The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-08-29
4 MODERN KNIGHT.
By GEORGE THos.


rarnus here AID there showed barely
70 oarIiae where the quay ezded aad
the black void OF water bsgza. n
vessels lzg alongside. for = eesI strike
faa sent them elsewhere seeking eaE-
gnas. and this east coast hsrbeF vas l.
serted The cranes stood gaHat an
sfIeEf. and the eoaI-triEzEzeFs5 hafs sere
empty.
4 light sh0ne out Of the unshattsred
window Of a wooden box placed elese %
Tie quay wall and barring the zeu-
board Of thu AIbion Steam Shipping
company. Inside. the shipping clerk sat
in weary eNp,scsati Of The TasAaE. due
from German port He had prepared
The custom house papers RAD q h
captains Signature, had studied the
unaaife4t Of the cargo. cone q lard D
POST ard. a. for the ninth tine = -
filed has pipe, he gard uSaFafaHIE =
fhe hauds Of the IoudlT-fiekzHe EtfEe
shiu-tfE.epizce that oFnaueufsd tHe
dju1v wall boards Ten oielsek. "a
his unspoken s0IiIoquy. which mans
that Light a. she is-an1 fhe captain
might have carried al the cargo this
"Trip IN his coat-poeket--Iight a. she Is.
So wont get berfhed until the tide
makes say II O'Clock and after this
EFFORT he useH fnt0a eouatOsF state.
tobaeeo smoke at times slowly nlterI1g
out Of his mouth A rush Of cold wind
t~soken@d the opening OF the door, a1d
a Rad appeared. hairy with cloth cap
ard ear laps tightly fastened down
she amt in sight yet. ] hev been to
tie pier-head, and can't Sc her any-
wheres-~ ard the old watehmzn and
ruue-terier edged into the box
4 sOmnolent gruHt was the only r.
rly.
That oud Tuskar amt ft for the
work. that she ain'ti shes missiu' tides
rsgIar. now
With clumsy carefulsess the old
nan opened The red-hot door Of the lit
tie boEey stove. and added fresh fuel
Although OF small size, the shippirg
box. with its warped boarding. was not
over hot The keen wind found entry
through a hundred crevices; and it was
cold outside. Here and there in the
plank flooring knot-hOles let IN the
Bound q the sullen wash Of the rising
tide as il rcstlessiy beat among the
piles Of the wooden pier. The lnufite'l
roaring Of the stove. and the ticking Of
the clock. were the only other sounds
10 b. heard. with the intermittent
gurciing as the old Waterman labOri-
ously sucked at his pipe.
For a moment O face looked in al
the window. and then light tapping
came to the door. Too light for the
dulled ears of the old man or the half
sleeping shipping clerk. Then the
handle turned after some fumbling
and a stiff blast sent the door against
the wall WITH a lang.
"Shut the door. darn you," was ths
Irritable exclamation Of the shipping
clerk. as he felt the piercing wind bit
ing the back Of his neck. You Gus
toms men get to think tina; the whole
harbor belongs to you
Please can you tell me when the
steamship Tuskar is likely to arrive?
was asked in a timid. softly molulated
voice.
The shipping clerk jumped up 50 has
tiiF that the wooden chair he sat upon
fell back with a loud crash. and the Old
Waterman. who had been gazing sleep
fly at the glowing stove. sfodd erect, and
backed into a corner. meantime IN
easily lingering his cap. A lady. young
not more than Is. Of slender make. very
pretty. even that could be made oui
through the veil she wore. stool
O. the threshold in a doubtful way
AID there was a nervous thrill in her
voice that went straight to the not over
susceptible heart Of the shipping clerk
Come Ia. miss IL IS a very cold
r,rhf. Yes. this is the agents Office
The Tuskar is behind tire this trip
Shc won't get alongside for q couple O;
hours OF 50. even e she did CONS. in
Fxcaut anrbo-ly on board Of her. miss -
b. 1ueried. With the least tinge Of Won
der Do bis accents.
-But thought the vessel would BE- In
bart1r.- There was q suspicion Of
tsars b. the voice
ITS blown fresh from the west'ard
n,a'aui. and that's aein' her. Fe sees. in
ter-rrtrri iae uatehman. she's an Oh
boat. ma'am. and amt got the legs
astin' ger raFdin', ma'am. as she once
hai
~flrlaps. II you went home and came
down tomorrow IL would lie better.
allied ihe Shipping clerk, a. h. syn
Faiari rally regarded the girlish figure.
All ,rfcuiared euriOusly 70 himself
vi.a e- iia5sd the Old Tusi-ar had high
Ga. ,-ig frie1ds, for lady sic Nss,