Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 25: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Tides of Hate want no female trouble in my craft; and since ye flouted Cook and now set me in my place, I ha’ no fear that any o’ my rascals will make ye a woman again. | “But as for Cook, leave worry to me, girl. Rather tell me just how ye worked the trick back yonder in the island. Ye may have started a woundy muddle; we’ll know pretty soon; but ye surely made for success in our venture when ye shook out the weepy wench so cunningly.” The woman’s face darkened with passion. “The venture was far from my thoughts then,” she retorted. “Win or fail, d’ye think any woman would stand by like a silly sheep and see another usurp her place, take her man?” “But you vow you would have none 0’ him, or none o’ noaman,”’ smiled Davies. “And what o’ that? Since when has woman changed so that she must have a mind unchangeable? What if I don’t want John Cook? Shall I let another hussy coddle him? Not while I’m by to see: “He offered me insult by taking that wench and scorning me to my face. For that I have tricked him now; and for that I shall yet see his bones picked by Andes - vultures if Edward Davies but prove him- self a man! “When I smuggled the girl into the calaboose to her father and the other men from the brig, I gave ’em arms, told ’em where the boat lay which should have been taken aboard of this sloop, and bade ‘em put out as soon’s ’twas dark and sail for Guadaloupe. I told the brig’s master of Steve Carr, and Doggett, and Rando, and told him he might please himself about them, but he’d better leave two of ’em at least for the crows to peck at. They might handle Steve all right, and he’d pull a stout oar under pressure. But it’s all arranged for ’em now, for the man-o’-war bearing down as we left must surely pick ’em up, and nS “They'll put the bulldog on our heels!” Davies exclaimed sharply. ‘‘Carr knows Swan’s rendezvous even if he don’t know where we meet Cook.” 3 “Pshaw! And what of it?” retorted Nell contemptuously. “If ye’renot a match together for that cruiser, what chance ha’ ve all, d’ye think, to maintain place along o’ Swan, or later with the Frenchman? “Besides, man, well ye know the small sloop abandoned the cruise and put back to 23 the island. Even fear o’ hanging couldn’t make the lousy, dogs face drowning! king’s ship’ll find aAat covey o’ Jack Ketch’s partridges waiting for him on Aves. “Of a surety the bulldog must carry that sloop’s crew into Jamaica, since Lord Vaughan has started pirate-hanging in bunches as a social pastime. ’Tis too good a chance to let slip, my friend; and long ere the cruiser can revictual and put out after us we shall have strengthened our squadron, joined Swan and be in the wilderness of the South Atlantic.” “Aye, so may we be,” returned Davies musingly. He paced forward to the mast and back before he uttered the fear that had crept into his heart since the situation back on Aves had been so vividly recalled to him. “So may we be, Nell, and around Cape Horn .too, for that matter. But Cook should never ha’ left Steve Carr behind to work us mischief in the rear. “I'would ha’ been. easy for us to reach the west coast, and ’tis stil, to be sure; but if I know Steve Carr, an’ I think I do, he'll turn king’s evidence on us and guide what force they may send right to our_goal.”’ “And if he does?” The woman glanced up into his face with a suspicion of disgust in her own. Up to the present she had failed to find in Edward Davies any of the terrible capability that had made his name fearful. “Will ye not be in the same case.as John Cook, and Swan, and L’Escuyler? Shall we all be in any better case? And shall we not together make a match for the king and Steve Carr in company? Fie upon you, Edward Davies! I had believed you of stouter guts!” “Pox o’ your beliefs, woman!” cried Davies in sudden fury that passed as swiftly as it grew. “Shall I care if all the king’s navy bark at my heels?P —— me, but ’tis like swallowing one o’ Sawbones’ black boluses and washing it down with bitter aloes to think that the paltry ven- geance of Steve Carr upon John Cook may The’ cheat me of my own errand with the cunning Frenchman!” He stalked away forward to the bows, and called down his parrot, Bravo, from the crosstrees to dissipate his dark mood which was a rare mood with him. Nell Clark stood stock still and watched him go; and as he passed the galley-house, a smile S CORMICLOO (C@