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Show and as be reached the door it swisbei about him ankle deep and followed him in a torrent into the cabin. Again he heard that cry of Flicks, but he EUROPEAN PICKPOCKETS ARE OF khut the door, as ho had planned, am THE CLEVEREST. boiled Jt to give himself a few las BY J. OLIVER CURWOOD moments of lifo with the woman. When ho turned to her with the American Travelers Seemingly Their them tragedy that had overtaken Especial Prey Experience of (Copyright, by BoLbs-MerrlCo.) written in his face, his outstretched d One Victim in an side. Only his to arms dropped slowly and head shoulders of out dear! '"Yes, Connoly, Capital. The the cabin, was in time to see Svenson, The man took off his dripping hat her name fell from bis lips. were to meant 6ay the Swede, burst like a maniac from and coat and sat down beside her. words that he had The American who travel In Euwas woman left The unspoken. men of the group fighting like shadows The woman, as he did so, drew' down rope and does not keep the closest In the mist of the forward pump. He the coverlet a few inches so that he asleep. Her face was toward him, and watch on his valuables is almost sure caught faintly his yell of defiance as miht see the little pink face lying in the dim lamp glow he saw deepen lo be relieved of his personal belongFlick, the second officer, ran out from against her bosom. He leaned over, ing in her cheeks the flush of return ings by pickpockets, said W. E. Mig-helt among the shadows and intercepted more to hide his own whiteness than ing fever. One white hand had fallen of the San Franhim with a blow from a knotted fist to caress, and stroke the babys over the side of the cot, and on it cisco chamber of commerce, who has Like an that sent him reeling Into the drown- cheek with a big forefinger. The gleamed their wedding ring. . tour of the finished a two-yea- r knees Just his animal fell upon Connoly ing wash of the sea. He shouted as woman took his other hand and world. the little gray man followed up Sven-son'- s pressed it happily. She spoke no Tlie water trickled about his fingers "The gentry are active huge bulk, like a terrier, and word, but when the man raised him- as he crept to her. At the bedside he ?verywhere from London to Cairo, but other figures staggered out of the self to look irto her face he saw' the stretched an arm over her, so gently I will give the palm for baldness and blinding spume, naked armed, bare great dawn of the new life shining that she did not awaken. Then he dexterity to the Jirofessionals of Italy, chested, with Svensons panic gleam- adoringly In her eyes. After a time turned his face to the door, grim with where the plunder of pockets has terror of this last moment, but filled ing In their eyes. Flick saw him as the woman said: a fine art. I am a with the splendid sanity of his resolve. been reduced to he came across the deck and planted Jim!" man did careful not need to read and The sea would not get the best of him. his back against the port davit, where Yes, dear. constant warnings against pickHe would have the woman, at the last the the tops of the seas swept over him Are you very glad? In the great plaza of and yet pockets, and so firmly that the hell of a thou In smothering rushes. The man pressed her face to him I was robbed last summer of Venice he with passionate tenderness. He did sand seas could not separate them. They've left the pumps! my letter of credit for $10,000. There I'm not answer in words, but the woman But it would not be until the last shouted as Connoly came up. was an enormous crowd that had damned was satisfied. Then he gently drew' the very last. Then she would awaken turned out to hear the band play, the A ton of water breaking over the himself away, the young wifes eyes only to know that he was there, and I was jostled and :lay being Sunday, would die before the misery and the rail sent him reeling out among the following him inquiringly. terror of it all came to her. The two or three times by a huge fellow Youre not going back now?" she men. He picked himself up and stagseeman fancied that he heard the beat with a black mustache. Finally I thought " asked. gered to Connoly, his thin, was ing that he doing it purposely I "Yes Flick is in charge, he said ing of water against the panels! his lost face questioning him eagerly. and addressed a hot my She's a little better, boys!" shouted quickly. "But I must see that every staring eyes saw it pouring faster un remark totemper him, at which he exclaimed: the captain. "Hut we cant take her things all right" Between his words der the door he heard It straining Tardon; monsieur, dropped his umnut into that!" he hesitated, listening to a sound un- against the cabin walls. The floor brella at my feet, and in stooping to He pointed out into the grayness of der his feet that thrilled him. It was seemed lifting him up. Bow first, the get it managed in some way to get the sea, broken only by the foaming like the bumping of iloating cargo schooner was diving to her doom. His my letter of credit, although it was In with the ship. against the deck. The water was ris are grew heavier over the woman an Inside tops that rode rail-higpocket. It caused me a lot His other slipped under her head My God, men, no boat would ing faster than he supposed, but he of trouble, the sending of many cableshowed no sign of the fear that was Then came another shock, longer than live the one that had preceded it, and grams and some money, but I manThe voice of a seaman rose almost in him. after that there was absolute quiet. aged to have the payment stopped and in a shriek. "You will be back soon? There came a knock from outside the thief profited nothing. We're full! We're full to a foot of Right away, Jen! In Rome last Christmas day I went the hatches, I tell y! Shes got to He came back to kiss her, the sick again and again, and then a sudden out for a ride in the suburbs to see pressure that burst off the bolt, and some rare paintings in an old church. go now or never!" ening throbbing at his heart almost Flick stood there, babbling words that ; There was sullen assent in a dozen suffocating him as he looked down Wishing to see the country I took a to no went have seemed He meaning. From early into the womans confident eyes street car that was densely packed. eyes. morning until noon these men had luminous with a touch of the old as suddenly as he came, and Connoly The air was pretty crisp and I wore clung to a sinking ship because each fever. He was glad that she did not could hear his sobbing voice dying an overcoat closely buttoned. How on He drew his arms earth the rascal cherished in him a memory of the know. It would make the end easier away on deck. managed to get my woman from and followed. At watch and make the