tracy; and as for Fain. he honestly felt regret of a sort for his buge cousin, though the big man's medi- ocre intellect, transparent simplicity and natural trustfulness of dispesition made him sneer often enough in secret. The cousins met on the following even- ing, and, as Tracy had foreseen, Roy Meldrum greeted his change of purpose with very hearty applause. Roy had come armed with the latest and most expensive map of South Africa to be bought in Lon. don, and upor it the men traced the tre- mendous journey before them, marked the sweep of the Luapula from one great lake to another and speculated as to what region upon the Wambasi, where it wound through the land of the Batoncas, the capital and chief's kraal of that tribe was most likely.to exist. “As to the journey,” said Fain, “money being an object and time not pressing, 1 should suggest one course, whereas had time been precious and coin of no account I might have proposed another. But it doesn’t matter to a month or two when you start on our little trip, and the more money you keep the mcre likely you are to get through. So instead of going to the cape in a Castle or Union liner I propose & cargo boat. She’ll be a bit longer, yet not so mmch longer as you'd suppose if you ¢idn't Lnow. Because there are “tramps’ that visit the little two-penny half-penny ports along the Mozambique and the Zanzibar coast: and if we went out to of these small centers we might start our expedition and work in- land along one of the great rivers. From Zembesi, on the coast of Mozambique, we could follow the Zambesi River right away for 150 miles and more northwest, which would start us well on our way; or we might disembark at Rovuma and follow the river of that name along the edge of German territory to Nyassa. That would be in & fairly straight line for our mark. Meldrum was delighted. “} can see you've been putting thought into it already,” he said. “It's not thought; it's money that we want. *“Well, and haven't we got mine? That's ell right. You find the brains; I'll find the brass. We want both.” “My people do some business with Zan- zibar and other small East African ports, as it happens, and if you're game for a cargo boat, I don't see why we should delay taking our passages. There's only one little condition I want to make. You see, I'm & beggar, excepting for what I earn, and if we come back empty handed 1 think I may reasonably ask you to guarantee me as good a billet as I'm fling- ing up. Three hundred a year is a flea bite to many of the men you know In Kent.” It did not occur to the other that If they returned empty handed, he would probably need a billet as much as his cousin. “That's all right, old chap. I'll see you don’t suffer. You may take my word for " Tracy was going to ask him to write the promise down, but felt rather ner- vous of doing so. The other was touchy on matters of honor, and might have re- sented it. Moreover, he felt safe enough. A Meldrum’'s word was as good as his bond, and Fain knew that Roy would have the power as well as the will to keep his promise. He therefore proceeded upon other sub- Jects. “We must leave nothing to chance. If we can land at one of those smalil places we can get little for our expedition but the necessary niggers. We must take everything In the way of stores and camp furniture with us.” “Heavy guns and stores and all the rest of it.” “Yes, but be careful of your money. You know Lord Winstone, don't He's a famous East African hunte he's been all through Central Afr t through a good part of {t—afte: Have a chat with him about w I rather fancy 0 of b and cheap knives It w cost much here and will save your money on the other side.” 20y Meldrum, a'ways a man of one dea at a time, happened to know thut Lord Winstone was in {own and the next day spent a long morning with him. the yo r of the c olute frankness. en interest and and ca—at, big nce abroad m round before ly like to come. You're ground for me, to some extent rather winter in Africa tha fever or no fever; but I fear the question. A long discussion followed and Meldrum listened to the expert. Of course, modern ideas are in fa- vor of a Lee-Metford repeater, with a long conical bullet and cordite behind it; but I'm cld-fashioned and shall.stick to my favorite battery as long a trigger. A single fo short range, and shoot of powder and a spherical bullet, is the first piece—for rhino and elephant, of course, and dangerous game at close quar- ters. Then a double eight-bore, sighted up to 200 yards; a doub.e .577 express, a 44 Winchester carbine, which 1s a weapon I swear by at long ranges, and a twelve- bore shotgun. You won't want more than that.” g twelve drachms But I'm on business, you know, not