Wild Norene by Johnston McCulley

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Wild Norene by Johnston McCulley Page 12

by Monte Herridge


  “Connor is the man you want. He’s

  down to bedrock this man Jack Connor

  your filibuster. Punish him for it, and

  pitched into Riney for some reason and

  welcome, for he made my ship a dishonest

  beat him up. Riney saw me watching him,

  vessel in spite of me. You can take the rest

  and I think he guessed I was on to him, for

  of us to Mazatlan for trial, if you want. I

  he sneaked away.

  can prove my innocence. Question the

  “Then this man Connor told me he

  crew, if you like!”

  would act as my mate until we got to

  Garza grinned again.

  Mazatlan, then run back to this, cove on

  “That story doesn’t sound good.”

  some little boat. I was to deduct regular

  “Why did you find me bound then?

  mate’s wages from what I charged him for

  Why wouldn’t I be on deck putting up a

  handling his machinery. I was anxious to

  fight? You know my history. Do you think

  sail, and I took him up.”

  you’d have taken this ship so easily if I’d

  “Well?”

  been running guns?”

  “Let me get this straight now,” said

  “There’s something in that,” the

  Wild Norene

  47

  Mexican officer said.

  “Girl!” the captain screeched.

  He turned and looked at Connor.

  “It’s true—true! You sha’n’t have

  “What have you to say?” he an innocent man executed! You must face demanded.

  your crime yourself! I’m telling the truth,

  Connor had been thinking swiftly.

  senor,” she added, facing Garza again.

  Captain Bill had plotted well. He could

  “Ask Guerrero—he has no reason to hate

  send Connor before an execution squad.

  this man, but he has reason to hate my

  “I’ve nothing to say,” Connor uncle now, because he failed to land the growled.

  cargo. Go back to the States and find who

  “You admit it is true?”

  bought the arms and cartridges!”

  “I’m not talking! “

  She was sobbing as she spoke, for

  Garza faced Captain Bill again.

  she began to realize the consequences of

  “If this is true, I am glad for your

  what she was saying.

  sake,” he said. “But I’m not certain.”

  Connor

  realized,

  too, with horror.

  Connor was still thinking. Either he

  The girl was freeing him, but condemning

  would pay the penalty, else Captain Bill

  her uncle—and perhaps herself.

  and Norene would pay it. He didn’t care for

  “Girl—girl!

  You’ve

  just killed me!”

  Captain Bill, but Norene was innocent; had

  said Captain Bill, surprise and horror in his

  been horrified when she discovered what

  voice.

  her uncle was doing.

  Garza was looking at him

  Perhaps there’d be some chance of

  searchingly.

  escape after Captain Bill got Norene and

  “This matter can be investigated

  the Amingo away.

  and the guilt fixed,” he said. “I think,

  “It’s up to me!” he told Garza Captain Adams, that your little plot has suddenly. “What the captain, says is true.

  been in vain.”

  But you haven’t executed me yet by a long

  Captain Adams cursed, cursed his

  shot—”

  niece, cursed Connor, cursed the Mexican

  “So!” Garza cried, “Iron him, men!

  officer and his men, and Senor Guerrero

  He’s tried to run guns for the last time!”

  most of all.

  Two of the men started toward

  “Silence!” Garza commanded, and

  Connor.

  called a subordinate to him. “Take charge

  Norene, her face white, stepped of this schooner and follow the gunboat to before him. Connor never forgot how she

  Mazatlan. A squad here! Bind these

  looked just then.

  prisoners well and have them taken aboard

  “Wait!” she cried. “It isn’t true! My

  the gunboat. Watch the captain carefully,

  uncle has lied to you! He alone is guilty!

  and have his guard a double one. Senor

  “Wait—listen to me! He Connor, too. And the girl—

  shanghaied this man in Astoria—

  “Take the girl aboard the gunboat,

  shanghaied him, and one of his friends, too.

  but keep her in irons. She’s as bad as her

  This man had spoken lightly of me. My

  uncle. She’s known in every port. She’s

  uncle swore he’d punish him for it. slippery as an eel.”

  Guerrero tied my uncle, at his orders. My

  Two of the men caught Connor just

  uncle admitted to me what he was going to

  as he launched himself at the Mexican

  do—that he was going to send this man to

  officer.

  his death, and go free himself.”

  “Watch the girl closely!” Garza

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

  48

  went on, ignoring the American. “I don’t

  of a trial in Mazatlan. With the country in

  know why she’s turned against the captain,

  such a state, the trial would be over and

  but that makes no difference. You all heard

  they’d be executed before a United States

  her testimony here. We’ll make her repeat

  consul could even make a protest.

  it—and it’ll send her uncle before a firing

  But he held Wild Norene in his

  squad. Lively, now!”

  arms for the moment, and that was because

  “You dare lay hands on me?”

  she sought a refuge in her grief, not

  Norene had ceased her weeping. because of love. Even as he thought these Her tiny hands were clenched at her sides,

  things she drew away from him and stood

  her eyes blazed.

  in the circle of Mexicans, watching Garza’s

  “You curs!” she cried. “I accused

  squad smash in the tops of the cases.

