DOCSLIB.ORG

Sunset Voyage by Lawrence G

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sunset Voyage by Lawrence G 16 Sunset Voyage By Lawrence G. Blochman ILL ij ST RATED BY HARRY MORSE MEYERS The Story Thus Far: upper berth dismantled, and, in the weeks since the Kumo-maru had been tediously following the coast CCUSED during a senatorial investifjation of being a Japa­ line of the two Americas, he had with heavy-handed A nese agent, P. G. Bonner, a wealthy silk importer, dies under mysterious circumstances. Then, his funeral services masculine neatness created a sort of homey atmos­ over, his daughter, Dorothy, disappears. Ten days later, Glen phere. Larkin's glance was taking in the souvenirs Larkin, correspondent for the Seven Seas Newspaper Alliance, of ports of call, arranged about the cabin—Mexican receives orders in San Francisco to take passage on the Kumo- maru, upon which (unknown to America) Dorothy Bonner is pottery, Indian baskets, carved hardwoods, painted sailing. clay statuettes—when he heard the key turn in the When the boat goes through the Golden Gate, Larkin is lock. He looked up, puzzled. aboard. Also, the girl. It soon becomes evident that the young "I hope, Mr. Willowby," he said, "that your inten­ correspondent has enemies about him. Someone breaks into his luggage, searches it. He suspects his cabin-mate, General tions are strictly honorable." Rodriguez, a Peruvian; but he has no evidence against the "I wanted to speak to you privately," murmured South American. Then an insolent young person—Charles Willowby in a low voice. "It's about that wireless Frayle—goes out of his way to be disagreeable. And Larkin feels sure that others on the ship are keeping a none too business." friendly eye on him. "What about it?" One person-—a mysterious, pale-faced young man who "Do you believe what the captain said, really, bears a striking resemblance to Dorothy Bonner—puzzles about the operator being incompetent? Because some him. Apparently not on the passenger list, this young man invariably disappears, hides, whenever Larkin approaches him. people seem to be getting their messages through all Someone attacks General Rodriguez with a razor, leaves right." him lying in his stateroom, Larkin enters, picks up the razor "Who, for instance?" (lying beside the victim). As he does so, ship's officers and passengers come in, and Rodriguez (suddenly recovering con­ "General Rodriguez." sciousness and pointing at Larkin) exclaims: "Thees man ees robbing me!" But Captain Fujiwara, in command of the T ARKIN sat down on the edge of the berth. "Are Kumo-maru, accepts Larkin's story and takes no action in the •'-' you sure of that?" matter. Beasley, head of the Seven Seas San Francisco bureau, "Positive," Willowby asserted. "I saw the radio­ sends Larkin a series of radio messagef;. All are badly jumbled gram delivered to him on deck, about an hour before —Larkin is unable to read them. someone tried to kill him." Meanwhile Charles Frayle and Dorothy Bonner are meet­ "Maybe it was garbled, like mine." ing frequently. They are in love, planning to marry on ship­ board. It is Dorothy who tells Frayle of the attack on General "I think not. Anyhow, the general made enough Rodriguez. '"He says,'" she whispers, "that whoever did it sense out of it to upset him considerably." stole his Pan-American vanadium contracts. Charlie, suppose Larkin fumbled in his pocket for a cigarette, they found my copy on you? You'd better give it to me!" Frayle slips a long envelope out of a pocket, hands it to the jammed it into his mouth, but did not light it. After girl. "By the way," he says casually, "that delightful brother a moment he said slowly: of yours, that dope-eater, is aboard—without a passport. ." "I think, Mr. Willowby, that this might be a good Saying he is ill, Larkin leaves the dining saloon. Passing a stateroom, he pauses, raps. There is no response. He listens, time for that drink you mentioned." hears faint sounds as though someone is laughing—or crying. "Sorry, old man. I was almost forgetting." Wil­ lowby took a bottle from under the berth. "This is Ill Chilean brandy," he said. "Very decent stuff, really. Better than you'll get on board. Their French cognac's ARKIN reached for the knob, turned it softly. The made in Osaka. Never touch it. I shouldn't be hav­ door was locked. He heard footsteps behind him, ing any of this, as a matter of fact. Bad for my L•* released the knob, whirled, just as the steward neuralgia." brushed past with some towels on his arm. The "Suffer from neuralgia, Mr. Willowby?" steward opened the door of Staterooin "F" across the "Awfully," said Willowby. "And the sea air's bad passageway. A shrill voice called out: for it. Humid. Can't sleep nights, sometimes. How­ "Who is it? What