VENDETTA

Evening Star, Issue 19770, 21 January 1928, Page 3

VENDETTA

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A SHORT STORY

No. 111. Clear above the tumult on the deck above the voice of Jules Valles could be heard issuing sharp words of command, with the sounds of hoarse cries, the noise of hurried feet, and miming sheaves and swinging yards, as the braces were manned; moreover the loud cal Jof Abel Knee, to “ rouse up the watch below there, some of you cowards ” awoke the bewildered Griggs to his great peril with startling suddenutss.

The sharp reports of firearms accompanied by groans ami oaths and the sounds of struggling men were followed by a comparative silence, as the Silver Stream became almost stationery, the voice oi tbe young Frenchman, giving some order to tiie helmsman just above, intimating to the practised oar of the captain that his ship was hove to.

Completely nonplussed, considering the great precautions that ho had taken, that las enemies could make their way aboard in this startling manner, Luther Griggs was determined to make a desperate effort to save Ids ship, as the only way to ensure Ids own safety, and not to be caught like a rat in a trap by remaining locked in his cabin below.

.Hastily taking; another draught of •spirits he drew his revolver, unlocked the cabin door, determined to sell his life as dearly as possible, hastily made his way to the companion-ladder, passing his white-faced and trembling steward at the foot, and soon gained the poop. Reaching the poop dock ho saw young Valles clearly defined in the small circle of light thrown by the lamps of the binnacle; and the great quantities of spirits imbibed by Luther Griggs making him reckless of everything but his desire to kill his enemy, lie raised his revolver, and, taking de-‘ liberate aim at the young man, pressed the trigger. Simultaneously with the Hash and the report his hand fell powerless to his side, and the bullet went singing harmlessly aloft. At the same time he was seized by a couple of powerful figures who had emerged out of the gloom of the night, and in spite of Ids frantic struggles was thrown violently to the dock and securely and quickly bound.

From where he now lay by the cabin skylight, Griggs, now that bis eyes had become accustomed to the obscurity of the night, could see his two officers, supported by some of the crew, with another member bandaging their heads and washing the blood from off their faces, a swarthy and determined-look-ing individual holding them covered with a revolver during the operation. • Just then a young girl sprang lightly iqi the poop ladder, Hung her arms mound the neck-of the young Frenchman, and'kissed him long and passionately, her long and bowing black hair making her appear like some beautiful fury as she clung to him. Gently disengaging himself front her embrace be took hold of her hand to lead her below.

■'Come, Hosiua,” said the young sailor, “ this is no place for you at present. I will see you settled comfortably in one of the cabins below, for there is much yet to bo done, little one.”

As they turned to descend the com-panion-ladder the eyes of the young .Italian girl met those of Luther Griggs, and lie gave a shriek so terrible and despairing that several of the men engaged in various ways about the deck came running aft. Abel Knee turned and faced the captain, and cried: “Yes, howl! You pike* Jradcd £kunk. 1 .al’clnto if you had a: \tliing but Mississippi mud in your v.ins you would have been right here at t!io jumji. and backed up mo and Master Schiller hyar, and your old hooker wouldn’t be loafing around the Gulf with her main-topsail hacked, but well on her way with every darned rag she could carry; as far as my boots and fists could help her.” “ I guess Luther ai'nt no OceanDayard,” agreed Schiller, the chief mate, in that pleasing tone of voice that belied the brutal nature beneath the surface, as he turned away his head in contempt. Much had happened since one hell until the present moment, when the bnrrpie had changed hands in such a sensational manner, and placed the captain of the Silver Stream in such a precarious situation.

Directly the .Frenchman's whistle had been answered, that call that had so startled the terrified Griggs when he awoke from his troubled dreams and recognised it as the shrill whistle of the Mafia, the dark forms that had crawled out ot the cascs'and were moving slowly along the dock rose suddenly up, disclosing several dark and deter-mined-looking men of undoubted Italian nationality, each individual grasping a formidable-looking revolver and carrying a howic-knifo stuck in his belt.

At the same time a young darkhaired girl crept out of one of the great cases and made her way to the shelter of some spare spars that were lashed down near at hand, and hurriedly crouched down out of sight. Everything well planned beforehand, the assailants separated and made for diltercut parts of the vessel, one man making for the entrance to the forecastle with a loaded gun to keep back the watch below, who, now thoroughly alarmed, were leaving their bunks and hammocks preparing to rush on deck. Coerced at the revolver point, the watch on deck were forced to lend a hand to prepare the Silver-Stream to bo hove-to, the remainder under Jules Valles making their way aft, where they were met by the lire of the two mates as they cashed up the poop ladders, Leon Schiller having just at that moment gained the poop deck, the noise above impelling him to leave In's cabin, armed but only partially dressed.

But so sudden was tlic onslaught that the officers had barely time to fire a round, and that without effect owing to the gloom surrounding the ship and the risk of hitting their own men, before they were both struck down by blows on the bend from some heavy instrument, some command in Italian from Valles saving the two mates from the nevolvers of their antagonists, who would have had no more compunction in shooting both men than in despatch- , ing a couple of wild animals. Just as the helmsman was replaced by one of the Italians, and the young Frenchman was calling out from where ho stood, in. the light from the binnacle to some of the men under the break of the poop, the belated and half-drunken captain lurched into view and opened fire on him only to find the Silver-Stream in the hands of strangers, and himself a prisoner in tlie hands of the terrible Mafia, (To be concluded.)