Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-02-01
A QUEER RACE.
BY WILLIAM WESTALL.
CHAPTER FOUL PLAY.

49,
The heat and burden Of the day were
over, and | had withdrawn TO my own
room to write my private letters and think
over few matters which required more
consideration than had yet been able to
give them. Ny nerves were beginning to
recover from the shock they had sustained
by the loss of the 'Niobe, p" and the cyclone
at Colon; nevertheless, the outlook was
still dark, the claims arising out of these
two disasters being exceedingly heavy, and
to meet them would tax our resources TO
the utmost. Another big loss and we
should be ''in Queer Street" The com
peny would have to suspend payment and
60 into liquidation.
The worst Of it was that as touching the
"Niobe," | had rendered myself-in q
moral sense-almost personally RESPONSE
Bile A brand-new ship, Al at LlOyd's,
owned by firm of repute, commanded by
captain Of character, and bound only to
HAVANA mere summer trip-the risk
seemed as light as well could be. | felt
myself quite justified in granting a voyage
policy Of ten thousand pounds OH the body
OF the ship, and covering her cargo for the
same amount (without particular average).
In fact, / thought that | had done an ex-
celient stroke Of business, and when one
Of the directors, IN Over-cau1ous old cur
mudgeOn, with whom | had never been
able 70 get on, suggested the expediencyof
reinsurng to the extent of a third or a
half, | was very much amused, and did not
hesitate to tell him so.
Now the laugh was on the other side
the scolding, rather, for at the last Board
meeting had got an awful wigging. All
the directors-wondrously wise after the
a IN laa
see how imprudently hal acted, and the
very men who had chafTed old Socum for
his timdity were now the loudest in blam-
ing my rashness
Even If the company weathered the
storm, it was about even betting that /
should lose my berth.
As for the Colon affair." ! was in no way
blameworthy. Nobody can foresee a cy-
clone, and both actually and relatively we
had been less severely hit than any of our
ompettOrs-quit hard enough, however,
Tor our limited capital.
But the "Niobel" So far as could learn
she had not encountered so much as a gale
OF wind all the way out; yet sprung a leak,
and went down in n calm sea Off the coast
OF Cuba; all hands saved, all the cargo lost,
except the masters ChrOnOmeter and sex
tamil
"Queer--very queert If the owners had
been less honorable, and the captain less
respectable, should almost have suspect
ed foul play Yet even honorable people
do strange things; while as for the cap
tain, did not some great authority say that
every man has his priCcy | had reason to
believe, too that both ship and cargo were
heavily ovcrinsurcd, and it was being
whispered on Change that Barnes g.
Brandyman would make n dcuccd good
thing by the loss of the "NiObe." But
what could do' The "Niobe" was not
the first ship which had foundcred in fair
weather; and To dispute the claim on
grounds that might expose me to an action
for SANDER and lay the company under
suspicion Of seeking pretcxt to evade
payment, would be both foolish and fatal
Everything seemed 30 be in order; Barnes
81 Brandyman were an honorable firm,
and that day week we must either pay or
burst "
Twenty thousand poundsl
a pleasant loOkoutl and nice row there
would he when | asked the Board to pass
the check! AS likely as not old SiuCum
would insist on suspending payment at
once; for we had contingent liabilities in
the shHpr Of Enclosed risks which might
exceed the whole of our uucallcd capital
haze arrived at this point Of my mus
ings, when there came IA knock at the door.
followed 10y Slocum, Junior; a cheeky
young rascal who, on the strength Of being
a volunteer and the son Of "a director, took
liberties and gave himself airs.
"Well2" said, tartly; for he had bounced
I'm without waiting for an invitation.
There's man in the Office wants TO see
you, and lac refuses either to give his name
or state his business only he says it is very
pressing and partcular-the business, l
mean, not the namc."
"What sort OF man Is her"
"Seafuriny; an Ancient Mariner sort OF
chap"
~ skipper"
Looks like an A. b., boatswain, cox
swain, or cook, or something Of that sort"
"Oh, | cannot bc bothered with able
bodied seamen mt this time of day. 1t is
nearly five O'Clock, and have all my let
ters to write lie must state his business
or stay, lie can see me tomorrow morn
ing at ten O'Clock"
AN right, I'll tell him But he's n
Btupid-loollinE old beEgar; don't think he
will 90 away"
In two minutes Slocum, junior was back
again; came in this time without even so
much as knocking
"1he Ancient Mariner resolutcly and
not very respectfully refuses either to state
his business or call tomorrow" said the
young fellow jnuntiIy. "Docs not care SO
ID much whether you see him or not,
but it will bcto your own loss il you don't"
felt very much disposed tOscnd the An
ctent Mariner 10 the deuce, but curiosity
getting the better Of dignity, told Socum
To show him in.
Il Thought that would fetch hmp' NUT
tered the young jaCkanapcs as he went
ont to execute my commission, which he
did 10y going to the door and shouting,
Come int"
Tho Ancient Mariner sort OF a chap
came In accordingly Though evidently of
the seafariug profession, there was very
little OF the conventional sailor about him.
He had neither hair on his face nor quid
In his check; neither shivercd his timbers
nor hitchcd up his trousers. His manner
was quiet and sSlf-posscssed, and his voice
low Che had certainly not used the coarse
expression attributed to him by Slocum);
and albeit slightly grizzled, he did not look
much above forty. The man had, more
over, genial, Eoodhumorcd counteuauce,
the high color OF which showed that he
had lately voyagcd in low attitudes. and
his clear, wide. open blue eyes bespoke both
honesty and courage.
Slocum. Junior, fingered about the door
as II he wanted to take part in the CONVEX
satiou.
"Nou may go. Mr. Slocum," | said, Sc
vercIy; and muttering something which l
did not catch, he went.
"That is right" said the Ancient Mari
ner; my business is very private, and
glanciug round-"I hope there's no posi-
bility of anybody lstcniuG?'
'NOuc. The door is thick, and fits close,
and my desk is a long way from it. Be
sides, nobody could listen without being
seen 10y all the clerks in the outer office
What can do for your Won't you sit
DOWN."
Thank you kindly | don't know as
you can do much for me; but may be | can
do something for you. You are MIR. Sidney
Erie, underwater of the Oriental and DC
cidental Marine Insurance Company, are
you noty"
~ am. And your"
"Thomas Bolsover, ahle-hodied seaman,
late quarter-master aboard the 'Niobe.'"
"Ahr'
You underworld the 'Niobe, didn't you.
for biggish figure7"
II am sorry to say we did"
"Aud | am very sorry. But this must
not so any further, Mr. Erie. SIN only
common seataring man, late a quarter