pleasure.” Business or pleasure, you must carry guns in Central Africa.” Lordship was siient a moment, then continued: “Have everythi you can hammerless, of course. Th a necessity with nig- ger bearers, as you'll find. A strong leather cartridge magazine is essential, 0o, and a pair of powerful binocuiars. Have them made of a uminum for light- As for togs, wait till you get to anzibar. You get the right colored kaakl there, and color is haif the battle in stalking big game.” But my dear fellow, I'm not going to big game." some big game will stalk you. Anyhow, there's a right and wrong way of going to Africa. You must go right or better not go at all. Now as to camp gear. If there is 2 man in Eng- land who understands camp gear, with- out undue boasting, I am that man.” To this theme Lord Winstone now de- voted himseif, and an hour or two later, after hearty expressions of thanks, Roy jeft his fricnd with a light heart and a full notebook. During the following week, while Tracy Fain looked into the matter of a vessel t would suit them, his cousin made the necessary purchases, and the following Friday found him nearly a thousand pounds poorer in pocket. Chance was d in another direction—at least so it seemed—for Fain resorted within a week that one of the steamers of his firm had been signaled rather unexpectedly off Ushant and might be in London within forty-eight hours. “She is a fairly fast vessel—one of the old China clippers fitted as a steamer— but this voyage has been a record. She must bave had a fair d behind her ever sinee she left the cape. She will load at once for the East Coast ports and sail, If all's well, on the 5d of next No- vember. I've told the people at the of- fice I'm going, and when 1 went further end mentioned the fact that I was think- ing of taking a cruise In_the Morning Star they looked surprised, I assure you.” “Good news: and there's a chance of Lord Winstone coming if he gets fit in time. He pulled rather a face at the idea of a ‘tramp,’ but he was awfully tempted.” Fane looked uneasy. “He wouldn't stand course?" “Why not? The more the merrier.” “What nonsense! What does a man rolling in money want with—?" ““There, my dear Tracy, don’t fret your- sélf. That's all settied. I offered him a third share if he would come, but he said he valued diamonds no more than glass and would give all the precious stones in the world for a shot at a new antelope.” “You had no right to offer him a third. Half of anything we find is mine.” Meldrum flushed up and his blue eyes grew hard. “‘Great Scott! Hae the very thought of wealth made a miser of you already? That's not the spirit to pleasy me, Fain, and you know it. You're & wise man and I'm a fool—granted: but we must under- stand one another before we enter on this business. I'm the boss—that's all. I should never have reminded you of it, but the last day or two you've made me doubt if you quite realized the position. Re- member, that's a good fellow, and don't make me savage, for I hate the sensation. Never tell me what I have a right to do, because I don’t like it. Now we know ‘where we are; and you can come or stop, just as you please. But don’t make any mistake, and don't let dlamonds in with us, of worry you already, or I shall begin. to doubt it you are such a clever chap as 1 always thought. As a matter of fact, Fred Winstone laughed at the idea of finding the treasure at all.” Fain was silent for a moment after this sharp rebuke. Then he put out his hand frankly, gripped Roy's with extreme ap- parent fervor and made & handsome apoi- OBy, “Forgive me. I beg your pardon ten thousand times. As your junior I had no right to dictate and I hope you will overiocok my very foolish remark.” “That’s all right, old man. And as to the diamonds, Winstone absolutely re- fused my suggestion that ue should go share and share with us. But he was not hcpeful, so be wise and don’t set your heart too much on what may prove rainbow gol '1': word alnbow” made Fain start, and he was glad it had grown too dark for the other to see his face. CHAPTER IIL . THE MORNING BTAR. On a bright sunlit evening in early No- vember the cousins found themselves leis- ureiy dropping down the Thames. The river shone ruddy in the waning light and the steamer set the water rippling and twinkling along her sides und under her tanrail ike fiery snakes wriggling 1o a river of oil. Through the gathering darkness the Morning Star passed down the Thames and as Fain and Meldrum finally turned in they heard a ‘thousand unfamillar sounds, the steady song of the screw, the deep roar of the siren, the fiendish rattle of the ashes coming up from the stoke- hole and sound of many bells. The novelty of their situation kept them restless, but