  my uncle to save an honest man, not

  She tried to explain to herself why

  because I hated my father’s brother. And

  she had not let Connor be taken to his death

  he’s a better man than any five of you!

  while her uncle escaped. What was Connor

  He’s an American and I’m an American,

  to her?

  and you can punish us for such an offense

  She answered herself that she had

  if we are guilty—but you’ll treat us done it because of the dread of seeing an decently until we’re proved so!

  honest man suffer for the crime of

  “You’re going too fast, my fine another—and because she had real love for Mexican officer—entirely too fast aboard

  her uncle after all, that he was her ideal,

  an American ship. We have a right to stop

  and she didn’t want that ideal shattered,

  here and land cargo, haven’t we?”

  didn’t want her uncle to lower himself by

  “Scarcely, when that cargo is putting the blame on another.

  contraband of such a nature, my
dear young

  It was over now, she thought.

  lady,” Garza smilingly reminded her.

  Prison, perhaps death—at least for her

  “We’re lost, I suppose. But we’ll

  uncle and his crew, and perhaps for herself.

  bother you as much as we can!” she went

  Or, if she escaped, there would be endless

  on. “You’ll take every step in a legal years to remember that she had condemned manner! Perhaps, before you remove us to

  her father’s brother with her words—the

  the gunboat, you’d better be sure the cargo

  man who had been like a second father to

  is contraband. Not all-of us will be her.

  executed—and the man who is not you

  A cry from Garza caused all to turn

  may be sure will see that you suffer if

  toward him. The lid of the first case was

  every step is not legal.”

  off. Here were no rifles, no cartridges—

  Garza, smiling, bowed before her

  here were chunks of scrap iron, stones,

  with fine sarcasm.

  packed with heavy paper!

  “Very well, senorita,” he said. “A

  A smothered oath came from the

  squad! Smash in those cases and we’ll have

  Mexican.

  a look. If you’ll pardon me, senorita, I was

  “Smash them in—all of them!” he

  about to do so, to make the evidence sure.”

  commanded in his own language.

  She turned toward her uncle,

  They waited in consternation—

  weeping, but he repulsed her.

  Captain Bill, Norene, Connor, Morgan and

  Connor clasped her in his arms. It

  the crew.

  was all foolery, he knew. They’d be taken

  Case after case was opened—all

  aboard the gunboat, there would be a farce

  scrap iron and heavy paper and stones!

  Wild Norene

  49

  Some one laughed hoarsely. Some one searchlight died out. Captain Bill Adams cursed.

  roared out an order, and men sprang to

  It was a miracle, almost. Norene

  touch match to the lights of the Amingo.

  had not known. She had spoken as she did

  Forgetting the predicament, the

  without reason, on the verge of hysteria.

  certain death he had faced, Captain Bill

  Garza ordered his men below—but

  was himself again.

  they found no contraband.

  “’Tend to the wounded!” he roared.

  “I scarcely think you’ll trouble us

  “And bless the swindlers that sold the junta

  further,” Norene said to him when he scrap iron for rifles!”

  returned to the deck. “By the way, you and

  Connor stretched his cramped

  your men in the Mexican service are on the

  muscles and made his way from the

  deck of a ship flying the United States flag.

  forecastle to the deck. He had been

  You’ve fired a shot across our bows, dressing a bad wound in Morgan’s leg. The attacked our crew, seized the ship. The

  Amingo was on her way again, and day had

  United States government shall hear of broken, and the sea danced in the sunshine.

  this!”

  The Mexican coast was red with

  Captain Bill Adams, coming from

  poinsettias. In the distance the gunboat

  his lethargy, suddenly realized the steamed toward the south.

  situation.

  Wild Norene stood beside the rail,

  “Off my ship, you scum!” he looking at the distant warship.

  roared. “Into your boats! Take us to

  Connor stepped up beside her.

  Mazatlan, will you? Not without evidence!

  “Why did you do it?” he asked

  Off my ship!”

  softly. “Why didn’t you let me die, let your

  Garza was an officer who knew uncle live? You didn’t know, when you when he was whipped. He knew as well as

  spoke, that the junta had been fooled, that it

  any man that Captain Bill Adams had put

  would turn out such a farce. Why did you

  into that cove to land contraband.

  do it, Norene?”

  He wasn’t sure who was fooled—

  “I didn’t want to think my uncle

  Captain Bill or himself—but he had an

  would hide behind another man, put his

  inkling that it was both.

  guilt on another man, even if to do

  With poor grace he ordered his men

  otherwise meant his death.”

  into their boats after, releasing the

  “And that was the only reason?” he

  members of the Amingo’s crew. He would

  asked.

  have to be satisfied with Riney, a murderer,

  “That—and

  because—because—

  and with Guerrero, who was wanted on

  maybe—Wild Norene has been tamed,” she

  other charges of inciting rebellion.

  whispered.

  And down in his soul he hoped he

  And the man at the wheel whistled

  never would hear from the incident again.

  softly as she turned and went into Connor’s

  The boats pulled away. The arms in token of sweet surrender.

 

 

 


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