Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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ILL?STR ATlOXS^Sr ELI^WCRXE-^YOTO?G ?with a c?ii?Jaiiual jerk 01 L. "There's a bit of stuff-no wai ?.er ?what-that I don't want to pass through tho Custom House at Alex andria. I'm not saying a word, cap tain, but if I could smuggle-it imo Egypt, the profit would be great enough to pay me passage-money a dozen times over. I'm saying this to ye, ta strict confidence, for, being an Englishman, ye won't let on." "Never fear," Hole asserted stout ly. "Un? a. . Er-I don't mind telling you, Mr. O-'Rourke, I some times do a little In that line myself. Being a casual tramp an-" sometimes lyd by for weeks at a stretch for want cf consignment-" "Xot another word, captain. I un derstand perfectly. Will ye be having & blt of a drink, now?" Captain Hole would. "It won't urt to.talk this over," he remarked. "Per 'aps we might myke some sort of a dicksr." "Faith, 'tis meself that's agreeable," laugke? the Irishman lightly. And when, at midnight that night, he parted from a moist and senti mental sailor-man, whose capacity for liquor-even including the indescrib able native retsinato and masticha bad proved enormous, the arrangement had been arrived at, signed, sealed and delivered by a clasping of hands. And it waa O'Rourke was the happy man. "'Tis Danny who'll be giving me the welcome," he assured himself, sit ting on the edge of his bed and star ing thoughtfully into the dishevelled depths of the battered steel kit-box that housed everything he owned in the world-for he was packing to join the Pelican at noon. "I hope to niven he has five pounds," announced O'Rourke later, frowning dubiously. Five pounds happened to be the sum he had agreed to pay Captain Hole for the accomodation, it being further conditioned that the latter was to accompany the adventurer ashore at Alexandria and not part from him till the money was forth coming: something which irked the Irishman's ?oul. "Why could he not take me word for it?" he demanded of midnight darkness tempered by feeble lamplight "But, faith, I forget what I'm dealing with. Besides, 'tis sure I am to find Danny." He arose and resumed his packing, blQjvln? an inaudible little air through his' puckered lips. "Divvllish awkward if I don't ... By the Gods! I'd all. but misremembered . . ." He failed to state exactly what he had misremembered, but stood mo tionless, with troubled eyes staring at the lamp flame, for a full five min utes. Then "I'll have to chance it," he said slowly. " 'Tisn't as if lt were mine." He unbuttoned the front of his shirt and thrust a hand between his under shirt and his skin, fumbled about un der his left armpit, his brows still gathered thoughtfully. Presently he gave a little jerk and removed his hand. It contained a chamois-skin bag about the size of a duck's egg, from which dangled the stout cord by which he had slung it about his neck. Holding this gingerly, as 1! he fear ed it would explode, O'Rourke glanced at the window, drew the blind tight, and tiptoed to the door, where he 'turned the key in the lock. Then, re turning to his bed and making sure that he was out of range of the key hole, he cautiously loosened the draw? string at the mouth of the bag. Something tumbled out into his palm and lay there like a ball of red fire, brilliant and coruscant O'Rourke caught at his breath sharp ?ly; his very voice had an ominous Ting in its timber when he spoke at length. "Blood," he said slowly, "blood. , .. . I doubt not that rivers of blood have flowed for the sake of ye. Be like ye were fashioned of blood in the beginning, for 'tis that's your color, ?and the story of ye as I've heard it ls all told when I've said that one word -blood! . . ." And, after a blt, "I'd best put it away, I'm thinking. 