do you want?" ever"—he raised his glass—"I can always take Through the open door Larkin had his first glimpse my medicine tomorrow. Old Doctor Bioki has a very of Mr. Jeremy Hood. Mr. Hood was a thin, wrinkled decent remedy. A few drops of aconitine in a little little man sitting up tensely in his berth. A black, water." loosely knit sweater thrown about his narrow, bent "This is better medicine," Larkin said, sniffing the shoulders gave him the appearance of an old lady in brandy. "Down the hatch." a shawl—all but his hair. Or rather his lack of hair, "Cheer-o!" said Willowby. for his almost bald pate was covered with a mouse- Larkin touched the glass to his lips. "Mellow, colored fuzz. His drawn face was pale, not with the tonic and carminative," he said. He nodded toward greenish, bilious pallor peculiar to seasickness, but a photograph stuck into the frame of the mirror above with a dead, lackluster shade of gray. Only his eyes the washbasin. It was a picture of a blond young were alive—black, vitreous, searching eyes that woman and a small, curly-headed child. "That your seemed to snap at the steward. wife and offspring, Mr. Willowby?" he asked. "Bringing careen towers," explained the steward. "Yes," said Willowby. "Handsome pair, aren't "I don't want any clean towels!" shrilled Mr. Hood. they?" "I don't want anything! If I do, I'll ring. That's what "Leave them behind in Valparaiso?" the bell's for. Now get out! .^nd stay out!" "Oh, no. I've left Valparaiso for good. I sent "Very sorry," said the steward, backing into Mrs. W. and the baby home to England for a visit, Larkin as he pulled the door shut. Larkin backed because we're going to be in the East for the next fif­ away, and in turn bumped into Willowby, who had teen years, and I shan't be having leave for five. just come out of the dining saloon. Willowby was They're joining me in Manchuria. Or Manchukuo, tamping tobacco into a brier pipe with his thumb. if you'd rather." "I say, Larkin,' said Willowby. "Are you really ill?" "I'm not particular," said Larkin. "You're bound "Sick as a dog," said Larkin. for Mukden?" "I've got just the thing for you," said Willowby. "Hsinking. Or Changchun, if you'd rather. Ad­ "No brown paper on the stomach," said Larkin, visory chemist to the Manchukuo War Ministry. "or cotton in the ears. And no lemons." Ruddy good contract, matter of fact. Bags of money. "No, no," Willowby smiled. "Drink?" Sets me up for life." "Anything," said Larkin. "You were a chemist in Valparaiso?" "Come along to my cabin, then." "Five years. Chilean Naval Arsenal. Not bad, Willowby's stateroom adjijined Larkin's, but was but nothing like the new contract." ^'Close the door!" she said in a whis­ "Well, here's to Mrs. Willowby," said Larkin, per. "And put out that light. Quick!" larger, Larkin noticed, as Willowby switched on the light. Having sole occupancj', Willowby had had the draining his brandy. PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED Collier's lot March 12, 1938 17 Suddenly he backed away, crouched down by the stern oi the liieboat. Someone was approaching "Thank you. And shall we drink to Mrs. Larkin?" "I doubt if Miss Bonner is a serious menace to the "A twinge of neuralgia?" Larkin asked Willowby. "Let's," said Larkin, extending his glass. "Wher­ peace of the world," Larkin said. "Not precisely." Willowby was doing his best to ever she may be," 'Don't you think she might be trying to worm her­ compose his features into a smile. It turned out to be Willowby set down the bottle. A grieved look self into your confidence?" a forced, worried smile. "Imagination," he said. pulled down the outer corners of his eyes. He said "What for?" Larkin asked. "Brandy, too, I fancy. But it gave me quite a start gravely: "I say, old man—I'm sorry." Willowby smiled knowingly. "Aren't you a de­ for a moment. I thought I saw Mrs. Greeve's stow­ "What are you sorry about?" asked Larkin. "Is tective?" he asked. away looking in at the porthole. Silly of me. ." the bottle empty?" "No," Larkin laughed. "Did he look like Miss Bonner?" Larkin leaned "No. Your . your wife. You speak as though "That's odd," Willowby frowned. "Mr. Shima forward eagerly. she'd run off somewhere." said there was a detective aboard." "Naturally, he would, after that conversation at "I've never had a wife," said Larkin. "Not of my "Who's Mr. Shima?" the dinner table. And after my just seeing Miss Bon­ own. I'm toasting the future." "The distinguished-looking Japanese gentleman ner's photograph.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Ou Know What Iremember About Seattle? Every Time Igot up to Bat When It's Aclear Day, I'd See Mount Rainier
