Then the man and
woman passed around a corner of the building, the loungers peering
curiously after them.
A little later Spear observed the gambler issue forth alone and journey
rapidly toward the landing dock. He noted that a strange ship rode at
anchor. It must have come within the hour, he decided. Impelled by
curiosity, he descended in McTurpin's wake.
"What ship is that?" he asked of Leidesdorff.
"I haven't learned her name. She's from the north coast with a lot of
sick men. They've the scurvy and flux, I'm told. Dr. Jones has
gone aboard."
"I wonder what McTurpin's doing at the ship?" said Spear. "He'll get no
gambling victims out of ailing seamen."
"It's something else he wants, I fancy," said Bob Ridley, coming from
the dock toward them. "He's looking for a preacher--"
"Preacher?" cried the other men in unison.
"Yes," responded Ridley. "Aleck's going to be married, the sly dog. And
since the padres will have nothing to do with him, he's hard pressed.
Perhaps the wench is a stickler for proprieties," he laughed. "Someone
told him there was a sky pilot aboard the ship!"
* * * * *
Inez Windham removed her veil.
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