Pacific Blue.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18623, 27 November 1928, Page 6

Pacific Blue.

“STAR” SERIAL.

A STORY OF SUNNY SEAS AND ISLAND ADVENTURES.

CARLTON DAWE

Author of “ The Knightsbridge Affair.” “ The Glare,” “ Desperate Love,” etc. [COPYRIGHT.] CHAPTER XXl—(Continued.) He wondered what recompense had attended! outrage. Had they found in the stroJig-box all that their imagination pictured, bank-notes, gold, pearls. That Captain Harworth would have money by him was a natural assumption, and possibly much wealth in the form of pearls. Of this the two criminals would know, or guess; illumined by the thought of possible great riches, their dreams might soar to high extravagances. In any case they had soared high enough to commit murder. Doris dozed uneasily in his arms. It thrilled him, this supreme confidence. Not for the world would he have moved for fear of waking her; he even breathed lightly. But he eagerly searched the darkness for the first gleam of day, which seemed as though it would never come. Every sound, and there were many in the house that night—never had he guessed the night contained so many strange noises —sent his pulses leaping. But he did not stir. Listening, watching, fearing, hoping, he waited for the dawn. And at last it came, a pale shadow amid darker shadows, and he knew his long and anxious vigil was at an end. With daylight he would be able to face realities, however grim. There was a greeting in the day which was like the warm grasp of a friend. Seeing the enemy robbed him of half his terror. With the first swift flushing of the east Doris stirred, opened her eyes, and stared up at him, with a look of wonder. Then she too flushed divinely, which may have been due to the light stealing through the open shutter. CHAPTER XXII. THE CAPTAIN’S BOX. A hundred yards from the house Steevers and Mulcready were joined by Sava, and after a few hurried -words the three of them disappeared in the shadow of the palms. Steevers and the woman led the way, Mulcready following with the box under his arm. It was a small box, not more than about three feet by two, but for its size monstrously heavy; partly due, no doubt, to the gold it contained, or to its many bindings of steel. Naturally Mulcready thought isbe Jormer, as neither "bank-notes nor pe4ris would weigh over much. But whatever it was he rejoiced in its weight. Ever since Uncle Martin had spoken qi that iron box such imagination as he possessed ran riot. And now it was his, actually in his hands, with all its potential riches. The cost of possession concerned him

not at all. As a matter of fact he did not give such a second thought. With money in his pocket he would find the world an exceeding joyous place in which to squander life. No one spoke as they stole upward to their objective, those deep recesses among the volcanic boulders where one might rest in security. For once in a way even Steevers’s tongue was mute. To tell the truth, his mind was not easy. As he si’ently confessed to himself. they .were in it now up to the neck. If the Chimp had really killed the old man, and he feared that this was the case, those necks of theirs would ultimately receive a stretching not to be remedied. Now he had always hated th-s thought of dancing on air; it gave him ail sorts of pains in that long neck of his. It was no way to treat a man, though much favoured by some so-called civilised nations, the English in particular. And in this part of the world he would suffer under English law, the imitative colonials having no ideas of their own. Accordingly he had always warned the Chimp never to proceed to extremes, and so far that warning had been heeded, which may have been more by accident than design. Yet, be that as it may, mur der had never yet figured among their multifarious activities. The petty punishments which attended petty crimes mattered little. There was always a chance for a man to come out and enjoy himself. But when the shadow of the noose flung itself across a man’s neck it was time for him to say his prayers. Therefore he hoped the Chimp had not pressed too hard on that old throat. That was the worst of old people, they snulfed out if you looked at them, like a kid or a kitten. Not that he didn’t justly deserve punishment, and plenty of it, as a certain much-swollen mouth could attest. But what punishment could be comparable to the loss of treasure? . In this one might reckon revenge peculiarly sweet. Nothing so sensitive as a man's pocket; no honour so touchy as that of the purse. Ilad he felt like laughing just then he might have laughed heartily. The biter bit, the robber robbed, the thief broken in upon. Very few situations more amusing than this. And yet he did not laugh; indeed, never had he felt less like laughing. The quick soft step of the woman by his side annoyed him. He was conscious of a sensation of ill augury engendered by- her presence. Woman, being the original cause of man’s downfall, had contrived to carry on successfully throughout the ages’ Bring a woman into anything, he argued, and with her vanished peace and hope. There was no greater destroyer of man’s happiness. Let her slip in between him and his ambitions and sure as you’re born something direful was bound to ensue. Hadn’t his own life provided abundant proof of this, hadn’t the life of almost every man on earth? Hadn't the monks built themselves monastries to avoid her, hadn't they sought deserts and other wild and dreary places so that she might not come between them and their peace? Why a man couldn't turn his eyes the other way when she passed, instead of swinging round to stare after her, was among those mysteries which he frankly admitted puzzled him .consumedly. Everyman knew what she was, and what he might expect from her, and yet he hadn't the horse-sense to avoid the pit which was so palpably dug for him. Therefore he said: "Say, Sava gurl, don’t )-ou think you’d best get back to the house ah' ape the lamb? Bein’ a woman you won't need much tooitionin' in the part.” "What you mean?" she asked suspiciously. "I was thinkin’ maybe we’ll need a friend down yonder. You never know.”