    2 Rain Check: Baseball in the Pacific Northwest Front cover: Tony Conigliaro 'The great things that took place waits in the on­ deck circle as on all those green fields, through Carl Yastrzemski swings at a Gene Brabender pitch all those long-ago summers' during an afternoon Seattle magine spending a summer's day in brand-new . Pilots/Boston Sick's Stadium in 1938 watching Fred Hutchinson Red Sox game on pitch for the Rainiers, or seeing Stan Coveleski July 14, 1969, at throw spitballs at Vaughn Street Park in 1915, or Sick's Stadium. sitting in Cheney Stadium in 1960 while the young Juan Marichal kicked his leg to the heavens. Back cover: Posing in 1913 at In this book, you will revisit all of the classic ballparks, Athletic Park in see the great heroes return to the field and meet the men During aJune 19, 1949, game at Sick's Stadium, Seattle Vancouver, B.C., who organized and ran these teams - John Barnes, W.H. Rainiers infielder Tony York barely misses beating the are All Stars for Lucas, Dan Dugdale, W.W. and W.H. McCredie, Bob throw to San Francisco Seals first baseman Mickey Rocco. the Northwestern Brown and Emil Sick. And you will meet veterans such as League such as . Eddie Basinski and Edo Vanni, still telling stories 60 years (back row, first, after they lived them. wrote many of the photo captions. Ken Eskenazi also lent invaluable design expertise for the cover. second, third, The major leagues arrived in Seattle briefly in 1969, and sixth and eighth more permanently in 1977, but organized baseball has been Finally, I thank the writers whose words grace these from l~ft) William played in the area for more than a century.
    [Show full text]
  • Debut Year Player Hall of Fame Item Grade 1871 Doug Allison Letter
    PSA/DNA Full LOA PSA/DNA Pre-Certified Not Reviewed The Jack Smalling Collection Debut Year Player Hall of Fame Item Grade 1871 Doug Allison Letter Cap Anson HOF Letter 7 Al Reach Letter Deacon White HOF Cut 8 Nicholas Young Letter 1872 Jack Remsen Letter 1874 Billy Barnie Letter Tommy Bond Cut Morgan Bulkeley HOF Cut 9 Jack Chapman Letter 1875 Fred Goldsmith Cut 1876 Foghorn Bradley Cut 1877 Jack Gleason Cut 1878 Phil Powers Letter 1879 Hick Carpenter Cut Barney Gilligan Cut Jack Glasscock Index Horace Phillips Letter 1880 Frank Bancroft Letter Ned Hanlon HOF Letter 7 Arlie Latham Index Mickey Welch HOF Index 9 Art Whitney Cut 1882 Bill Gleason Cut Jake Seymour Letter Ren Wylie Cut 1883 Cal Broughton Cut Bob Emslie Cut John Humphries Cut Joe Mulvey Letter Jim Mutrie Cut Walter Prince Cut Dupee Shaw Cut Billy Sunday Index 1884 Ed Andrews Letter Al Atkinson Index Charley Bassett Letter Frank Foreman Index Joe Gunson Cut John Kirby Letter Tom Lynch Cut Al Maul Cut Abner Powell Index Gus Schmeltz Letter Phenomenal Smith Cut Chief Zimmer Cut 1885 John Tener Cut 1886 Dan Dugdale Letter Connie Mack HOF Index Joe Murphy Cut Wilbert Robinson HOF Cut 8 Billy Shindle Cut Mike Smith Cut Farmer Vaughn Letter 1887 Jocko Fields Cut Joseph Herr Cut Jack O'Connor Cut Frank Scheibeck Cut George Tebeau Letter Gus Weyhing Cut 1888 Hugh Duffy HOF Index Frank Dwyer Cut Dummy Hoy Index Mike Kilroy Cut Phil Knell Cut Bob Leadley Letter Pete McShannic Cut Scott Stratton Letter 1889 George Bausewine Index Jack Doyle Index Jesse Duryea Cut Hank Gastright Letter
    [Show full text]
  • Eddie Feigner
    BASEBALL BASEBALL Volume 1 Hank Aaron–Mark McGwire Edited by The Editors of Salem Press Special Consultant Rafer Johnson Salem Press Pasadena, California Hackensack, New Jersey Editor in Chief: Dawn P. Dawson Editorial Director: Christina J. Moose Photo Editor: Cynthia Breslin Beres Managing Editor: R. Kent Rasmussen Acquisitions Editor: Mark Rehn Manuscript Editor: Christopher Rager Page Design and Layout: James Hutson Research Supervisor: Jeffry Jensen Additional Layout: Frank Montaño and Mary Overell Production Editor: Andrea Miller Editorial Assistant: Brett Weisberg Cover photo: John Angelillo/UPI/Landov Copyright © 1992, 1994, 2002, 2010, by Salem Press All rights in this book are reserved. No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any manner what- soever or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, record- ing, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews or in the copying of images deemed to be freely licensed or in the public domain. For information, address the publisher, Salem Press, P.O. Box 50062, Pasadena, California 91115. ∞ The paper used in these volumes conforms to the American National Standard for Permanence of Pa- per for Printed Library Materials, Z39.48-1992 (R1997). Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Great athletes / edited by The Editors of Salem Press ; special consultant Rafer Johnson. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-58765-473-2 (set : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-58765-477-0 (vol. 1 baseball : alk.
