Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-28
CHAPTER ".
ON BOARD THE FLYING CLOUD

1t was Just striking $50 in the belfries @
San Diego as Mrs. Allaire and the nurse
who was CARRYING little Walt, left PTospec
Cottage She passed quickly through tn
broad avenues of the upper city, bordere'
with villas having gardens enclosed b.
ornamental fences, and soon reached tn
narrow and more built-up streets Of th
business portion. 1t was in Fleet stree
that Lewis Barker resided, not far from tn
wharf belonging to the Pacific Coast Steam
ship Company. All in all, it was prett!
long walk and it was o'clock when Kat
opened the door for Mrs. Allaire.
1t was a residence plain almost to gloomi
ness. The blinds of the front windows wer
almost always closed, ,as Lew Barker received
only business acquaintance and maintained
no friendly relations with his neighbors
People knew the man very slightly, ever
in Fleet street, as his business affairs KEEP
him away from the house from morning
till night Beside, he was ont of town
great deal, going most frequently to SaI
Francisco in pursuit of schemes of which
he said nothing to his wife.
This particular morning be was not in hi
office when Mrs Allaire reached the house
Kate made excuses for her husbands no
being able 10 accompany them on board thr
Flving Cloud, adding that he would Ger
tainly ioin them at luncheon.
'T'm ready, my dear Molly" said she
after having kissed the baby, "but don t vol
want to rest for moment?"
"I'm not tired, 4" replied Mrs. Allaire.
''You don't need anything?"
Nothing. Kate. long to meet Captain
willis pray iar'S start n 0nca ~
Mrs. Barker's only servant was an Ole
woman, q mulattress, whom her husband
had brought from New York with him.
This woman, whose name was Nanny, had
been Barker's nurse. Never having served
in anv other family excepting his she was
completely devoted to him and still called
him by his first name as she had done when
be was q child. This creature, gruff and
dictatorial, was the only one who ever
seemed to exercise any influence over Lew
Barker and he iatrUsted her absolutely
srith the management of his house
How often had Kate been made tc
feel the weight Of this domineerinc
sway, which was pushed at times to disre-
spect. But she bowed to this tyranny on
Nannv's part as she did to that exercised BY
her husband. In her resignation, which
was but another name for weak kness, she let
things 90 as they might and Nanny took nc
counsel with her in relation to the manage
ment of house affairs
As Kate turned TO leave the house the
mulattresS enjoined upon her the necessity
of reaching home before midday as Lew
would soon return and it would not do to
keep him waiting. Besides there was an
important matter of which he wishe to
speak to Mrs. Allaire.
"What does she refer TOP" asked Molly
Of her cousin.
"Hew should I know" replied Mrs.
Barker. Come, Molly, let's be off,
There was no time TO be lost Mrs Allaire
and Kate Barker, accompanied by the nurse
and child, turned their steps toward the
wharf, which they reached in less than 10
minutes
The Flying Cloud, which had now passed
through the formalities of quarantine, had
not yet been dockcd, but lay at anchor at
the farther end of the bay, a cables length
inside Of Iona Point. 1t would, therefore,
be necessary TO cross the bay to go on board
the vessel, which would not be hauled up to
the dock until later. 1t was about two miles
across and the passage was effected by
means of steam launches, which made half
hourly trips
Molly Allaire and Kate Barker took seats
in the steam launch along with dozen
other passengers. Most of them were friends
Or relatives Of the crew of the Flying Cloud,
who wished TO avail themselves of the first
opportunity offered to visit the ship. The
launch cast of its lines, got clear of the
wharf, and under the action of its screw,
took an oblique course across the bay, puff
ing steam at every stroke of its piston.
With its placid surface mirroring the
feecv clouds and blue sky, the bay was now
visible its entire length with the houses of
San Diego rising amphitheater-like up the
heights, and the old city at the bottom of
the narrows lying between Island Point and
Point Iona; the huge Coronado Hotel,
standing out boldly with its palace-like
architecture, and the Lighthouse, whose lam
tern sheds its broad glow over the sea after
nightfall.
There were a number of vessels anchored
here and there, of which the steam launch
skilfuliy stecred clear as she did of the
boats coming toward her. and of the fishing
smackS THAI were hugging the wind to
lengthen their tack.
Mrs. Allairs, with her cousin next her,
was seated on one of the deck benches, while
on She other side of her sat the nurse hold
ing little Walt, who, under the influence of
the fresh sea air, was IN the best Of spirits,
and followed with wondering eyes the move
lneEJS OF Ine sea SullS as 1neN SalleQ over
his head uttering their sbrill cries. His
mother was delighted with the look of per-
feet health stamped upon that sweet little
face, and bent over several times TO kiss it,
being each time rewarded with smile
But Molly's attention was soon attracted
BY catching sight of the Flying Cloud. Ly-
ing somewhat away from the other vessels,
the three-master doomed up in full view at
the other end of the bay with her colors
radiant in the morning sunlight. She was
swinging with the tide, her head turned to
the westward and the subsidiHg waves of
the ocean. swell were breaking against her
faulty stretched chain.
Mollys whole soul went out in that long,
silent look. She was thinking of John, who
lad been borne away on a ship which one
might say was the brother of this one, so
much did they resemble each other. Were
they not the children of the same house of
Hollister? Was not their home port the
same? Had their keels not been laid in the
same ship yard?
Yielding to the fascination of an illusion,
which her imagination under the stimulus
of recollection conjured up for her, Molly
was about to meet her husband, he was
there on board, awaiting her, he would
wave his hand to her the moment he caught
sight of her and she would throw herself
into his arms. With this, his name
trembled on her lips, she called him, he re-
piled, repeating her name again and again.
A slight outcrv from her child broke the