Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-11

CHAPTER VI
We had stood thus for q few moments
when a harsh voice. hailiEg us from
above. put an end TO our several thoughts
and :orcbodings We looked up, and saw
half dozen nightcaprcd heads thrust
over the bulwarks. A rope ladder came
burtling down at our feet, and q man,
nirnbly descending, held it tight ut the
bottom Now, madam" he said briskly.
They all, l noticed, had the same foreign
accent. yet all spoke English. singularity
did not understand until learned later
that the boat was the Lions Whelp. trad
ing between London and Calais and
manned from the latter place.
Mistress Bertram asccnded quickly and
steadily, holding the baby in her arms.
The other made some demur. lingering ut
the foot of the ladder and looking up as
IL afraid until her companion child her
sharply. Then she, too, went up, hut as
she passed mel was holding one side Of
tho ladder stcady-sbc shot at me from
under her hood a look which disturbed ms
strangely.
1t was the FIRST time had seen her face,
and 1t was such IA face as man rarely for
gets, not because o. its beauty, rather be-
cause it WAS speaking face, strange
and expressive one, which the dark wav-
i,!s hair, swelling in thick clusters upon
eitfs--r temple, seemed to acccntuate. The
features were regular, but, the full red
lips excepted, rather thin than shapely.
The nose. too, was prominent. But tho
eyes! The eyes seemed to glorify the dark,
brilliant thinness Of the face and to print
1t upon tho memory. They were dark,
flashing eyes, and their smile seemed to
me perpetu.lly to challenge, TO allure and
rcpulso and even to goad. Sometimes they
were gay, more rarely sad, sometimes soft
and again hard rs steel. They changed
in moment rs one or another approached
her. But always at their gayest, there
was n suspicion Of WEAKNESS ard fatigue
In their depths, or so l thought later
Something Of this flashed through my
mind as followed her up the side. But
once on board l glanced round, forgetting
her in the novelty of my position. The
Whclp was deckcd fore and aft only, the
blackness of the hold gaping amidships.
SPAWNED by narrow gangway, which
served to connect the two decks. We found
ourselves in the fore part, amid coils of
rope and windIasses and water casks. sur
rounded by half n dozen wild looking
sailors wearing blue knitted frocks and
carrying sheath knives at their girtlles.
The foremost and biggest of these
seemed to be the captain, although, so far
as outward appearances went, the only diff
ference between him and his crew lay in
n marlinc spike which he wore siung to a
thong beside his knife. When reached
the deck, he WAS telling n long story to
Mistress Bcrtram, and telling it very slow
". But the drift of it 1 soon gathered.
While the fog lasted he could not put to
sea.
Nonsense" cried my masterful COM
panion, chatting ut his slowness of speech.
why not. Would it be dangerous:'
well, madam, it would be dangerous"
he answered, moro slowly than ever.
Yes, IL would be dangerous. And to put
to sea in a fog? That is not scamanship.
And your baggage has not arrived"
Never mind my baggagev' she an
swercd imperiously, Il have made other
arrangements for it. Two or three things
! know came on board last night. / want
to start-to start at once, do you hear"
The captain shook his head and said
sluggishly that it was impossible. Splitting
on the deck, he ground his heel leisurely
round in a knothole. Impossible, he re-
pcatcd. 1T would not be seamanship to
start in fog. When tho fog lifts, we will
go. Twill be all the same tomorrow We
shall lie ut Leigh tonight, whether We 60
now or so when the fog lifts
AT Leigh"
THAT is it, madam"
And when will you go from Leigh"
she cried Indignantly.
"Daybrcak tomorrow, he answered
"You leave it to me, mistress, 1" he contin.
ucd In . tone of rough patronage, land
you will SEQ your good man before you cx-
pect it,.
but, man." she exclaimed, trembling
with impotcnt rage, did not Master
Bertram engage you to bring me across
whenever l might be ready; Aye, and pay
you handsomely for it? Did no not, sir
rah:'
To be sure. to be sure!" replied the
giant unmovcd. Using seamanship, and
not going to sea in fog, if it please you. ~
lit docs not please me!'' she rotortcd.
And why stay at Lcigh:"
He locked MP at the rigging, then down
at the deck. He set his heel in the knot
hole and ground it round again. Then he
looked ut lis iuestioner with n broad
smile. We'll. mistress, for a very good
reason. 1t is there YOUR coed man is wait