Argosy and Railroad Man's Magazine, Vol. 107 No. 3 — page 92: what you’re looking at

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

The Ship that | Loring Brent. Author of “Peter the Brazen,” “The Black-Sander,” etc. WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED ONN RILEY, wireless operator, down and out after a protracted spree, was engaged for the excessive stipend of six hundred dollars a month by Captain Josiah Murdock, of the Barra- couda, a tramp steamer with an evil reputation. Making a night of it, Riley, dining at an ex- pensive restaurant, was mightily fascinated by a girl who left him a warning note not to follow her. He had not seen her face, nor had he talked with her, yet there was about her an elusive charm which fired his blood. Dropping the balance of his advance money in Chang Tung’s gambling-house, he saw there a Spaniard whom he recognized as the companion of the girl in the restaurant—one Luis Cordella, who, when Riley followed him, admitted that he had been sent by Captain Murdock. As they went toward the pier they met a girl, whom Cordella addressed as “ Miss Murdock,” and when Donn refused to leave at the Spaniard’s insistence. the latter stabbed him, then rushed off. The girl, unaware of Riley's wound, told him she was going to Mazatlan, and that she would see him again in San Blas. Then she was gone, and a moment later he was treated to another sur- prise in the person of another girl, Margaret Anderson, who departed as suddenly and abruptly as she had come. It was all very mysterious; and when, half fainting, he had been taken-aboard by Murdock, the captain, after asking Riley if he were armed, put this amazing query: “T want you to tell me the whole truth. Now, wasn’t it my daughter who stabbed you?” .“ You're mad!” snapped Riley, with a nervous laugh. - CHAPTER IX. LUIS, THE TEMPERAMENTAL. APTAIN .MURDOCK snapped his teeth together. The suspicion died out of his eyes. He began speaking in a rough, unnatural voice, as though he had not yet recovered control of himself. “J think you are telling me the truth, Riley. Since I left you this afternoon I have gone through the tortures of hell. I may tell you some time. It is impossible now. I—I’m too unstrung. That girl accused me—Riley, she accused me of being worse than a murderer!”’ Donn Riley nodded. ‘‘I supposed you had had a quarrel,” he said quietly. ‘“A quarrel?” shouted the old man. “Caesar! You would think she was a judge of the Supreme Court! She said she would do anything to stop this ship sailing.” “Why?” asked the wounded man dryly. Murdock made an impatient gesture with his hands. ‘I refuse to talk about her. I have washed my hands of her! Take off that tourniquet. Something to drink?” “No, thanks, captain.” The old man looked stupefied. “ You don’t mean to say you’ve stopped drink- ing?” he ejaculated. “For the time being, anyway.” “What in hell for?” Riley shook his head. “I drank enough in the past two weeks to float a ship.” This story began in The Argosy for April 26. f 434 ELOOO CO S CO