The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-06
CUAPTER XIV
Az EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.


CHAPTER XIV
AN EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.
While sat smoking my pipe il entered my
head TO presently turn those two silent gentle.
men i'm the cabin out of it, 1t was task
from which shrank, hut it must hc done
To be candid, | dreaded the effects OF their
dismal compapionship on my spirit But
how was TO dispose of them, | meditated
this matter while | smoked First | thought
would drag them to the assure or rent in
the ice Just beyond the stern of the schooner
and tumble them into it, But even then
they would still be with me- SO TO speak-I
mean they would be neighbors, though ont
Of sight; and my eagerness vas 10 get them
away from this island altogether, which was
| only 20 I've done by casting them into the sea.
| settled my scheme thus: First, | was 10
haul the figures rs best could oh 10 the
deck. then, there being three. to get them
over the side, and afterward, by degrees, to
| transport the four Of them TO somo steep,
/ whence they would slide of themselves into
/ the ocean. Yet 50 much did | dread the
Undertaking, and abhor the thought Of the
| tedious time foresaw it would occupy me-
/ that ! cannot imagine any other sort Of
/ painful and distressing work that would not
have seemed actually agreeable as compared
with this
My pipe being smoked OUT, stepped into
| the cabin and ascending the ladder threw
of the companion cover and opened the
doors, and then went 80 the man that had his
/ back to the steps-but M courage failed me;
/ he was 30 life like, there was SO wild and
fierce az earnest1ess in the expression OF his
face So inimitablc picture of horror in his
starting posture, that my hands fell to my
side and / could not lay hold OF him ! Will
not stop TO analyze my fear or ask why,
since | knew that this man was dead he
should have terrified me as surely no living
man could: can only repeat that the pros
pect OF touching him, and laying him upon
the deck and then dragging him up the lad
der, was indescribably fearful TO me, and
turned awey shaking as if ] had the ague.
But it had to be done, nevertheless; and
after great deal OF reasoning and sclf-re-
proach 1 seized him on a sudden, and kicking
away the bench let him fall 10 the deck He
was frozen as hard az stone and fell like
stone, and looked to see him break, as 4
statue might that falls lumpshly His arms
remaining raised put him into an attitude Of
cntreaty to INC TO leave him in peace, but
had somewhat mastered myself, and the
hurry and tumu,t OF my spirits wero a Kind
on hot temper, so catching him by the c).lu
dragged him 20 the foot Of the companion
steps, and then, with infinite labor and
number OF sickeuing pauscs, hauled him up
IA. ladle ID the deck.
le- him .Ic and returned wcary and ont
OF breath. He had been a very tine man in
life--0i beauty. too, as was 10 be seen in the
shape C. his features and Tire particular e.e-
ganco Of his chin, despite the distortion Of uii
last unspeakGble dlsmay; and with iis clothes
| guessed his weight came hard upon 200
p0unds-no mean burden to haul up a ladder
went 20 the cook house for a dram and e.
rest myself. and then came back u the cabin
aud looked at the other man His posture
has been already described. He male a very
burly figure in his coat, and if his weight diu
not exceed the others 1t was not likely % bc
less. Nothing OF his head was visible but
the badness on the top and the gro~th of
hair that ringed it, and the tiutiing mp oi his
beard about his arms, IN which his face was
suns ! touched his beard witha shud icrlns
finger and noted that the frost hal made
every hair OF it as st.R as wire Il would
not DO TO stand idly contemplating him, for
already there was slowly creeping ia,o me
dread Of seeing his face SD | took hold OF
him AMI swaved him from the table, AMI be
fell upon ~, deck sideways pre.eryng .l7
rosturr, 30 that bis face remained hidden.
dragged him a little way, hut ie"l hn1vy