The Yale Democrat (Yale, Okla.), Vol. 12, No. 75, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 18, 1920 Page: 2 of 10
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THE YALE DEMOCRAT
THE IMPOSTOR
By FRANK L. PACKARD
CHAPTER IX—Continued.
■—13—
Laynton, still on the bridge, wns nl
ternnlely bawling Into the engine room
tube and Jamming the engine telegraph
hysterically backward and forward. A
weird, uncanny chorus of exultant
shrlekR, as of devils In unholy revel,
onine from across the water, und the
sound was close now.
Wullen swept his hands across his
eyes, lie could make out the other
vessel plainly now, gliding like a shad-
ow down upon them—like a shadow,
save when the gun’s flame burst
through the blackness, angry red.
And now nft behind him showed an-
other flame. A curious sight! rlhe
steam pouring In Immense volumes
from the engine room hatch was
streaked, ns It swirled upward, with
darts of yellow and bright red. There
was Are below I
A Chinaman, one of the coal pass
era, naked to the waist, blackened,
burned, yelling In torment, demented,
uppeured suddenly upon the deck, ran
by him and leaped heudlong from the
rail overboard.
The bridge, useless now for nnvlgn-
tlon, was deserted. Laynton rushed
down the ladder and Into his room;
the quartermaster, who bud been ut
the wheel, came tumbling after the
captain, and, like the mates, swung
the forward ladder to the foredeck.
The Monletgh rolled with a sudden,
heavy lurch. Wallen moved Instuntly
back along the deck. Was she sink-
ing? He halted at the lounging room
door for a thud glance.
The steuin, roaring from the engine
room hatch, was streuked now with
deeper yellow, deeper red. And now
there came the crackle of small arms
from the crew forward—the answer a
demoniacal mob-scream from close
aboard, and, It seemed, a thousand
tiny flushes as the tire wus returned.
They were close alongside now he
lieurd the swish of the other’s screw
going astern to stop the way. They
were preparing to board 1 Why I \' hy
not stand off and sink the Monlelgh?—
the Monlelgh was probably sinking
now. Yes, he knew why. They were
afraid that what Mott had suggested
might be true—that he In the darkness
might escape In n boat.
lie laughed suddenly. What was It
Gungn had said; "A light, sahib, that
1 would to Allah I might see again
before I die 1” Well, Gungn had not
prayed to Allah In vain. Uunga would
have his tight. They were going to
board. God, how they lined the decks
and rails out there—they were lu their
hundreds 1
It was light now, like the piny of
lightning with the volleying of the
small-arms. Aye, Gungn would have
his tight 1 lie laughed again wildly—
and then terror came.
It seemed to freeze his soul with
horror, unnerving him, unmanning him
for an Instant. What of her I And
then Wallen’s face drew into set, rigid
lines, and there came Into his eyes n
look that was not good to see—and ho
turned and dashed below.
“Open, Gungn, quick 1” he shouted.
And as the door swung back; "Miss
MacKay—both of you—this way I”
They ran out to meet him, and he
caught her suddenly, steadying her as
there came a violent shock—and with
the shock a hideous, louder outburst of
yelling.
It was Ham Gulab Singh alongside!
Half carrying her, half guiding her,
Wallen, with Gungn behind, gained the
top of the compnntonway, ran out onto
the deck through the starboard door
of the lounging room and, protected
on this side by the deckhouses, rushed
forward toward the bridge.
It wns a last stand; that was all—
ultimately the same as though they
had remained below, except that here
they could die lighting and not as rats
In a trnp.
lie and Gungn could hold the bridge
ladders until the Monlelgh went down,
or until at least every other part of
the ship was In the hands of Ram
Gulab Singh; and the charthouse
would serve ts a protection for her
unHl—until—his brain went sick again
with fear at thought of her—and It did
not seem to be his voice that wns
shouting so reassuringly over the hor-
rible babel around him.
