San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-05-21
CHAPTER Y.
A HOPELESS CASE.


A HOPELESS CASE.
The first person Annie encountered on
the deck was Cargill and for an instant she
shrank from him, clutching the top of the
cabin stair to prevent herself from falling
| backward. He held out his hand to aid
her; but she recovered herself without TAX
| ing the preferred hand.
During the time Of danger the most ter
| rOrstricken face of all on board had been
that of Cargill. He graSped the nearest rope
of the rigging and chung to it as if he were
already drowning, and this was the last
straw of hope. His fiabby cheeks grew yell
low, and his fishy eyes started in his head
more prominent than ever. He had never
contemplated the possibility of a wreck.
When the danger was over he was the first
to recover his equanimity, and to pretend
that he had not been at all disturbed by the
incident.
He lit cigar, and whilst apparently look
ing on at the hustle which preceded the ar
rival in port he lowered about the cabin
skylight and the stair, wishing to go down,
and, for some reason, unable to do so, strain
ing his ears to catch any sound that might
come from below. He heard nothing.
He advanced to the captain several times,
as if to speak, but saw that he would receive
very little grace if he attempted it. Then
he walked back to the cabin Skylight and
lowered about it as before. But when they
were fast in port he met the captain on his
way to the cabin, told him of the dram he
had given to Ross, with many expressions
of regret at the almost fatal consequence,
and taking his full share of blame At the
same time he offered his flask to the cap
tain, who very willingly took dram whilst
saying
1T was foolish thing for you to do,
though kindly meant; but it was a-weel,
We'll ma say nae mair about that. | dinna
want to be in a passion when gang doom to
him. I'm ma gaun to prosecute him, as
might do; but out O. this boat he goes this
minute, if he has to be carried out"
Don't be too hard on him, captain. He
must have had drop before that he did not
take into account. One glass could never
have had such an effect upon him."
He maun hae had a guild wheen draps
afOre-cOnfOOnd him-fOr you see Ihae taen
big dram the moo, and Pm heap the bet
ter OF, instead o. being the waur. But that's
ma to the purpose. He had nae right to touch
onything when he was on duty"
'All the same, captain; for your own sake
uOn De nara on nlln.
"Oh, Pm ma gaun to be hard on him, as
hae told you. haze had over muckle liking
for him for that. I'll manage quiet enough;
but we maun get him ashore; | Gamma thOle
to hae him near me-"
So the captain went below, and CaTgill,
as before, lowered about the cabin, and thus
encountered Annie when she rushed up
from below.
DO you want anything-can get it for
yOu?' he asked eagerly.
"Na-yes-thank yOu," she said excitedly,
and with little confusion. "Wait a min
ute."
She passed him and ran to the bow, where
the men stood in group, talking and smok-
ing. As there was to be no discharge of
cargo till the following day, they were all
taking their ease and discussing the strange
events of the passage.
81 want you to go down to the cabin,
Jock" she said, touching the arm of thick
set, grey-bearded man, land bide with Bob
Ross he is not WELL"
You're flashing yourself over muckle
about him, missy" (that was her name on
board the MeTmaid); 'but Pll do your bid
ding"
Il tell you all, he is not we'll; he was not
fou."
That's just what was saying" asserted
sturdy fellow named Campbell-the same
who had been the lookout at the moment
of peril, ''for he was speaking to me nahalf
an hour afore he put the wheel wrang, and
lie was as sober as a judge"
The man said this doggedly having Just
been cOntending with much opposition from
his mates.
'You are right, Campbell" said Annie,
grateful to find some one who agreed with
her. She had been much disappointed by
the manner in which Jock Burns had obey
ed her; for she had counted upon him as
Ross friend, and found that he, too shared
the common belief regarding the cause of
the pilots blunder.
go you up to the town and fetch the best
doctor you can find that will come immedi-
ately."
Then she went back to Cargill, who was
waiting for her with every appearance of
stold patience in his general bearing; but
the fish eyes rolled restlessly between the
shore and the group Of men to whom she
had been speaking.
1t was the late glOamlng-the hour when
sea and land appear most beautiful, touch
ed by the saddest, sweetest, most myster-
ious lights and shades. Voices and all
sounds seem hushed, and the restless plash
of the sea is like the low Groom of mother
singing a lullaby. The shadows deepen
slowly, and by-and-by all is hushed and yet
not dark.
Suddenly there comes glory in the sky;
great shafts Of lights Of many cOlOrs, like
straight rainbOws, dart across it through
white streams, and the eyes are filled with
wonder.
This is the first time have seen the
Northern Lights, Miss Murray" said Car
gill as he advanced to meet her; land they
are certainly admirable"
"Ay, they are fine" she answered grave
ly, checking the inclination she felt to show
her dislike for his conventional expression
OF admiration; I'VE who have seen them be-
fore believe they are something more than
admirable-we cannot put our wonder into
words"
THAT is exactly how feel" he answer
ed, evidently quite unconscious Of the re-
buke conveyed in her simple words. But
remarkable as these phenomena are, will
you believe 1t, there Is something which oc-
cupies my mind so much at present that
am unable to give them proper attention."
"Indeedp
ITO b 0ontintskl