'Twouldn't be safe to car Ty it that way any longer. If some thing should catch in me shirt on board, and rip it, and Hole happen to ?ee it-why, me life wouldn't be worth '. a moment's purchase. I'll hide lt in me box there; they'll nlver suspect" And with that he thrust the Pool of Flame back ato the leather bag, .and the bag into the depths of the kit box; which he presently locked and noiselessly moved beneath his bed. After all of which he lay down and with another sigh slept tranquilly. CHAPTER XIII. Some time in the golden afternoon of the following day, the Pelican weighed anchor and slouched with a loafish air out of the harbor of the Piraeus. "Plyn Bill 'Ole," the captain said he preferred to be called. And "Plain Bill Hoje!" mused the Irishman, lean ing over the forwara rali a:;ci BUW at a short black pipe. "Faith, not only plain, hut even a trifle homely," he amsnded judgmatically. ' "As for meself," he concluded later, "I'm no siren in this rig." And he lifted his eyebrows, protruding his lower lip, as he glanced down over his attire. It was a strange rig for the O'Rourke to be in: ?.n engineer's blue jumper, much the worse for wear, and a pair of trousers whose seat, O'Rourke maintained, was only held together by its coating of dirt and grease. O'Rourke eyed this get-up with dis dain. "Fortunately," he comforted himself, "'twon't be forever I'll be wearing it." In the present instance, the dis guise was held an advisable thing, since O'Rourke was officially register ed cn the ship's books as assistant en? gincer. The Pelican carried no li cense for passengers, and in view of his avowed purpose it was deemed unwise for the Irishman to risk de tection by appearing "too tony" (an expression culled from the captain's vocabulary). Otherwise, it was understood that his duties were to consist of the pur suit of his own sweet will, that he was to occupy a stateroom aft, and that he was to mess at the captain's table. Oi . vereng, some nine or ten - - he bad left Athens, e forward rail saw the of Eiiypt edge up out ike color and form, made out palms and the wind mills, the light-house and Pompey's pillar; and knew that ho was close upon his journey's end. Her winches rattled cheerfully as the Pelican dropped anchor, but O'Rourke did not move. There would be no going ashore, he knew, until Hole was ready, and that would be when the customs officials had paid him a call and the usual courtesies had been exchanged. The Irishman had no need to be in haste to change from his present garb to one that better suited him. So he lolled upon the rail and regarded with a kindling eye the harbor views. He mopped his brow, simply (as be fitted one of bia apparent station in life) with the back of a hand, and stood erect, exulting in the scent, the Indescribable, impalpable, insistent odor of the East that ls forgotten of none who had ever known lt. The hot wind drove it gustily in his face, and he sniffed and drew great lungfuls and was glad. '"Tis good!" he said simply. And, a bit later, while on the short-line the brazen arcs were beginning to pop out Bilently: "There's the customs boat. I'm thinking I'll slip below." No lamps had yet been lighted be low, but O'Rourke knew the way to his room. He entered and shut the door. The afterglow of the sunset, entering through the porthole, ren dered the little coop light enough for his purpose. Dropping to his knees, the Irishman pulled his kit-box from beneath the bunk. The lid came up freely as he touched it. For a full minute he did not breathe. Then, in ominous si lenco, he bent and examined the lock. The First Officer's Fist Caught O'Rourke Just Under the Ear. It became immediately evident that his memory bad not tricked him; the trunk was locked, as he had left lt that morning;. But the clasp had fielded to a cold chisel. It was hardly worth the trouble, ?till O'Rourke rummaged through the contents of the box, assuring himself that the chamois bag was gone. So far as he could determine then, noth ing else had been taken. He shut down the lld and sat down to think lt our., eyes hard, face grimly expressionless, only an Intermittent nervous elene ling and opening of his bands betraying his gathering rage and excitement. At length he arose, determination In his port One phrase alone escaped him: "And not a gun to me name!" He went on deck. Already the trop ic night lr i closed down upon the