“Up you go, Miss MacKay 1 Thnt's
Iti Splendid 1 Now into the chart-
room I" He pushed her almost forci-
bly Inside—and swung toward Gungn,
“Gungn, take the starboard Inddur—
I’ll take the port "
Around him was an Inferno;
screams, shrieks, yells and cries, the
shrill hiss of escaping steam, tho sharp
crackle of a flame leaping upward
through the englneroom hutch, the
crash and rnttle of siuall-arm fire filled
the air.
Ilelow on the forward deck It was
as though hell Itself were loosed. The
great looming shape of a vessel lay
against the Monlelgh’s bow, from
which, to Join scores already there,
white-clothed figures, like a horde of
ghouls, poured onto the Monlelgb’s
flush deck; and, as a llrc-flante shot
heavenward, Illuminating the scene to
daylight brightness, the naked steel of
the Urls flickered In Its downward
sweep, and dark, grimacing features
showed, and out of the features In u
horribly incredible way the eyes glit-
tered. And here and there upon the
deck forms law sprawled und prone ns
they hnd fallen.
Wallen ripped open a box of car-
tridges with his thumb nail, und let
them tumble loose Into his pocket, as
lie stared over tho weather-cloth.
What was left of the Monleigh’s crew
was already driven hack on the lad-
ders lending to the boat deck. Ram
Gulab Singh wns making short work of
It—as he must 1
With the Monlelgh afire, even If the
lire were still amidships, It wns a pre-
carious thing for that other vessel to
Iny there alongside 1 That was Layn-
ton and two of the crew on the star-
board ladder fighting like demons; and
directly below him, on the lower port
ladder, were Mott and Larsen nnd two
others—no, there were only Larsen
and two of the crew—Mott had
pitched downward Into the sweep of a
krls, seeming most curiously to meet
the glint of It In mid nlr.
Six left!
What wns the matter below there
now? What was that lnfurluted, tri-
umphant yell of the Mulnys, louder
than any than had gone before? They
were swarming up both ladders I Layn-
“Ram Gulab Singh!" He Cried,
ton and Lnrsen from each side had
given way—they were hidden under
the bridge now, nnd he could not see,
nnd—
Uungn’s voice rung out: "Sahib,
they come 1"
In a flash Wallen swung about and
dropped down full length on the bridge
at the head of tho port ladder, shout-
ing to Gungn to do the same. He could
understand now the -sudden retreat
from tho low ladders.
Tho Malays had got aft somehow
and were now sweeping along the deck,
screaming ns they came, to take the
Monlelgh’s men In tho rear.
And now the light raged at the foot
of his own ladder. Larsen and one
man gained It—nnd Larsen toppled In
a heap. The seaman, battling like a
madman, made tho first step of tho
ladder, the second, another—and then
n form, leaping from the ruck below,
pulled the man backward nnd crashed
down himself beside bis victim, iw
Wallen’s revolver streamed Are down
the ladderway.
Tho last of the Monlelgh's men wns
gone!
And then they ennio howling,
screaming, mad with tho blood-lust
that was upon them, sweeping upward
one after another—nnd one after tho
other went down before Wallen’s lire,
and the ladder steps grew cluttered,
and Wallen laughed aloud. He could
hold that holder against n thousand of
them—against nil hell I A madness, a
frenzy, was upon him. lie laughed
again. Ilo could hunr Gungn singing
In a strange, croonlike way ns he
fought
Another rush I He fired, fired once
more—and then the hammer only
clicked as he pulled the trigger. The
magazine wns empty 1
He snatched at his pocket for car-
tridges, as the great form of a man,
tall and gnunt, with distorted face,
swept through the screaming mass be-
low and sprang up the ladder.
There wns no time to load—the man
was almost nt the top, with a dozen
followers behind him. Wallen leaped
to his feet and with clubbed revolver
lunged forward.
And then suddenly the great white
beam of a searchlight from seaward
played for an Instant over the bridge
—and In the white light Wallen looked
Into the eyes of Ram Gulab Singh
nnd knew it wns Rain Gulab Singh, be-
cause the hand that clutched at the
ladder’s side rope was fingerless, save
for the forefinger.