they slept at last, then woke* before dawn to find the gentle peace of the river had vanished and. the Morning Star was beginning to shake herself and wake up. They feit her lift, like a horse at a gate, as Roy put it; an electric vi- tality seemed to inhabit the great hull beneath them; overhead there was rac- ing to and frd of heavy men, shouts and growls and whistles, creaking and groan- ing of timbers that uttered different com- plaints uccording to the force of the sea and the laup and tumble of broken water beneath the cabin porthole. Meldrum got out of his bunk and tow- ered a huge figure in his pajamas. He be- gan Dy hiiting his head and seeing stars, then stumbled to the port to note another sirange concourse of illuminations—yel- low and green and crimson. Ghostly things passed over the black sea; distant iights flashed dimly and waved red and yellow arms, then vanished; a bell buoy, tolling monctonously, slid past not thirty yards from the cabin window. Under his feet the strong, bounding sensation of the ship increased, and having no sea legs as vet, Roy made but a poor job of it re- turning to his bunk and carrled away several objects before getting back again. Daylight found a fair wind blowing and the Morning Star slipped speedily away t the channel with “a bone in her teeth." Meldrum had seen no more of Lord ‘Winstone, but there was & rumor of other passengers aboard and at break- fast—served in a snug deck saloon of dark oak—both Roy and Fain were agree- ably surprised to find no less than five fellow-voyagers, including two ladies. We mention the latter first. Mrs. Man- uel Podesta was a Portuguese matron and the most cheery, humorous, shriv- eled up, black-eyed little Creole imagina- ble; while Elizabeth Ogilvie set the young male hearts on the ship beating from the moment thelr owners' eyes fell upon her. 3 A bonny gray-eyed girl with dark hair and a lithe, pretty figure, was she. Miss Ogllvie rose somewhat above the recog- nized standard of perfection in woman's height, but her proportions were perfect in their harmony and one only realized that she stood nearly five feet ten inches when the girl stood beside another woman or an average man. Her face showed thought, yet was not saddened or aged by it. Her eyes were as frank as beautiful and she possessed that rare master-jewel in a pretty woman, appar- THE SUNDAY OCALL. ent unconsclousness of her own charms. Bhe was amiable with everybody and won all hearts before the Mdrning Ster had passed out of the English Channel From the skipper, her uncle, to the cabin boy, from Roy Meldrum to Gen Podesta, the fat and bellicose husband of Madam already mentioned, not a soul on board but had one opinion concerning the Scoteh girl. Of the remaining passengers, one proved to be a dark, taciturn Italian, who kept tight lips over his affairs and preserved a silence and mystery most rare aboard ship; while the other was & missionary, one Rev. James Medsen- ger, bound for Zanzibar. Before breakfast had ended everybody felt by a sort of Intuition that the most interesting man at the table was Capiain Ogilvie himself. His niece, Elizabeth, who was taking a voyage of pleasura with her uncle, resembled him in some respects and he had her gray e dark hair; but the expression of was widely different and it puzz'ed strangers by a certain sense of peculiarity which these who gazed upon him felt in- stantly, but were powerless to define. Mr. Macabe, the first engincer, sus- pected he must be a mesmerist, and stoutly held to that opinion; others ad- vanced more plausible theories; in reality a very definite reason existed for the cap- tain’s singular expression and strangely varied moods; but only a medical man would have known fit. Alister Ogflvie had a wide reputation as shipmaster and navigator for a man whose years numbered no more than five and forty. He stuck to the salling ships for choice through many years, but had now been in “steam” since he was 40 and appeared quite content to stop ou a ship he liked, possessing neither wife nor chil- dren to make him ambitious, He had commanded the Morning Star for five years, and he gloried in his ship, for she could sail-upon occasion as well as steam, He was popular both with the owners and crew; but of late there were rumors that Captain Ogllvie had changed, and his old boatswain, Dan Hook, a man who deemed himself as much a part of the Morning Star as her spanker boom, growled sometimes in secret at harsh words undeserved and advanced all man- ner of theories to account for a gradual change in the skipper’'s character. Off the Isle of Wight a little private steam yacht, all aglow with cream-colored funnel, shining spars and bright brass- work, came tumbling