Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-28
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CHAPTER x.

.,.... - ... - :. 49,
,, ~ o''ei " . -.
eouiu Ste' Al l wahteei 70 uSe !" must nrsS
scrape away the snow; out unhapphy mao
left my knife In the boat, and was without
any instrument that would servo me to scrapo
with. / thought Of breaking the beer bottle
that was in my pocket and scratching with o
piece of tho glass; but before doing this IL
occurred TO me TO search the body on tho
starboard side.
approached him as II he were alive and
murderously fierce, and own did not like
to touch him. He resembled the figure Of
giant nodded in snow: In life he must havs
been six feet and half tall. The snow had
blooted him, and though he leaned he stood a.
high as ], who was Of a tolerable stature. Tho
snow was on his beard and mustache and on
his hair; but these features were merged ant
compactcd into tho snow on his coat, and ss
his cap came low and was covered with snow
too, he, with tho little fragment OF counte-
nance that remained-the flesh whereof had
the color and toughness OF the skin Of drum
that has been well bcaten--submitted as ter.
rible an object as mortal sight ever rested
on. say did not like to touch him, and
one reason was feared he would tumble:
and though 1 know not why should have
dreaded this, yet the apprehension OF it SO
worked in mo that for some time 1t held mo
idly staring at him.
But could not enter the cabin without
first scraping the snow from the companion
door; and the cold, after had stood few
moments inactive, was SO bitter as TO set mo
craving for shelter. So put my hand upon
the body, and discovered It, as might have
foreseen, frozen to the hardness OF steel. His
coat-if may call that coat which reseni-
bled q robc OF snow-fell to within few
inches of the deck Steadying the body with
one hand, heartily tweaked the coat with
the other, hoping thus to rupture the ice upon
it-in doing which 1 slipped and fell on my
back, and in falling gave convulsive kick,
which, striking the feet OF the figure, dis
lodged them from their frozen hold OF the
deck, and down 1t fell with mighty bang
alongside of me, and with loud cracking
noise like the rending OF sheet OF silk.
was not hurt and sprang to my feet with
tho alacrity Of fright, and looking at the body
saw that 1t had managed by its fall much
better than my hands could have compassed;
for the snow shroud was cracked and crum-
bled, slabs of it had broken away, leaving
tho cloth OF tho coat visible; and what best
pleased me was the sight OF the end OF
hanger, forking out from the skirt OF the coat.
Yet to come at 1t SO as to draw the blade
from its scabbard required an fntolerable ex-
ertion of strength. The clothes on his body
were indeed like q suit OF mail. l never
could have believed that frost served cloth
50. AT last managed 10 pun the coat clear
Of the hilt OF tho hanger; the blado was
stuck, but after had tugged bit 1t slipped
out, and found 1t q good piece OF steel.
The corpse was habited in jack boots,
coat OF coarse, thick cloth ilncd with nannei;
under this kind OF blouse or doublet OF red
cloth, confined by belt with leathern loops
for pistols. His apparel gave mo no clew to
tho age he belonged to; it was no better, in
deed, than sort OF masquerading attire-as
though tho fashions OF more than ono coun-
gone to the habting of him. Ho looked q
burly, immense creature, as he lay upon tho
deck in tho same bent attitude In which he
had stood at the rail; and so dreadful was his
face, with q singular diabolical expression Of
leering malice, caused by the lids Of his eyes
being half closed, that having taken one peep
had no mind to repeat it, though was
above ten minutes wrestling with his cloak
and hanger before had the weapon fair in
my hand.
] walked to the companion, and fell to
scraping the snow away from it. TWAS like
scratching ut mortar between bricks. But
worked hard and presently, with tho point
of the hanger, felt the crevice twixt the door
and the jamb after which it was not long be-
fore had carved the door out Of its plate of
ice and snow.
toiled on, and having cleared the door Of
the snow that bound it, 1 price, 1t apart with
the hanger and then dragged Mt it; but tho
snow on the deck would not let it open far,
and rs there was room for me to squeeze
through did not stop to scrape tho obstruc-
tion away.
A flight of steps sank into the darkness of
the interior, and cold, strange smell floatcd
up. with something of a dry earthiness Of
favor aI.i mingling of leather and timber,
fell back a pace to let as much OF this smell
e1hale as would before ventured into an at.
mosphere that had been hermeticaiiy bottled
by the ice IN that cabin since the hour when
this little door was last closed. Superstition
was active IN me again, ana, when peereo
into the blackness at the bottom OF the hatch
felt as might schoolboy on the thresnoic
OF haunted room in which he Is to be locked
UP as punishment.
Iput my foot on the ladder and descended
very slowly indeed.
On reaching the bottom remained stand
ing close against the ladder, STRIVING 10 se'
into what manner OF place ! was arrived
Inc glare OF the "hiteness Oh ,he oecks ah'
rocks hunS upon my eyes hke kiiu
blindness charged WIN iires OF several colors
ana could not OBTAIN the iainOest shuipse
any part OF TINS hterior outside the sphere
the little square OF hazy iight "hich iay uPo'
the deck at the loot Oh the steps. Inc aark
ness, indeed, was 50 deep that conciude'
this was no more than narrow wei, iorihe,
OF bulkheads, and that the cabin was beyond
and led to by door In the buikhead.
10 test this conjecture extended my arm
In a groping posture and stepped pace ioi
ward' ieehng 10 right ana ieit' til, laVm
gone hve or SIX PAGES from inc iadder, N
fingers touched something cold, ana Ieellh
1t, passed my naha Gown What INSTANT