Wild Norene/Chapter 4

HE noon hour found the steam-schooner Amingo on the broad sea far off the coast, her nose pointed to the south, the Oregon shore half obscured by a fog.

Connor had gone to the forecastle, at Captain's Bill's orders, to remove the irons from Morgan and, after delivering a lecture, send him on deck. He made the most of the opportunity and told Morgan all that had transpired; an attempt to outwit Captain Adams was decided upon, and both were to apply their minds to inventing ways and means.

There would be safety for several days, for the captain would keep his word, they knew, and make no move to harm Connor until the end of the voyage.

It was at this time that two members of the crew, climbing over the lumber lashed to the deck, discovered the stowaway.

The stowaway was a woman.

Captain Adams's eyes bulged with surprise as the two men led her across the deck toward him. She was tall and shapely, dressed in serviceable clothing, and had no hat. Her hair was disheveled and flying in the breeze.

She made no attempt at resistance, but walked forward proudly, not even trying to shake off the men who grasped her arms and urged her on.

The brow of Captain Bill was wrinkled in thought; he told himself he had seen the woman before. The men led her up to him, and her eyes met his unflinchingly.

"Stowaway, cap'n," one of the men said, grinning. "She was hidden between two piles of lumber."

"Go forward!"

The men obeyed, turning frequently to look back at the woman, who remained standing in front of the skipper, waiting for him to speak.

A woman stowaway was unusual, and any sort of a stowaway was a rarity aboard the Amingo.

"Well?" the skipper demanded.

The woman put her hands behind her back and regarded him without apparent emotion.

"How did you come aboard?" Captain Adams asked.

"I took a small boat and rowed out to the schooner this morning about three o'clock. I understood you would sail before daylight, so I had no time to lose. I caught a line under the bow-sprit, and made my way to the deck and hid in the lumber. I let the boat drift out to sea."

"It is rather unusual for a woman to do such a thing. Why did you do it?"

"I had good reasons."

"You live in Astoria?"

"I've been living there for some time."

"Running away from the police?"

The girl's face flushed as she replied:

"I have done nothing to put the police on me, sir."

"I guess you'll have to explain. When a woman does what you have done—sneaks aboard a vessel—there must be some compelling reason. There isn't much charity for stowaways. Do you know where this vessel is going?"

"No, sir."

"What? I supposed, naturally, you wanted to get to a certain port and had no money. Why, in Heaven's name, did you stow away on a craft whose destination is unknown to you?"

"I'm not anxious to get to any certain port," she said, "and I have plenty of money. I can pay my passage."

She reached in the front of her waist and drew out a roll of bills, and a small bag filled with silver and gold coins.

"This isn't a passenger vessel," said the captain. "And if you wanted to sail with us and had money, why didn't you see me about it, instead of playing stowaway?"

"You'd not have given me passage, would you?"

"I scarcely think so."

"That's why I sneaked aboard in the way I did. I was determined to sail on this vessel and none other."

"Seems like I've seen you some place before."

"You no doubt have, sir. I've been playing the piano in a certain resort in Astoria. My name is Sally Wood."

"Ah! I remember now. Your story was told to me last night. I think I am more than justified in asking you for an explanation now. You don't know where we are bound, but were determined to sail with us. Why?"

"You say you've heard my story?"

"Yes."

"Then you know that I've been working—where I have—in order to get money quickly. And you know for what reason?" "To trail the man who married you and deserted you, I was told."

"The man who stole my father's savings and left us penniless," she added. "Last night I saw that man. That's why I'm aboard this vessel. He is a member of your crew."

"A member of my crew!" the captain cried. "Prove that, girl, and convince me your story is true, and I'll manhandle him myself."

"I will take care of him," she said. "I always thought I'd kill him when I found him. Now I'm not so sure but what I'll make him suffer first. I don't know how it's to be done, but I'll find a way. Just let me pay passage, so I can be near him and watch. I'll not create a disturbance aboard your ship."

"You'll pay no passage!" the captain exclaimed. "If I've got a man like that aboard this ship I want to know it, and I'll help you punish him. Who is he?"

"Your mate, sir."

"What?"

"He was fighting last night, and I recognized him just as the fight was over. I learned he was your mate and discovered that you had ordered your men aboard. I knew you meant to sail immediately. I got my money, changed clothes, left the place where I was employed, and boarded the schooner. Now I want to meet him face to face."