alongside the Morn- ing Star and a thin, red-bearded man in a fluttering gray ulster hailed the vessel through a speaking trumpet. A One passenger recognized this bird- like figure; Roy Meldrum shouted with delight at the spéctacle of his friend and shattered all rules of marine etiquette by" roaring a welcome to Lord Winstone even while Captain Ogllvie was hailing the yacht. / The Morning Star hove to and soon his Lordship came aboard. He explained with grim satistaction that he given his medical man the slip, had bolted down to Southampton, where he knew a friend's vacht was lying, had borrowed her, as we have seen, and, after a four hours' tumble in the track of outward-bound teamers, had met his ward. A man servant saw his master's trunks aboard, then returned t& the vacht, and soon the little vessel gave a screeching salute with her steam_ whistle and set off for port, while the Morning Star, her complement the richer for one of the most famous British sportsmen in the world, resumed her way. 2 Lord Winstone was & hard nut, with a face the color of his beard, little red- dish eyes, as keen as a hawk's, and a rather hawklike nose between them. He appeared remarkably thin, but the muscle he possessed was hard as Damascus steel, and his ers of endurance were known to be -ex rdinary. He had come out of the very jaws of death a hundred times; but luck and his own resources and nerve had thus far ended all his great adven- tures with man and beast in his own favor. s . He honped a little in his walk, like a crane with clipped wings, for his right knee stiff and represented the sole injury of any importance he hud ever incurred. Lordship, however, rarely alluded to tl little matter. Had it been the work of lion or of noble beast it would not have ufl.m' t the catastrophe resulted from a hand- ’ 5 to-rand encounter with a giant baboon, which had bitten L Winstone In lhe\ knee as he was killing it. His friends said that the sportsman feared only one thing in the world, and that was cold weather. He admitted himself that he would as soon face a tiger with a shotgun as 10 degrees of frost. It is not our purpose to record the early days of the Morning Star’s vovage with anything like the regularity of Captain Ogilvie's log. Faverable wind held into the Mediterranean and Dan Hook, the boatswain, who had plenty of sailor's su- perstition in him began to grow actually uncomfortable. “Us be gettin’ a blamed sight more than our share o' fair weather for the time o’ year,” he told Tracy Fain. “’'Twas this way Jonah's voyage began, I warrant ‘ee; an' Paul-him as cast forth four anchors from the stern and wished for the day; an’ well he might, poor chap—bein’ no seaman clearly. No, I caan’t say as I likes tu much happiness all to one spell. It do make the bad days. as be sure to come, sooner or later, all the longer.” But Don found few to agree with him except in the fo'c’sle. With Increased knoWwledge, increased familiarity and friendliness grew among those thus thrown together for a brief perlod of time, and a party of various souls, all for the most part of amliable disposition, found life pass agreeably away. “It's so Jjolly to let . vour conseience have a rest,” declared young Meldrum to Bessie Ogllvie. “‘Ocean traveling sends it to sleep every week day, and it is all even that good man, Mr Messengcr, can do, on Sundays to wake it up again. 1 suppose if a chap had committed a mur- der or robbed a bank or some such thing, his consclence would prick him a bit even in midocean. But for humdrum evervday folks there is nothing .ike 2 voyage to glve peace of mind.” She laughed, shut her sunshade, as the shadow of a sail made it no longar nec- essary, and answered him. “You and your friend Mr. Fain are too busy to think at all of your consciences, I am afraid. You were going to tell 12 some more about your grca: diamond bunting expedition and a wonderful pa- per and a fetich—whatever that may be.” “So I was, only whenever I have the luck to find you alone and g=t a chat like this, I forget and just > babbilag on like an idiot about the colors ia the sea und t pleas:s me, all this glorious sapphire below us and turquoise above. See the f2ecy clouds rip- pling over heaven, as the little foam caps ripple over the water; walch these great birds dropping lke shooting stars fnte e waves and the little rainbow that glim- mers at our bows, where the great ship cuts the blue and turns it up in a roaring furrow of foam. The air on my cheek and the sunshine on the sea make me thank a good God for letting me glory in these beautiful things. Yet I am sad in “the midst of my own happiness, for how many lives there are that will never be gladdened by these wonderful sights.” “Certainly the sea is very jolly when It keeps amiable and flat. This is my first voyage. And yours, I suspect, Miss Ogll- vier” “Yes, my first since I was a little baby, but I hope not my last.” h.