The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-08


but stopped, according to his directions,
and stood with my head and shoulders
above the companionway, ready in case of
an emergency to lend any assistance that
might lie in my power,
never looked into blacker night The
air was soft and warm, and tltful gusts of
wind dashed few cooling raindrops
against my face as held on to my revolv-
er and tried to keep the receding form of
the captain in view But he disappeared
almost instantly and owing to the whistle
of the wind in the rigging, the groaning
of tho masts and the crealiing of the yard
arms | could not hear his footsteps after
he had gone half dozen PAGES
He carried no lantern, but several lights
glimmered fore and aft dancing and shift
ing unstcadily about like yoritablo will
o'-the-wisps None, however, was near
the main hatohway, the place Of meeting.
AnXiously l waited b, 10, 10 minutes, rs
nearly as l could reckon time but neither
sight nor sound brought intelligence of
tho captain. At last l could bear the sus-
pense no longer, and | began to walk
slowly toward the bow. When thought
l had reached the location of the hatch
way and was ON the point of coming to
halt, | struck my foot against something
and fell, the planks of the deck seeming
to open and ongulf me.
While still descending through space l
realized what had happoned-tho hatch
way had been opened and had fallen in
to the hold. a second later found my
self lying between two bags of wheat moro
frightened than hurt, and with the fumes
of chloroform almost suiIocating me. Be-
fore trying to rise discovered that l was
not in total darkness, and that a dim light
came from somewhere, but not from
above, l was sure. Presently u muflled
gToan reached me from the direction of
the stern, and on looking over my shoul-
der | saw the STOPPING form Of man out
lined by the rays of lantern in front of
him, about 20 feet away
l gained my feet with some difficulty
and was about to step forward when the
ship gave lurch, and l was thrown
lengthwise against the hull. Before l
could stand up again the bent form as
sumed an upright posture, and recognized
the big Dane. Muttering inCoherently, he
picked up the lantern and started toward
the place where | had first fallen, off to
my left.
Whether it was fear, the shock cause by
striking the hull or the effects Of the
chloroform that kept mo from trying to
get up am not prepared to say, but did
not attempt to move hand or foot
AS the light drew near l discovered a
rope dangling from the deck. When the
l., b., Jnp,sitnI liu
lantern beside him, rubbed his big hard
hands together with a loud, rasping noise
and laughed u low, tendish sort of chuckle,
| which fairly chilled my blood. A moment
| later his merriment subsidCd, and taking
| hold Of the rope with one hand he picked
| up the lantern with the other. l expected
| to see him run his arm through the han
die Of the lantern and go, hand over hand,
| through the hatChway, but he was in no
| hurry and began to talk in harsh under
tone.
So far, so good, King Qvistgard," he
| said. "A million pounds of diamonds
sewed up in silk sacks all my own. Oh
| what royal present for my ebony prin-
cess Fifteen days more and | shall reign
supreme. The two mates and the captain
are now my loyal subjects, and tomorrow
night the passenger will join them. Then
come me hearties, Hutton and the little
Welshman, and SO on down the list Ha
ha, ha, ha!'
Never until that awful moment had l
heard the bloodcurdling laugh of a ma
MAC, but l recognized it as quickly as if
had passed my days inside the walls of a
p,fpt,, | l-r,pNtr II CT 9th
or courage, or both, suddenly returned,
and arose cautiously to my feet, discov-
ering at the same time the revolver which
had fallen from my hand when | stumbled
on the deck. 1t was lying almost at the
feet of the Dane. Advancing slowly, |
stopped and was about to pick up the
weapon, but before | could get hold of it
the ship lurched again, collided with the
Eadman, and we went down together.
The revolver escaped me, the light in
the lantern was extinguished, and there
was a scream, a piercing cry of fright and
anguish, such as only a terror stricken
mailman can utter. And then, with that
awful shrek ringing in my ears and the
strong fingers of the demonted Dane
clutching my throat, l became insensiJle.
When consciousness returned, l was ly-
ing in my berth 1t was daylight and
Hutton was standing beside me. As soon
as | was able to talk he told me that just
after dark ON the previous evening hor'
rible cry was heard coming from the direc'
tiOn of t4e main hatchway, and that when
the little Welshman and several Other
sailors rushed to the spot the raying Dane
f1 ,1i - n Ip hold
AS soon as he gained the deck he rar
screaming to the rail and threw himself
into the sea. ! was found, more dead thar
alive, and taken to my cabin. Soon after
the captain and the two mates were dis
covered gagged and bound, near the spot
where had FIRST seen the Dane. The cap
tain recovered from the effects of tn,
chloroform which had been administered
to him and was removed with the two
officers who were still alive, but too weak
and exhausted to stand on their feet fol
many hours.
In two days all had recovered, and tht
Plunging Pctrel was manned and otllceret
as before, save for the absence of Bates
and the big Dane. All went well to tht
end of the voyage
The mutiny was only a myth in tht
mind of the madman.--H. Sanford Smitl
in Romance
Glimpses Here and There.
The naiad up to date who is not sworl
to shirts wears blouse and thinks sh
looks charming The truth of her i'm
preston depends primarily on the size o
her waist, and secondly on the adjustmen
of the blouse to its contour 1t is al
axiom that no garment requires such care
fnl. fitting as a blouse unless Won wish L