“Rum Gulab Singh!’’ he cried, and
struck with all his might—nnd missed.
The whir of the other’s krls sang In
his ear as he flung himself sidewise to
avoid the blow.
"You have your father’s face, you
rat I" the man shrieked, and lifted the
blade to swing aguln.
The white light wns gone—search-
ing along the length of the ship. Again
Wallen struck In the light of the
flames now that were bursting, angry,
venomous, with a roar and hiss, from
the englneroom hatch, and this time
the other reeled back as the blow went
home.
But the next Instant the man behind
Itam Gulab Singh on the ladder
reached forward between his leader’s
legs and Jerked Wallen’s feet from be-
neath him. There was a scream of
triumph from Ram Gulab Singh; and
ns Wallen, losing his balance, pitched
forward, he caught the flash of the
whirling krls coming down upon him.
And then, In the fraction of a sec-
ond that followed, even as he fell, the
brain, stimulated a thousandfold, ab-
sorbing details, registered them upon
his consciousness.
The blade, within an inch of his
head, seemed to fly off Into the air as
though tom from the other’s hands;
u revolver roared behind him, the hot
breath of It on his face, and Ram
Gulab Singh flung up his hands; her
voice was calling his name again nnd
again—and then he had smashed his
fists full Into Ram Gulab Singh.
Mechnnlcnlly his arms locked around
the other; and hurtling downward
over the sprawled bodies on the lad-
der-steps, bowling those behind over
like ninepins, Wallen spun, twisting
nnd turning In the air, a dead mnn
clutched In his embrace, nnd crashed
upon the deck, and his arms relaxed,
nnd he lny still.
When he opened his eyes he wns In
Gunga’s arms, and Helen MacKay was
binding something about his head ; nnd
there wns a strange stillness nbout
him—strange because the roar of the
flames was stillness where It seemed
there should be shouts nnd cries and
demoniacal screnms nnd the clash of
arms nnd the shrieks of dying men.
He staggered up to his feet.
Sailors In naval uniform were run-
ning nbout the decks, and a young of-
ficer was peering Into bis face. Wal-
len tried to plnce the other, nnd failed
at first, because his head was swim-
ming so dizzily; and then he remem-
bered that It was Lieutenant Damon,
of the gunboat York, who had crossed
with him once In the Tokamaru.
“A narrow squeak, old chnp I" Da-
tnon wns snylng, with a grip on Wal-
len’s hnnd. “The old York’s chasing
those devils out there now—hear the
guns! We got the whole story from
Miss MacKay two days ago. Tlie com-
mander sent me off with a couple of
boats’ crews In the hope that we'd find
some of you alive; and he sent me be-
cause I’d know you, Wnllen. my boy
—If you were really Wallen.”
"I—I don’t understand," said Wnl-
len wenkly.
••No—I dare say not I" Damon
laughed cheerily. "And there Isn’t
much time now to explain; we’ve got
to tako to the boat. But, In a word,
Miss MacKny here wirelessed your
servant’s story to Singapore and asked
for help for herself, giving a unuticnl
position that she said she had succeed-
ed In getting from the second otllcer.
You had a dny’B start of us, hut you
must have been nveraglng over twelve
knots, or we’d have como up sooner.
"They didn’t know what to make of
that story of Drlnk-llouso Sam’s mur
der ns your servant told It, but they
rounded up tho Chlneso nnd Malays
that ho accused; and two of them con-
fessed, Implicating the others. That
clears you, old mnn. Here—steady 1
Don't wahhle like that! I'll get a
couple of my men to carry you to the
boat." He turned away, hurrying along
the deck.
Wallen’s hand, raised to sweep
across his eyes, touched the hund that,
not bo deftly now, a little tremblingly
now, was still making a pretense at
knotting the bandage,
"You—you sent—the story—my
story," he snld eagerly. “Then—you
believed me all the time l”
She shook her head.
