The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-06-18

1t. low s,AalI | Wasl Ny mind was
uneasy and restiye. Ia fact. [ was nery-
ous, and | could not account for it. In
order to calm myself as well as to kill
time | began walking up and down the
poop; but having worked hard all dav
| was soon tagged. and began hunting
around for something that would occu-
py me. In my wanderings [ found two
or thrco sheets of q New York newspa-
per. This was a prize. rissei the bin
nacle lampin the wheelhousa. and fixing
myself comfortably in 5]le captain 5 chat.
| crowded on all sail for inteilectual en-
joyment.
The only thing I could find was stock
reports, advertisements and shipping
news. This was rather Of disappoint-
ment, but / started in to read those.
found some Of them quite interesting.
and presently | was taking solid com
fort i'll reading what | felt to be a spe-
cies of news-dry as it was-fro1n
home.
The door in front Of me was open.
and the moon had come up full Every
thing in its direct rays was bathed in
the blightess light, but the shadows
We're horribly dark. | happened to
glance up as puzzled over a queerly
worded notice, and my eye caught, for a
second only. the shadow of the head and
shoulders of a coolie. As | saw it. there
flashed through my mind the yarns that
l. had heard about the coolies stripping
themselves, then oiling their bodies and
swimming off to vessels with their
'.dhu'' or daggers; plundering the un-
guarded crews and discmboweling all
who tried to seize them as they slipped
through their hands. l jumped for the
deck, sheatll1nife in hand.
When | got on deck there was no one
in sight, and | listened for some sound
but all was as quiet as a deep under
ground cell. It was as though both of
rs were even holding our breath SO that
we should not betray our whereabouts.
There was not even the tapping Of waves
against the ships sides. As I started to
sneak to the after part of the wheel
htuse could hear my heart beat, and
the sound OF my footsteps as my bare
feet lightly touched the deck. When [
reached the corner of the wheelhouse I
brought my knife down around the cor
ner to the full extent of my arm. Not
feeling anything l vontured to look
around the corner. Not seeing any one
turned the corner, and in this way /
proceeded around the house, carefully
knifing around each corner before turn
ing it.
After having made the round OF the
wheelhoJse, doubled on my track and
went back the other way: but [ could
see no sim OF the presence Of any one,
nor he'd I he&cd any lo;sc. So after
tic decks, forecs.5tle ana fef-
ward bo1lse, / concluded that whoever I
had seen must have slipped overheard
and escaped. or my imagination hal
played ne 9 trick. finally brought to
again in tie chair and began to real
once more. Int I had somehow lost in
te1est ard felt nervous. Every LITTLE
while I sot ~ and made the tour Of the
deck.
had lsardiy settled myself aftcr o5la
Of these tours when vas startled by 4
suppressed groan from the captains
room. followed by gasps. as if for
breath. These were succeeded by a
strange :g--gling sound. Iy blood ran
cold. and Cor minute I was paralyzed.
Then / understood it all. Instead of the
coolie going overheard he had descended
into the after cabin. While gathering
together llander he had awakened the
captain. Then to save himself he had
cut the captains throat, which account
ed for the noise.
To preserve myself it became neces-
sary for mo TO eithor secure this coolia
or TO kill n:Ia. and az it would doubtless
be easier to Kill him than to try 20 SC
cure him. 51lealzed out Of the wheel
house to tal-c look around I caeefullY
studied the ground, III order 10 decide
upon the best place for me to take up
my station. | finally fixed on The com
panionway. Noiselessly | c1.awled on
top of the house and knelt on the con-
panionway slide. With my knife raised
ready for striking, | awaited the COM
ing up of the coolie and murderer. /
hal decided that It would be best to
stick the knife into his brain or along
side one OF the big arteries il his neck.
| an,siously waited, with every nerve
strained, to detect his first approach.
every muscle tense and ready for a
quick and strong attack. Cramps in my
legs seized me, but ! did not dare to
move, afraid each moment that he
would appear.
While in this position, and while
every sense was on the alert, | was
startled hv a rnnva1naa,t and n .rrt1l1, L.