The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-04-07
Can you get 1t under?"

AAANAAg Will AEl
that was almost colorless, and MAJ
ners subtly suggestive of velvet {
steel.
lhey boil stepped back a little fror
the forward hatch. The decks wer
getting a little too hot. despite IN
water mat ran toward the scuppers
1t Was very unfortunate that the Ma
hanaddy's cargo should have ignite
on this particular voyage-when tn
Persian mission was on board, and tn
Whole press agog for their arrival a
Plymouth. The captain was mental,
Vowing that if he had any infiuenc
Whatever with the directors. and 1
the good old ship pulled through this
the Mahanaddy should never carr
that cursed Egyptian cotton again.
In the meantime they were poundint
through the Bay of Biscay in a gray
warm gale of wind, such as dries tn,
kln and sets the nerves to tingle
They were heading straight for Ushanr
they were racing with the lire tina
burnt inside the good ship like som
fell disease. And, she, as If she hat
sense and knew her danger, lifted hel
great black PROV to the horizon. and
strained forward through the hissinp
sea. The spray thrown up by the cut.
water dried Immediately on her hot
SIDES, leaving the brine on the black
paint. Between the planks the pitch
exuded, black and gllstening like Jet
1t stuck to the boots of the men and
officers, who worked ike souls possess
ed-tired, worn and dirty.
And if you don't get 1t under?'
said the fair man. softly. He spoke
as If the listener was in pain needing
gentle treatment.
The captain CLAN ed over the rail to
the wild sea, which seemed to gloat
over their trouble, and shrugged his
shoulders significantly.
1T is awkward" admitted the other
and he smiled softly.
AS has been previously mentioned,
he vas a privileged person. He was
the second in command of the Per-
sian mission, and 1t was whispered in
certain circles that he was second to
none in that particular form of dip,
lomacy which was his-namely, tn.
management of Oriental potentates.
His chief was below, m his stateroom,
pennlng one of those perfectly worded
literary dispatches for which he was
famed. Tt seemed likely that this par,
ticular production was destined to be
picked up in a bottle by a sardine fish
er of the Morbihan-the work Of a
vanished hlnd-but that In the estima-
tion of the writer was no reason why
it should not be worthy of his reputa-
ton. So he sat in the cabin of what
seemed to be a doomed ship, and ad-
dressed his rounded periods to Her
Majesty's secretary of foreign affairs.
'How are they getting on aft? said
the captain, suddenly.
Pretty we'll. The ladies have found
1T all out, though. They see through
our Establishments. They know it IL
touch and CO."
The captain turned aside to give an
order to one of the quartermasters
and when that was executed, there
was nor to be done. ALL that hui
mar brain could devise, human hands
had executed. The matches were bat
tened and covered deep with soaked
canvas. The ~bulkheads were screwed
close-the decks were kept constantly
under water. The question now was
whether the fire could be smothered
or not, and the answer was with Fate
81 wish" said the capoain, ''that you
would go aft and eep up their hearts
The fair man laughed.
How" he said. "Give them a
meal? Can't give them any more meals
they have just had lunch"
well" said the diplomat, II will
order tea. 1t is "a good thing to die
on"
"No-spin Them a yarn of something.
Distract their attention. 1t will be set
tied me way or another in half al
hour"
"All right" turning on his heel. "Tl
tell them a little story" He lounged
aft to where the ladles-there wer
only five of them-sat in a group, and
drew forward a chair and seated him
self, crossing one leg over the other
and drawing up reledbively a crease
less black sock. He made no pretens
at concealment out of respect to the
ladies, seeming to take 1T for granted
that they all Qncluding three young
girls) must know THAT somewhere the
sock ends and the leg begins.
81 have" he said been telling tn
captain a little story-an improving
tale with no moral. They lead a slow
and monotoncus life, these mariners
and 1 do my best to relieve the drear-
ness of it,"
Tell us the story said the Great
Lady. She guessed that no questions
were to be asked.
ut is" he explained. "a horrible tale!
A blood-curdling little narrative which
will sound nasty in the daylight"
The sort of tale" continued the mar
rator. Ito haunt you. 1t haunts me-
not the whole Of me-only that hand
He raised in the air his right arm.
and contemplated. rehectively, a frail
brown-fngered hand.
THAT hand" he added, with a.
vague smile, SIS haunted. 1t has a
special ghost Of its own. I sometimes
wake up in the night and the ghost
is there"
'.They," and he slowly curved his
fingers. have hold OF It."
After a little pause the haunted
ba,d returned 10 the black sock.