The captain looked away across the sea for a moment, then back at her. She was watching his face, waiting for his answer.

"I'm afraid you've made a mistake, girl," he said.

"Do you think I don't know the man who wrecked my life, helped send my father to his grave?"

"I didn't mean a mistake in that way. You say he fought in the resort?"

"You saw the fight, for I saw you watching. He was fighting with Jack Connor. He sneaked away like the coward he is."

"You mean Riney, then?"

"His name was Wood when I married him. The man I mean has a scar on his face."

"He didn't sneak away because he was afraid to continue the fight, for my men won," said the captain. "He sneaked away because he saw me there—because he knew I had discovered he was a man not to be trusted. He sneaked away so I couldn't get my hands on his worthless throat—"

"And now you've—you've punished him?" she asked. In her eyes was the fear that she would not have a chance for vengeance; that the captain had taken that chance away from her.

"I've had no chance to punish him," Captain Adams said. "He's deserted the ship, girl. I've got a new mate, though I had a deuce of a time getting him. My new mate is the man who thrashed Riney—Jack Connor."

"Oh!" There was surprise in her voice at this last statement of the captain's.

Then realization of her position came to her.

"So he has escaped me, too!" she cried. "I've stowed away to get him, and he's behind in Astoria laughing, and I'm aboard this ship bound for—Heaven knows where!"

Captain Adams patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry, girl," he said. "It isn't as bad as you think. I've a good notion that the man you want will meet up with you soon. I'm pretty sure he's on a craft that's going to follow us down the coast. You just make yourself comfortable aboard. It'd do me good to see you meet him, and I'll arrange it if I can. My niece is aboard, and she'll be company for you. And there is Jack Connor, too."

The captain chuckled as another thought came to him. "It is fortunate Connor is my new mate," he said. "I think he likes you, girl."

Her face flashed crimson as the captain looked at her. He had remembered what Guerrero had said—that this woman loved Jack Connor. If she thought Connor returned her affection she'd pay considerable attention to him. It would prove another barrier between Connor and Norene.

Captain Adams didn't think another barrier was needed, but it was better to be on the safe side.

It happened that at that moment Connor and Morgan came from the forecastle. Connor and Sally Wood faced each other across six feet of deck.

"You?" Connor gasped. "For the love of Heaven, Sally, what are you doing here?"

"She came to find her husband, the man who deserted her," the captain said. "Riney was the man."

"Then I'm doubly glad I smashed him! But you missed him—you are here, and he has remained behind."

"She played stowaway to get at him," the captain said. "Two of the men found her among the lumber piles forward. There's nerve for you. We'll take care of her, Connor, and if Riney follows on that fool gunboat we'll see that she meets him face to face and makes him uncomfortable. Take her below and see that she has something hot to eat."

"Thank you, sir," Connor replied.

Sally Wood staggered as she started forward, and Connor threw an arm about her and helped her across the deck.

Wild Norene came from below just in time to see them. She stood to one side as they passed. Connor gave her no attention; he was bending over Sally Wood and talking to her in a low tone.

Wild Norene's face flushed and she hurried across to her uncle.

"Who is that woman?" she asked. "What is she doing here?"

The captain laughed.

"She's a stowaway, niece. The men found her behind a lumber pile. She crept aboard at Astoria just before we sailed."

"But—"

"She was afraid I'd not take her as a passenger, and she was determined to sail on the Amingo. That's why she stowed away. Interested in the mate."

"Interested in the mate," Norene repeated, looking in the direction Connor and Sally Wood had taken. "What sort of a woman—"

"She's a musician. She played the piano in the place where Riney and Connor had the fight last night.

"Oh!" There was deep scorn in Norene's voice. "Both interested in this girl, I imagine. Perhaps that's why they fought; the fight seemed to start over nothing at all."

"Oh!" she gasped again.

It flashed over her mind that here was the reason Jack Connor had agreed so promptly to thrash Riney, and without asking questions as to why he should be thrashed. She had thought he was fighting for her—and he had been fighting for this woman!

Wild Norene said nothing more to her uncle, but turned and went forward to stand near the rail and look ahead at the tossing sea.

Captain Bill Adams chuckled. Let Jack Connor win Norene now, if he could!