narbo r, but it waa tasj enomrh. to ter cate me captain and nrst' (ttavtti; alua walting at the gangway. Prom over side arose the splutter of a launch-a raucous sound, yet one that barely rip pled the surface of O'Rourke's con sciousness. He stepped quickly to the captain's side and touched him gently on the arm. "Captain," he said quickly, 'Til be asking thc favor of a word with ye In private." : Hole caught the gleam of the Irish man's eye in the lamplight and letepped back a pace. \ "Get forrard," he said curtly. "Carn't ?you see the customs officer coming* ?aboard? I'll see you later." i "Ye will not. Ye'll hear me now, 'captain-" Hole backed further away. "Wot!" he barked hoarsely, raising hiB voice. "Wot! I'll show you 'oo's master aboard this ship. Get forrard to your quarters! S'help-me-gawd!" he ex ploded violently. '"Oo ever heard the like of it?" O'Rourke stepped nearer, his fists closing. "Drop that tone, ye scud!" he cried. "D'ye want me to spoil your little game?" The shot went home. The captain gasped, and in the darkness O'Rourke fancied he lost a shade or two of his ruddy color. "Wotcher mean?" he demanded, low ering his tone. "I mean," replied O'Rourke in a quick whisper, "that the Egyptian cus toms officer is at the side. Return what ye've stolen from me this day, or I'll tell the whole harbor what ye've been up to! And, if ye want me to be more explicit, perhaps the word 'hashish' will refresh your mem ory!" "I'll talk to you later-" "Ye'll give me back me property this minute or-" O'Rourke was at the rail in a stride. "Shall I tell him?" he demanded. . A swift step sounded beside him. He turned an instant too late, who had reckoned without Dennison. As he moved to protect himself the first of ficer's fist caught thc liishman just under the ear. And one hundred and seventy-five pounds of man and malice were behind it. O'Rourke shot into the scuppers as though kicked by a mule, struck his head against a piece of iron work and lay still, half stunned, shutting his teeth savagely upon a moan. Hole and the first mate stood over him, and the captain's voice, guarded but clear enough, came to his ear: "You'll lie there, me man, and not so much as a whimper till I give you leave. Take 'eed wot I says. Mr. Dennison 'ere is goin' to clean 'is re volver." O'Rourke lay silent, save for his quick breathing. The first officer, grinning malevolently, sat down near at hand, keeping a basilisk eye upon the prostrate man while he fondled an able-bodied, hammerless Webley. Hole moved off towards the gana way, whence his voice arose, an in stant later, greeting his visitor. The latter put a hurried question, which O'Rourke did not catch, but the cap tain's reply was quick enough: "Only a mutinous dorg of a deck end. Wanted shore leave and refused to go forrard when ordered. 'E ain't 'urted none. Mr. Dennison 'ere just gyve 'im a tap to keep him quiet" The Irishman swore beneath his breath and watched the first officer. The light from the lantern at the gangway glanced dully upon the pol ished barrel of the revolver, and the gleaming line was steadily directed towards O'Rourke's head. Upon re/ consideration he concluded to lie still, to wait and watch his opportunity; for the present, at least, he was in disposed to question Dennison's wil lingness to use the weapon. O'Rourke was to be kept quiet at all hazards, and he knew it full well; for once he conceded discretion the better part of valor, and was patient. CHAPTER XIV. In the face of the fact that the im portation of hashish into Egypt has been declared illegal by Khedival leg islation, the drug is always to be ob tained in the lower dives of Alexan dria, Cairo and Port Said-if one only knows where to go and how to ask for lt. Manufactured in certain islands of the Grecian Archipelago, it is mysteriously exported under the very noses of complaisant authorities and, eluding the rigor of Egyptian customs, as well as the vigilance of Egyptian spies, finds its way to the fellaheen-among other avid consum ers; speaking baldly, ls smuggled into the land. Customs Inspections, fur thermore, are