    [Show full text]
  • (Iowa City, Iowa), 1943-12-21
    • 9,1943 == Ration Calendar PROCESSED FOODS .reen atamp. D, E. r. Cbook 4' cxplre Jan. 20; MEAT brown stamJII L, Iji. N. P and Partly Cloudy Q ,book 3) expire Jan. I; SUGAR stamp 21 (book 4) expires Jan. 15; S~OE .tamp (book I) and alJplane I. I_a; Cleady &lid ~er. oh .... t (book 3) valid indefinIteLY. GASOLDfI: A-' coupons expire Jan. 21; fUEL OIL per. I COIIJM)IIJ THE DAILY IOWAN wi.aIb'. ex plre Jan. 3. Iowa City's Morning Newspaper \ ~ FIVE CENTS ,.a& AUOCIARD _us IOWA CITY. IOWA TUESDAY. DECEMBER 21.1943 VOLUME XIJV NUMBER 74 e 5 ear la LIFE BEGINS ANEW IN WAR·TORN ITALIAN TOWN 70 More Villages Fall Before = Fortresses Hit Bremen; Russian OHensive From Neyel Revdlt Seizes Bolivia i ' winter· trained First. B.I· Nazi U-Boat Center Feels Severe Blow Enemies ' Call By Fighter-Accompanied U. S. Bombers LONDO (AP)-U. S. Flying Fortt'esse and Libel'atol's, aitiru New Regime by AmcI·iclln alld allied ri~hterli , phl.'ter d the northwest GerUlaD pOl'llllld U-bolll crnj('I' ot Bremrn with explosives and ineendiarie 0" in da,l'li).:ht. ,vC'sH· I·t!ay, ~hooliJlg down 42 Gorman .fightors ut 11 (1)~1 or 2!i bomb ' I'S anu e i~ht right t'S. Anti·U. S. 'I'h!' lull'sl }\IIl!'l'icllll aeJ'ial blow coillcided willi Ull llxil;.rcpoJ'll.'(1 had sttuck eill I he' Bulg-ul'iun l'apital of • 'ofia at noon, und follow'd - ~llntlIlY's Amet'icun heavy bomber attack hom Meditcl'rlineall c .
    [Show full text]
  • Download the PDF of the Baseball
    ----------THE----------- ase esearc The Nineteenth Annual HIS IS THE 17TH time (in 19 issues) that Al Historical and Statistical Review Kermisch'sresearch notes have appeared in "BRJ." of the Society for American Baseball Research T No one can match his output, and it's doubtful anyone can equal his dogged research habits either. Five days a week Kermisch, a The Union Association of 1884: A Glorious Failure, 76--year--old resident ofArlington, Virginia, commutes to the Library Joshua B. Orenstein 3 ofCongress to dig for gems and correct the record books. "Dig, dig, dig," he says. "Read, read, read until you find a note that triggers Summer of '45: Reds v. Cubs, Mike Schacht 6 something. You not only have to read the boxes but the running The Radbourn and Sweeney Saga, Jack E. Harshman 7 accounts. Andithelps togo to papers incities where the eventactually Slim Sallee's .Extraordinary Year, occurred." A.D. SuehsdorfandRichard]. Thompson 10 The discovery that leads off this edition's notes-an ailment that "Wuz You Born in Poland?" The Grover Powell Story, nearly ended the career of a young Walter Johnson-was a classic Alan Schwarz 15 Kermisch find. "When I was the unofficial Senator historian in 1966-­ Peak Career Average, Clay Davenport 18 71, I researched every game they played," he says. "I eventually Single Season Wonders, Jamie Selko 19 discovered Johnson had been out a long time in 1908, and I stcllted TVlO Leftie~, Home Gnd .A.broad, Bill Deane 21 reading the CaliflJITda l'apl~L~ lu[inJ ()tJt what was \VIUllg with hIm." When Kermisch yvas 20 years old and apparently headed for a job The Origin::l] R::lltimore Byrd, John H.
    [Show full text]