••I—I wanted to believe—oh, I want-
ed to," she said wistfully. "Only
—I—”
And then her hend bent lower, very
close to his, and her cheek brushed his
—and It was wet with tears.
“Helen 1” he whispered.
“Come on!” called Damon, return-
ing. “We’ll have to tumble Into the
boat. The commander said I was to
take you ashore and wait for the York
to get back; but there’s a fellow out
there—a Scotsman—who’s "come out
from shore In a big proa that I passed
as we came aboard, and that’ll be bet-
ter than a three-mile pull.
“He can’t come alongside, of course
—too risky a maneuver with the head-
way the fire’s made aft—but lie’s wait-
ing for us. In the word I had with
him when I told him to stand by, be
seemed to know you. Wallen.
And then, as though to corroborate
Dumon's words, across the water came
u hall In a sti-ong, big voice.
“Aboard there! Wallen I 'Tls Mac-
Knight o’ Arru, Wallen 1 Mon, is It
well wl’ ye?”
And Wallen lifted his hend at the
cry. He was faint and dizzy, nnd very
weak; but the flames were lighting up
those brown, tenr-dlmmed eyes, and
the eyes were smiling into his.
"Yes!” he cried, and his voice rang
glad and buoynnt out Into the dark-
ness, out to MacKnlght of Arru. “All’s
well, MacKnlght 1 All’s well 1"
[THE END.]
MW EVENING
YMW\
BONNER |
VWTHOA.
FOUNTAIN PEN FRENCH IDEA
Jean Benoit Mallat Is Said to Have
Been the Inventor of Handy
Writing Utensil.
A fountain pen made In 1864 Is still
In use tn Paris. It was patented that
same year by Jean Benoit Mallat, an
erglneer, and the firm that still car-
ries on the business founded by him
asserts that this was the first foun-
tain pen ever made.
Mallat was the Inventor of the gold
pen with the ruby point, perhaps the
easiest writing and most durable nib
ever put on the market. But It Is nec-
eisarlly expensive. In 1843 Mallat
substituted iridium ns a point for^ his
pens. At the same time he provided
a reservoir for the ink. This was
the germ from which grew the idea of
storing Ink In the handle.
Mnllnt’s fountain pen differs only
slightly from our modern ones. It
wns self-filling, but the flow of Ink
was regulated by a little turn-screw
on the side. This, however, was soon
given up, ns It became clogged.
It would be Interesting to know
what was tlie date of the earliest pat-
ent on a fountain pen In America and
England. _
The Porcupine's Habits.
When you come suddenly upon the
porcupine in his mitive haunts, he
draws his hend back nnd down, puts
up t,is shield, trails his broad tall, and
waddles slowly nwny. Ills shield Is
the sheaf of larger quills upon his
back, writes John Burroughs, which
he opens nnd spreads out In a circu-
lar form, so that the whole body is
quite hidden beneath It. The porcu-
pine’s great chlsel-llke teeth, which
are quite ns formidable ns those of
the woodchuck, he does not appear to
use nt all In his defense, but relies
entirely upon his quills.
Lace-Making In China.
Foreign missionaries In Chefoo,
Shanghai, Foochow, Amoy and Swa-
tow have Introduced lace making
among the Chinese women, nnd consid-
erable lace has been exported from
time to time. Silk, linen nnd cotton
thread are used In Chefoo, nnd linen
nnd cotton In the other plnces. Tho
lace Is made more cheaply than Is pos-
sible elsewhere because of the low
wages paid In Chinn, but a lack of en-
terprise In changing patterns to meet
changing tnstes and fashions abroad
prevents the Industry from assuming
larger proportions.
Wheat Berry Perfected.
Many of the present superior wheats
produced In the United States wero
Introduced Into this country from
Asia, Europe and South America, and
acclimated to our country while under-
going the test. They have been bred
nnd crossed until a berry has been
secured which will adapt Itself to tho
region requiring a wheat crop.
Obtain Oil Prom Eggs.