‘r‘A"re you going anywhere in ., particu- “Only where the ship goes—to various ports on the east coast, then to Cape Town and then home, touching at some Islands —the Mauritius and the Seychelles, I think—on our way."” “Your uncle is fortunate to have such a-companion for his whole voyage.” The girl sighed. *“I fear he hardly values my soclety as you think, Mr, Meldrum. You see we are alone in the world, he and I—the last of our branch of a large family. I went to live with him some years ago, when my mother died, and this year, not being happy about uncle, I insisted on coming to sea with him. But I might as well have stopped ashore. He is ill, out I can- not get to his heart and comfort him.” “Don’t say that. He thinks the whole wide world of you—naturally.” “He < nes—I know it. At times he is his old self again, and I feel ten years younger, for I know I am to him what always have been. But the sun seems to - shine on him so seldom now."” “Is he really {ll? Has he any physical pain to fight against? Some days he looks such a splendid fellow, and others he seems ghrunken and thin and starved.” “I can tell you no more than you have seen for yourself. He won't take medi- cal advice. In fact he knows a good deal of medicine and prefers to attend to him- gelf. The captain of a sailing ship is the doctor, too, as a rule. So he has had plenty of rough experience In the pas “Well I wish I could cheer you up. It may be something on your unecle’s mind. But if you have not got his confidence no- body on this ship can expect to get it, that's very certain.” y “I cannot say; I don’t know If there is anything to know: but something lies hidden, and sometimes I fear it is of the mind, sometimes of the body. We must be hoperul, yet it {s hard to be.” Faln approached at this moment and a cloud crossed Roy's eyes. “How tnat chap does find us out!™ he sald with a short laugh. “Well. ‘two's company; three none.” I'll leave you and be more sportsmanike than he was.” “Don’t go. Why should you? Stop and tell me about the dlamond hunt. That will interest Mr. Fain as much as it does you.” Tracy now joined them and Meldrum grew taciturn. Then he seemed suddenly impressed by an idea. "Il show you the fetich,” he sald. “It's & rum trinket, though it's got nothing to do with the diamonds as far as we know." Fain had little enough to say, albeit his cousin’s brief absence gave him an oppor- tunity. He stood with his back to the bulwarks and his hands in his pockets; but the girl in a deck chalr with her ey upon the sea did not get a glance of the dark, hungry face turned toward her. Presently she looked up to speak, but caught his eyes and sa!d nothing, while a blush brightened her cheek. ““This is a quiet- corner, and you get & Fplendid view of the shore just at pres- ent,” he sald carelessly. “Yes, t is very perfect—the shore and i 80 Is everything clse of dear ire’'s that men don’t Interfere with and spol “Yet that eglow with would not t churn it up. “ cannot argue with you, and T would not have you think me a misanthrope, for 1 am far from that.” “God forbid! It would be hard ated, your fellow beir : 21 love you, Miss Og hat's not ur usual pleasant comvliments, n; even clumsy for splendid wall of foam, all sunshine and Irls colors, there if our bows did not if you seeing that truth Is apt to be clumsy. But bere comes my mammoth cousin.” Roy returned. exh'Sited the gold disk and told his =i« The threa t long to. gether, an was not until a big bell beat and a littie one, in a lusty hand, ncheon, e of the ad now shaken r amusements Winstone yed and the two hunters, when the latter could be draggec from more attractive metal, while at other times his lordship and the old offi- cer had single-handed battles at cribbage. Mme. Podesta developed a mild flirtation with Sig. Poiti, but the Italian, though uniformly courteous, was somewhat unso- clable and occupied most of his time in readin. Captain Ogllvie did not come as much among his passengers as might have been expected. He often spent whole days in his own cabin, taking his meals there, and only appearing on deck for a few mo- ments at a time. *Mr. Crouch, his first officer, however, proved a man of exceedingly gregarious instincts. He had fallen hopelessly in love with his skipper’s niece before leaving the Thames, and now, with the ingenuous frankness of most mariners, openly hinted at his condition to his junlor officer, and ostentationsly mourned his lack of means and the hardships of a seaman’s life, es- pecially in the matter of marriage. Passage