The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-06
CHAPTER II.
THE CHASE.


The passengers dined by the light OF
a splendid sunset, which streamed
through portfolio and skylights, glitter
ing in crimson scars in the cleaning |
furniture of the table and clarifying |
by one wavering spoke Of misty light,
the figure of the white headed skipper,
for the lamps were already burning so
as to take up the evening tale when the
sun had gone.
1t was one of those pictures of ship
board hospitality you will seldom or
never meet upon the high seas in these
days. Now the great steamship splits
its hundreds into twenty tables, and the
captain is mere detail of buttons and
| lace, faint and dim in distance as host
and high and lonely as master. In the
days of the Queen the passengers OF
ship formed family party. They sat III
rows; the captain at the top could an
swer the question put to him by the
man at the bottom. When people got to
know each other, therefore, converse
ton at mealtimes was easily general
A couple of stewards moved along
the line Of diners. They each wore cam
let Jackets. Each was wonderfully nlm-
BILE of limb. Through the windows you
heard the noise Of passing waters, like
the sound of thaw at night III an open
country.
When all were seated and every pas
senger had taken his and her place, tins
first day-for the swell was light, tine
movement rhythmic, and then again all
Ia efsaqrn n I'd al
down the line OF faces on either hama,
and for an instant was struck by the
appearance of the people he was to navi-
gate TO England The number OF men
seemed TO make the ladies compare
lively few, yet there were seven OF that
sex to break up the male array with
colors of garments and caps.
1t was not Mr. James Dent, nor yet
: Mr.. William Storr, who took the eye OF
| the old skipper in that swift momentary
glance of his to port and starboard down
the table, He was impressed by Ger,
tain odd similitude as of sort OF turf
or horsy family likeness. TWAS kind
! of professional resemblance, as In clean
shaven actors, for example; but how to
3 define it? Certainly Captain Trollope
was as different looking man from
, Mr.. Burn as Mr.. Shannon, with his
: large, protruding blue eyes and ginger
] beard, was from the black and sulleI
faced Mr.. Caldwell. But old Benson
l was no hand at defining. Military fail
s ures at home and in the colonies
Q thought he, as he yawned at a spoonful
I of SOUP They had paid their fares
4 some 40, some 90 guineas apiece, ant
= without exception seemed body o.
b very gentlemanly men.
a At the foot of the table sat the chic
officer, Mr.. Matthews, q brown maj
y with a red curl of beard, and shade o
d paleness in his complexion as from re
: cent illness. On his left was the ship
surgeon, and on the other hand Mr.
r Paul Hankey. Little was said at tn
n start. Most of the men appeared to ey
each other critically as though they me
: for the first time. Mr.. William Storr
). who, as auctioneer, should have bee
}. able at least to feel the pulse OF tn
g company, tried to start a conversation
Q ON the subject of the boat, but was 81
J. fenced by many looks of aversion iron
o the ladies and by the gentleman name'
s Cavendish asking, with an odd grin:
"Are you in the interest OF the own
t ers ON board this ship, sir?"
g 81 don't understand you, answered
j. Mr.. Storr.
v "Poohr' said Mr.. Masters, who look
d ed uncommonly handsome in the dc
d ceptiye radiance of sunset and lamp
!. tight, CHANGING as he spoke at Miss Mar
}, garet Mansel, "the gentleman mean
8 that you want to save the cabin table.
Q Mr.. Storr stared stupidity for fur
Their explanation.
n Pray" said Mr.. Hankey in YER!
s airy, gentlemanly tone. addressing tn