The turtle living In the Orinoco lays
eggs which are extraordinarily rich In
oil. The Indians In British Guiana
collect 25,000,000 yearly for making
oil. Tho eggs of many sea birds are
excellent eating. The best of the lot Is
suld to be that of the "murre," a bird
which la very commou on the Labrador
coaat
MR. AND MRS. MINK JR.
“Sometimes," said Nancy, “you’ve
told us a story about Mr. nnd Mrs.
Mink and their ways. Couldn’t you
tell ns a story about them tonight,
Daddy?"
“All right,” snld Daddy. "Tonight
It will be your choice which I will
follow and tomorrow night. Nick enn
say what he wants the story to be
about."
"I like an animal story, myself,"
snld Nick, “so I’ll like tonight’s story
nnd also tomorrow night’s one, which
I will pick out!”
“Dear me,” said Daddy. “I fenr tho
poor little fairies nre rather deserted
In favor of the animals.”
“Oh, no, Daddy, they aren’t,” said
Nancy, "only It Is so nice to have all
sorts of stories told to us, sometimes
a bird one, sometimes an animal one,
sometimes n zoo one, sometimes a
fairy one—ull kinds! Then, too, she
added, “I think It would he only nice
to think of all the boys and girls who
are our friends nnd who share our
stories with us. They all, without a
doubt, like all kinds of stories. Some,
will like one kind nnd some another,
so every once in a while each one
would be bound to come across a very
special favorite.”
"Yes,” said Daddy, “It Is nice to
have them of all kinds, nnd then we
get to know so many little creatures
and so many different things. And we
cun be so much more friendly when
we know creatures.
“So tonight It Is to be n story nbout
Mr. and Mrs. Mink nnd their ways.
“Well, the Mr. nnd Mrs. Mink I told
you nbout a long, long time ago aren t
bothering nbout each other now.
When the Mr. nnd Mrs. Mink mate
they are quite fond of each other for
awhile, but then the Mrs. Minks think
nbout the children nnd look after
them, and then they all separate.
“In the autumn the little ones,
who’ve been with Mother Mink since
the spring, nre considered old enough
to look after themselves. They are
Just like tlielr parents end they are
“Fond of Solitude.”
just ns good nt swimming nnd going
In the water ns they are of living on
the land. In fact, they’re called
amphibious, which Is n very, very big
word people often use when speaking
of certain nnlmnls, the mink family
among them."
“Amphibious means living on land
and In water, so when we say the otter
family and the mink family have
amphibious habits wo mean that they
can live on land and In the water.
“Well, tho mink family Is rather
well separated now. They are hunt-
ing nnd wandering nbout on their lit-
tle short legs. They’re trying to
avoid being caught.
“And there Is a hole In a bank
which belonged to a muskrat which
Is made of grass nnd soft feathers
nnd hair, which Is going to be taken
by Mr. and Mrs. Mink Jr. In the
springtime nnd there, n good deal later
on, In April or In May, somewhere
from four to twelve little babies will
come who will stay with Mrs. Mink
Jr. until they In turn arc strong in
the autumn and can quite look after
themselves.
“So while they’re all hunting, all
going after chipmunks and squirrels
nnd everything else they enn find at
this time of the year, and while
they’re traveling nbout, mostly at
night, though sometimes In tho day-
time, before long wllL como the time
when they will travel In pairs.
“But Mr. and Mrs. Mink and Mr.
nnd Mrs. Mink Jr. will no quite will-
ing to go about without each other
nfter they have grown used to eneli s
other for n while, for they’re not tho
faithful mates the beavers nre, for
example. Still, If they're happy lend-
ing a lonely life for the greater port
of the year I suppose they know best.
Along tho waterside they eat snakes
nnd salamanders and mussels nnd
they carry scent sacs when they nre
older, which hold n most disagreeable
scent, but they’re separated the great-
er part of the year, Mr. nnd Mrs.
Mink uud Mr. uud Mrs. Mink Jr.”
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The Yale Democrat (Yale, Okla.), Vol. 12, No. 75, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 18, 1920, newspaper, February 18, 1920; Yale, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc1138784/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.