through the Suez Canal was & little interrupted by a big French steam- er, which went aground a mile ahead of the Morning Star, and it was during a night of delay that Lord Winstqne and Meldrum had an interesting chat in the smoking room, after most of the passen- gers were in their bunks. “Some rum people on this ship,” began the sportsman. “I've a way of making theories about everything and everybody, as vou know. Roy.. It's exciting work, because the theories contradict each oth- er, and have regular battles among them- gelves. In the case of our fellow crea- tures on this ship, two especially Interest me—the skipper and that beetle-browed Italian, Polti.” “He ought to have a monkey and hur- dy-gurdy to complete the picture,” de- clared Roy. “He's got an ax to grind, I'll bet you, not an organ. He's either a rascal or a rascal catcher, that's my theory of him.” “Perhaps he's both.” “It isn’'t impossible. He left his book yesterday to go below for another cigar and, chancing to pass’his chalr bafore he came back, I took the liberty of glancing at it. The elaborate cover is a blind. The thing had cuttings from newspapers In it all pasted on separate pages. They were in Italian, which is Greek to me; but at the head of one page, written in red ink, was the word ‘Ravogll’ and another set of pages were headed ‘Pannardo.’ That was significant, eh?” “I never heard the names—and yet they seem not quite strange.” I should think not! Why, Ravogli was the blackguard who killed the Archduke Feedor of Russia. He stoppcd him at the door of his summer palace in Oriel, just as he was going out shooting. and flung himself down and held out a petition. The Archduke was begged not to take the scroll, but he had leanings to soc.allsm, people said, and belleved himself gener- ally beloved. So he’ was in Orel, but not by the brood of vipers that are allowed to ripen their poison in London and other great centers. He opened the scroll, a spring was broken and the inf@rnal ma- chine ekploded, killing the Archduke on the spot and wounding three of his com- panions.” “An anarchist on this ship! By Jove! that's a theory indeed, Fred.” “Either that or a deteciive interested in them.” “But they’'ve never been heard of in Africa. “That's no reason why they never should be. Imagine the blow to Great Britain if such a man as Rhodes were suddenly destroyed at this present criti- cal page in South African history!” “Well, old man, you're a cheerful com- panion for an ocean voyage. And now, as to Captain Ogilvie—what do you make of ¢ “My theory of Ogilvie Is, If possible, still more serfous.” “Good heavens! What could be worse than an anarchist?” “Nothing ashore, but several things afloat. , Consider the crew of tais ship. We're undermanned to Dbegin with—all tramps are, more shame to the cheese- paring rascals who make their money out of them. Then the officers. After Ogilvie there’s not a man I would like to sall under or trust myself to. Crouch is a fool—a good hearted beggar, but a f00). He confessed to me that he tried five years to get his mate’s ticket and then only passed because he had a bit of luck and the examiner was in a hur- The second mate’'s a boy and business. Mr. Macabe, too, is an able man and kee zor, but he's 1 navigating o and has enough to d with his old “What does that ail prove?” “It proves th if the skipper fails at a er ent we n a very tion. But v “I do m the most prokb se,” said Lord Win emnly, “my theory of him man's a morphia-m. and far ad- vanced on the road. had some bit- ter famil that digection, er eating or taking hypodermic injecti and blg omes, then my own poor brother-in-law opium never did. He indeed recovered, being made of strong stuff, but how manw do?* CHAPTER 1V, LOVE. Long befors . the Morning Star had left the Red Sea, the justice of Lord Winstone's fears concerning Captain Oglivie was too surely proved. On a fine morning, when the men were watching & pligrim ship conveying de- vout Moslems to Jiddah for Mecca, the skipper’s cabin. boy came rushing om deck with the sensational announcement that Captain Ogilvie was dead. Roy Meldrum, Mr. Messenger, the mis- slonary and Lord Winstone instantly hastened to the cabin to find Mise Ogllvie in the extremity of grief and her uncle lylng open-eyed but quite uncon- scious upon his bunk. He had been in- visible for two days and Meldrum, as well as the clergyman, was shocked to see the changs in him, but Winstone showed no alarm. He examined the sick man's eyes, then sent an order along to the galley for strong coffee. He had al- ready convinced himseif of the facts, and, unnoticed by anybody but Meldrum, had picked up from the ground near the cap- tain’s b a little n -plated syringe —the ins nent