woman. Because of her they had for him and for her, if the end had away with It will the he door for a moment, paused come. and to bled And he knew there was only fought until their hands puzzle me to my life's end, but he did their breath came in " gasps. They one chance in ten thousand against it. then slipped out. the trick, as I foun'd on getting off the n The womans face car. had watched the schooner settle inch As he passed out of the cabin he saw by inch and foot by foot, struggling the life belts strung along the ceil- moved a little. Her eyelids trembled, Had it been only an ordinary timemoment a she and them. after, minutes For an for the flashed into instant it opened ing. precious stubbornly piece I would never have said a word Jim! she called weakly. which would give life to her, until his mind that he might use them. As of the loss, but it wTas an unusually arms hung limp and effortless and quickly the thought passed from him A gust of wind slammed the door. fine watch and I valued it much more men fell exhausted upon the deck They would only prolong their misery than are where the $300 it cost. The manager of Jim, you? when others took their turns at the a little longer, and the woman he She drew herself up on an elbow, the hotel, whom I consulted, advised shuddered as Svenson he all those them above And what pictured pumps. frightened, and saw the water run- me against reporting the theft. He had worked and urged and cursed few minutes of life battling in the sea said that the local pickpockets opning black and ugly on the floor. those whose nerve began to fail them, would mean for her. The end would in gangs, and that within an erated Jim Jim Jim until, when the last minute seemed come easier in the cabin. In the last hour after being taken the watch was A man sprang through the door. It rush of minute she would understand, and riding on each white-crestesome other city. This did in probably the sea, something broke within him, would love him for it. So he passed was Connoly. He wrapped her close not sound well to me, so I hunted up and he turned in his despair to the out, closing the door carefully behind to his wet breast, and the laugh that the United States resident consul and fell from his lips was filled with an boats. It was Svenson now who him, and scanned the deck for Flick. narrated my story to him. He gave insane joy. Over his shoulder, stand- me For a few moments he listened for rushed to the falls. In an instant Conprecisely the same advice as the the sound under his feet. But he ing in the doorway, the woman saw hotel man. Still unpersuaded I called noly was among the men. heard and felt only the jarring of Flick. on the chief of police. That official Had quite a time of it, but its all was he the ship which came of the seas You cant live in that, sea! polite, but he wanted me to deover sweetheart! now, whispered her. his With shouted. I was willing to eyes the $100 Fight it out another hour, pounding against Where do you think the posit I saw noreward on Flick he went to the midship hatch Connoly. men one more hour! Day. advantage in this and old tub is? Couldnt guess, eh? Well, old him Id think it over. The schooner rode more easily now. and thrust an arm through the hole shes settled as soundly as the Rock That evening the hotel manager She had settled until the resistance that had been made for a pump. He of on the Thunder somewhere Ages did not to water touch The as expect as was solid told me of an American who Rad been she gave to the sea to fight her off, but shore! Tried bay fact he that did him to his ramrobbed of $1,000 and who brought that of a mass of steel, and the we couldnt do it. Now all weve got recently feet as had bitten sent though had sides something of $200 in advance with the her up only jarring put ming to do is to eat and sleep until somewas still waiting for who and throes through her timbers, as him. Flick had seen him, and stood police body comes to pull us off. Eh, huddled out of of the sheets thousand-toof touched his money. He had just a the spray recovery weight though Flick? that shot over as the was his mind bow, struck. time she that hed like to made each watching her gently up on had Flick Out gone. with if the deck, of man the from his back a sudden sight $200, but the Roman poA few minutes more, rising get sweep to outface turned the his indistinct his knees was curious and lice refused, saying they must have interesting. of water over the rail, and Connoly line of the shore, and the gleams of time. knew that she would go down, quietly Connoly beckoned to him. A great shudder ran through the sunlight bursting through the ragged and without sensation, but with merNo Parting There. If she had possessed a clouds, he bowed his gray head and He turned toward schooner. ciful quickness. I havent seen Billinger for what No, little he could have softly whispered the cabin, and at the threshold of the tight hold Connoly would Does he still part his hair in of the remember Lords Prayer. years. door that led to where the woman lay thought that she had struck a rock. the middle? he paused for an instant and fought The leeward drift that had won these He cant. Noise. for the strength that he knew he last hours of existence for her against Has his hair gone? Natur duz awl her big and little jobs would need. Then he opened it and the rushes of the sea seemed suddento parts unknown. Yes, entered. At the end of the room a ly stopped, as if she had steadied her- without making enny furse; the earth woman lay upon a cot, her strangely self for the final engulfment. Connoly goes around the sun, the moon Nothing New. He changes, the eklipses, and the polly-wowhite face turned expectantly toward turned and ran for the cabin. You hear many strange things told the door. As Connoly came through heard Flicks cry behind him and silently and tailessly, bekums a life. of Many of them are exaggerata she smiled, and her beautiful eyes caught glimpse of the little man as frog, but man kant even deliver a are untrue. There isnt ed, many he staggered out of the mess forward. small sized 4th ov July orashun withbrightened with a glad light. a in life that is really deal great It has seemed so long, Jim, she But it was too late to stop, even to out knocking down a mountain or two, same old story, and the Its strange. said, her voice rising barely above a give a last word to Flick. Over his and turning up three or four primeval to wonderful the young. AtchiThe storm frightens me. shoulder he saw the starboard rail forests by the bleeding rutes. Josh only whisper. son Globe hidden in a mass of seething water, Billings. But its quieter now. isnt it? THE LAST MOMENT ll Old-Worl- l, vice-presiden- light-fingere- gray-bearde- d h water-blistere- d fever-stricke- d panic-stricke- n n g, . I . |