The Argosy, April 1916 — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

FOOLS OF “What is it, Michael?” “No success to-night, sir, but a few minor discoveries—I mean, you understand, we gathered some useful information.” “Nothing immediate to be done in that quarter ?”’ “Nothing immediate—that is to say, we can wait but we mustn’t delay, captain.” Captain Neville reflected and seemed about to dismiss Susan and Miss Addison, when he evidently changed his mind, for he said: “The wireless has been signaling repeat- edly. I dared not leave the house, as I was expecting Ransom every minute. Oscar, for whom I had search made--all over, was, as you have learned, out—for sport!” The word curled on the captain’s lips. “T sent him out to the point, as soon as I had spoken to him, to take the message.”’ “Captain, what do you think of this sug- gestion?” Michael Sands inquired. “That is, supposing I telephone out to the point? You're saying the wireless called repeatedly. Now it could happen there’d be news of service to us in dealing with the Settle- ment. If a ship’s coming anyway near us —one might be starting out, you under- stand—we could deport the lot of them mischief-making fellers.” ‘‘Who’d take them? What ship’s master is going to constitute himself an officer of the law to oblige me? No, Michael—” There was a thudding of rubber soles on the west veranda, heard through the open windows—a grip on the door-knob. The door was opened and Oscar Molle entered quickly. No wrinkle of expression was to be seen in his sallow oval face or in his speckless suit of white flannel. His eyes were large and brown, remaining always in a kind of slow stare so that they appeared to have no pupils. Approaching the captain, his cap in hand, he held forth a sheet of yellow paper. ‘“‘A longish message, sir.” “Ah!” Captain Neville “Then it wasn’t a relay.” “No, sir. It’s for you,” Oscar confirmed. The captain lifted his glasses, which hung on a silk cord, and adjusted them be- fore he unfolded the long sheet. He considered it for several moments, then observed to Michael, who had drawn near: “Here’s news surely, but it’s about of as murmured. SACRIFICE. 111 much interest to us as if we were notified that the King of Timbuctoo has the gout. It comes from Jarvis, Secretary of the Fruit Company.” He read aloud: “NEW ORLEANS, September 22. “Acme Detective Agency, New York, is looking for Stephen Weir of that city. Wanted on charge of embezzlement of sev- enty-five thousand dollars from the Palla- dium Trust Company, same city. “Believed to have sailed in steamer Cacique from Philadelphia for Honduras. Cacique blown up and burned, September 16, approximately. “Carried merchandise principally and a small quota of passengers. Four boats with crew and passengers picked up by wireless- equipped steamer John Hancock. “Captain of Cacique reports all passengers safely lowered in boats with water and pro- visions and shipment of crew in each boat. Six of crew killed in explosion. Sea foggy but smooth at time of accident. “One Cacique boat still missing in which were all sailors and one passenger, a man. Cacique’s captain describes this man so that Acme Agency is convinced he is said Ste- phen Weir, for whose apprehension or dis- covery the Palladium Trust Company offers - a reward of ten thousand dollars. - “Agency figures Cacique boat may have drifted toward Big. or Little Twin Island, calculating winds, currents, etc., of locality and time of wreck. Relay this message to Belize.” Captain Neville paused, glancing down over the message until he came to the state- ment of the longitude and latitude in a postscript. ‘Why, that should be more than a hun- dred miles from here?” he exclaimed. “Unless the boat was picked up Stephen Weir has in all probability gone down or starved to death. The bank people will be more careful now and’’—there was a halt in his breath—‘if the man is dead, what- ever he was, he paid the bill, I rather judge.” The spacious hall, so recently quivering with the excitement and stress of the isl- and’s turmoil, was strangely still and solemn for a moment. : Then Captain Neville proceeded to read: “Detailed description of Stephen Weir as follows :” He read no farther. A rapid succession of short barks, like pistol-shots, had broken out in the court garden, where was the landward entrance to the big house. “That’s Scott,” said Captain Neville, MICLOOOKS C©