“An* let you two have all the chief’s money?” she flashed at him. "No; I guess this is a square deal. Share an’ share alike.” “Sava think she better stay.” “Av coorse ya will, darlin',” chimed in the amorous Chimp. “What would he be talkin’ about? A fine an’ handsome gurl like you. Aisy, Mart, an’ let us have no more of her be goin’.” Martin 8., having uttered what he believed to be a wise protest, relapsed iii gloonw silence. He knew that in such an instance as this the Chimp would not be dictated to. He was one of those fools who would never let the danger pass, but always swung round and looked after it with longing eyes. At last they reached their retreat high up among the rocks, and gathered round Mulcready as he carefully lowered the precious box to earth—to discover that it had two stout locks and no key. “The kay, the kay,” he growled, “where the divil’s the kay?” “Chief always wear it round his neck,” Sava informed them. "An’ I had me hand on his wind pipe an’ didn't fate ut! ” “Guess we’ll have to use force,” suggested Steevers. “That’s ut, foorce,” agreed Mr Mulcready. He banged it against an adjacent rock, but without effecting the desired result. It bounded back like a ball, giving forth a distinctly hollow sound. Mulcready banged and banged, using language appropriate to the occasion. Then he went in search of a rock, returning with one of formidable dimensions. With this, after much potinding. he succeeded in bursting the locks. Bundles of papers he dragged out,

but nothing in the shape of bank-notes, gold or pearls. Blankly the two men looked at each other. Day, just beginning to dawn, saw fury in the one face, blank despair in the other. For a moment it appeared as though Martin Belisarius Steevers had received a final knock-out. His emaciated jaw sagged, his eyes assumed a woebegone and desolate look. They were up against fate in all her malignancy. The vixen must have chuckled maliciously from her retreat; among the rocks. “Seems as though the old swine has done us after all,” he remarked, brokenspirited, plaintively. Mr Mulcready, with many voluminous oaths, consigned his victim to everlasting torments; which, in Uncle Martin’s opinion, afforded but a melancholy consolation to defeat. He turned to Sava, who appeared no less astonished and disappointed than they, her dreams of wealth having suddenly vanished in air. “Say, gurl, what’s the idea, any- . “lie keep money there, I know. Have seen—plenty times.” “Know anything about pearls?” She shook her head. “No. Banknotes—gold! ” “Guess it’s vanished.” “He change from box. Must be in house somewhere. ’ “Suspicioned us?” drawled Steevers. "Wall, that was cute of the old thief. No wonder he cleaned up Abe Rosenberg an’ broke his heart. Yes, son, I guess he’s added one more sorrow to our bright young lives.” “What about your Aisy Money Island now?” sneered the Chimp, who was bubbling and boiling with indignation. (To be continued.)