San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-01-24


"I'm sorry for the Holroyds-doocid
awkward work; found everybody stark,
staring wide awake" said Masters
And he exclaimed with an oath, while
he wiped his forehead, eff it's over, it's
we'll over, and wouldn't have it over
again.
Weston glanced at him with an ex-
preston of disgust and suspicion.
At this instant Davenire's hurricane
voice was heard at the wheel.
slump for it, Burnl See what he
wants" said Weston. And as the fat
man ran with headlong hurry up the
companion steps, Captain Trollope came
slowly out of the commanders cabin.
A lamp always swung, burning dim
ly, all night long N the cuddy of the
| Queen. AS Trollope emerged Masters
sprang up on chair and turned ON
full fame.
"What of the captain?" said Weston.
"Tm afraid" answered Trollope,
with cool drawing room air, that
he's dead.
'By your hand?" exclaimed Weston,
looking just shade scared as his sight
went to the clumsy butt end protruding
from Trollope's side pocket.
The massive shape of Dayenire, with
its inevitable twinkle of silver chain,
filled the companion hatch as he de-
| scended.
"Well, how goes it here?" he ex-
claimed, looking round.
1.-THE mates snug enough, answered
Weston. 1.-The others need not be thought
of. The captains dead, do you say?"
said he. turning to Trollope.
Come and look.
He returned to the commanders cab
in and was followed by Davenire, Wes-
ton and Masters Here, too, burned a
small lamp, as in the mates berth. 1t
was large, roomy cabin, the best in
the ship. A table shone with marine
brass instruments In fact, old Benson
was a bachelor. He owned a house
ashore, but his ship was his home, and
his notions of sea comfort were excel
lently illustrated by the fine cot he
swung in, the mahogany chest of draw
ers, the very convenient washing appa-
ratus over against the beautiful marine
barometer, the books, the three or four
! pictures, the soft carpet.
| Upon that carpet he lay now, poor
old man, stiff upon his back, clearly
dead-a short, grotesque, startling fig
ure of d corpse to come upon, so absurd
ly clad, as it was. His hat had gone
round the world with him, and with
the devotion of the limpet to the rock
it was ON his head now, though crush
ed, as if it had resolved to go out of the
world with him. He lay upon the deck
in pair of bed drawers, and a coat
which he was half in and half out of!
Davenire and Masters drew close and
looked at the old face. 1t was swelled
like drunkard's. The eyes were turned
up God knows where. Every familiar
expression was eclipsed or caricatured
by distortion.
81 never hurt him" answered Troll
lope, answering the tragic question he
heard in that silence.
"This is apoplexy," said Davenire.
He felt Benson's pulse. dead as dog S
meat, - said he, standing erect.
Masters pulled off the old mans hat.
"Here, Davenire, said he, give us a
hand to help him into his cot. +"
Between them they raised the body.
as though it had been a pillow, and
when it was abed it was out of sight.
"I'll tell you just how it happened, "
said Trollope. II made dash for his
cabin, not knowing whether he had
arms or not. 1 Whipped open the door
and. found him with his legs over the
edge of the cot. / dare say he'd been
aroused by the cry on deck and was get
ting up When he saw me, he roared
out: What do you mean by this? What
do you want here? Get out of my cab
in, you scoundrell Where's Mr.. Mat
thews? What-what' And, half ohok.
ing, he dropped from his cot and ran fol
his hat, which he put on, and then he
began to struggle into his coat while he
made mouths at me. Such nightmare
of facet Inever heard so hollow an6
frightened voice; never saw the color
of the flesh change as his. We've
seized this ship, said l, letting him SCI
that 1 was armed, though, poor LITTLE
chap" he went on. speaking slowly
with a melancholy glance at the cot
small need for firearms when it's for
man to deal with the like of his snow
crowned inches. We've seized tn
ship, / said, and | guess we've simpl.
done what you've been expecting. Now
Captain Benson, you shall have goo
treatment, said /. and / was going o
when the sight of him stopped me. II
took his throat in his hands and fell q
if shot through the heart, breathin
with a horrible noise. 1t did not La
long. lifted his head; then, seeing l
was dying or dead, put him down agai
on his hat, and so you have it, sa
Captain Trollope, pulling his mustaol
and again looking at the cot
Davenire stepped to the side of Il
: body and gazed at the face He look,
at it for a minute or longer, as thoul
! | bo Gro,,ulf N ,,rOfase;o,oI ax-O 70 hoo,