as severe as might be expected by anyone acquainted with the country and Its Inhabitants-as was O'Rourke. He felt, then, no sort of surprise at the brevity of the official visitation. The inspector, accompanied by an excessively urbane and suave Captain Hole, consciously but briefly glanced Into the hold, asked a few questions which would have been pertinent had they not been entirely perfunctory, and took his leave. From the gangway the captain turned back directly to his first offi cer and the latter's charge. Hearing bis approaching footsteps, O'Rourke I gathered himself together and sum moned all his faculties to his aid. "Troublesome?" demanded Hole? pausing. "Not a syllable," said the mate. "Th* mon's sensible. I ha'e me doubts but he's too canny altegither." "Peaceful as a byby, eh? Well," savagely, " 'ell learn wot for. Get up, you Irish-" O'Rourke lay passive under the storm of Hole's profanity. He had all but closed his eyes, and was watch ing the pair from beneath his lashes. Failing to elicit any response, ' 'fw:-npd on NPV* Pagp) very 1 TTE leaves his fi worse, but i is with the intend and educated his i til he was 89, as 1 er came along an< lege had to come er's income was r reason, the eldest scissors in a depai acted thc dual rol< You know man; content to live am pendent ones. The fact that y< same way as the ? nevertheless, and you leave your fa the matter over vv company is guam diana, and the coi D. 5, C. Af. Mellicha m New Drop in and le Crossett We have all o? est and nobbie; cut shoes. N( in the popular Do The Ed] F?rtil We now have on h foi mixing. We rep extend to our custom Kainit, I ?3 Mixed goods of e1 facturers. Armour, Royster, Georgia Cr. motto is the best goc Garden Seed. Every gardener ' in Edgefield Bounty knows what Buist's seed ire. We have them fresh from this celebrated farm, and can furnish you with anything you want. Buist's seed never fail to germinate under proper conditions.. Penn & Holstein. Voa; and Man Dies imily better off or worse. M< most men di:Vt intend to do ons. xle intenned to live unti children, but he didn't. He in lis father did; but the Old Mar il cut him down at age forty, home and take a clerk's job, b educed to $000,000 00 per yei daughter left school and donn .tment store. Meantime the ; of cook and housemaid. y cases of this sort, Mr. Man, ? die without adequate protec DU must die may not appeal to approach ot the baseball seaso it is your business to look it in mily better fixed or worse? 'ith a State Life agent. Evei nteeJ. by deposits with the G< npany pays larger dividends. 4M cox, Sss imp, Special Agt, ROSS Spring Ox t us fit you with a i OP Selz-Sehwab ' the popular leathe st lasts. Also spring 3W spring hats for n shades and latest b rn& Mi jefield Mercantile Cc izers for and a full line of feitilizers am .resent the best manufacturers ers the best service and goods Leid Phosphat eed Meal, Sod pery formula made by the mos , Swift, American Agriculti temical works and other well k )ds on the market. 500 Suits, 200 Overcoats and 500 pair of Trousers to be closed out at bargain prices. See F. G. MERTINS, Augusta, Ga. 200 Boys' Suits, 100 Overcoats, and 500 pairs of pants, to be* sold 1;o make roora for my spring goodt*. We will save you money. F. G. MERTINS, Augusta, Ga. Then Dst men make it it. The trouble 1 he had reared itended living un i with the Reap The boy at col e ca use hi s fath ir. For the same ied the apron and faithful widow and yet you are don for the de you in just the n, but it is a tact, the face. Will You mijht talk ry policy in this overnrnent of In r of Agents, a, S. C. t t Edgefield, S. ?. ? :fords )airof stylish Oxfords rs in the new ' styles in high nen and boys locks. ims >mpany 1912 d fertilizer material and will be glad to. on the market. ;e, Cotton a t regutable manu iral Chemical Co., nown goods. Our We always carry a full supply of Glenn Springs and Harris Lithia water. Penn & Holstein. Landreth's seed Irish potatoes in. the following varieties: Irish Cob bler, Early Bose, Red Bliss and Peerless. Buy Landreth's seed and be satisfied. W. E. Lynch &Co