with which the unfortu- nate man had administered the poison. Clearing the cabin of all but Miss Ogil- vie and bidding Meldrum exert his strength on the prostrate figure, Lord Winstone shook the captain into some semblance of life, roared shouted at s ear and then kept him tottering up and down on his legs until the coffee came. Two hours later the danger was passed and the captain sitting quletly on deck with his niece. Elsewhere Lord Winstone had a private chat with Meldrum and Tracy Fain. his is the thing he has been squirt- h and damnation into himself he said, showing the little syringe. it for some time, as Roy Ogilvie's face toid Did you see his eyes? oils had practically vanished altogeth- He's a big det evidently he a dead man to-day ervention.” stomed to heavy er. and question is, what's his back whe nally, 1 cline to keep of regard for safety of the sh “It might o without nc E “No, th: a f would have a very bad time ard endure a lot of ghas misery, no doubt, while his nerves ..am- ored for the poison: but he'd get over it, and be the firs: me afterward He may have another syringe, but if he hasn’t we shall soon know, because this form of oplum is of little use, 1 faney, without the hypodermic needls to put it then, I'll keep—" . for sud- shot between Fain and the speaker, and before the startled man could close his fingers upon the syringe it was gone. Ogilvie, unseen and unheard, had come up behind the group, and his eye had noticed the deadly weapon In Lord Win- stone’s outstretched hand. At sight of it the man’s face became violently agitated. His teeth clenched, his forehead grew wrinkled. He divined in a flash the course of events and knew what had led to the present situation: but he did not hesitat a moment. With one action he drew close and the next moment had stretched out his arm and snatched his property. “Mine, I think, my Lord!" Nb6t another word he sald. Only his eyes flashed at the startled company as he turned on his heel and went In the direc- tion of his cabin. But Winstone was not done with, and now he hurried after the departing figure and entered without any formality. “Listen, Captain Ogilvie; listen, I beg and pray of you. T saved your life this morning; the least you can do is to hear me now.” “A pity you meddled,” sald the other shortly. “My life's my own, and if I chose to—"" “‘Hush, hush, for God's sake! You & man, and dared to think of that! To what depths has this cursed drug reduced youl! T implore you to consider, sir, the gravity of your position. Who is thers upon this ship that can adequately take your place if you were lost to us? As for the first mate, you know as well as I do whether the man’s to be relied upon to handle & big, heavy ship with weak engines, on dangerous coast, even If he can at sea. It was not only suicide you contemplated, but murder—wholesale murder for all you know to the contrary.” This attempt to frighten Ogilvie failed. “You, at least, are not the man to fear me,” ke said, “and If you think I fear you, you are mistaken. Lord or not, you've: no right to tell me my duty to myself or my ship, or to God or to the devil. I'll do what I please and as I please, Oplum is the only thing tha makes my life worth living. It's my slav not my master. Who dares say that I | it stand between me and duty? By Cod, the man who says it is a mutineer, and T'll treat him like one.” “You've changed your ground now al and no more able to reason at present than a man in drink. Youre right. at least, when you say [ don't fear you: but you've more than fifty souls In your care on this ship. 1 pray heaven when you come to yourself you'll recognize your responsibilities.” “It's mutiny to dictate to me!" dered the otker, ard Lord Wins realizing’ that at present all words vain, withdrew. He walked pensively, 1% some lonely stork or herom, up and down the deck; he scratched his great red beard awhile and then shook his head and retired, baffled and uneasy, to his cabin. But the unfortunate victim appeared to realize the truth of his passenger's re- buke. Indeed, within a week he had spoken to Lord Winstone again, ex- pressed profound regret for the past, and made a solemn assurance that he was the poison and lessening the As for his, accuser, he knew too well what a morphia maniac’s promises are worth; but it was beyond his power to do anything practical: and he therefors contented himself with Hopes that the 1y endeavoring to cure himself. - . 4 captain spoke the truth and was hone: ’ Elizabeth Ogilvie, however, alone kn the extent of her uncle's sufferings, and. woman-like, when once the secret was in her hands, she shielded the unhappy sufferer from those who were most anx- lous to save him from himself. Her lite b