The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-15


and had threatened on che preoedine
evening while arguing with . man on
religion to put his knife into him.
said: Tell the bos'n to keep his eye
upon the dog. II he repeats that threat
aboard this ship. I'll have him In irons
away down in the fore peak for tho
rest Of the voyage then asked abous
others Of the people and said, Who's
that young girl standing beside tho
after scuttle butt there looking this
way?
''sI don't know her name, sir. I'll
inquire.
"'She's always alone, observe. She
has queer eyes and a strange, stealthy
way of looking. Whenever I've seen
her, she's been as she now is, in a sort
Of half hiding, half skulking posture.
1 always looking aft, as though she wish
ed to test her sight by reading the time
on the cuddy front. She'sa foreigner
"sAh, by the looks of her, answered
the mate.
Something aft holds her eye.
81 leaned over the rai5 and looking
down on the quarterback saw seated
right under me on campstools in their
accustomed place the two Italians
whom had guessed were man and
4 wife. The Italian was reading aloud to
the woman. A number of people were
coming and going in this part Of the
deck. When 1 again glanced forward,
the girl ct the odd and stealthy stare
had disappeared, and where she had
/ <h<, T,s, 20
bolical squint.
CAT noon the same day, just before
our sextants made it eight bells, Mr..
Lever said to me:
"'The name of that staring. girl you
were talking about this morning is
Clara Month
''The thing had clean gone out Of
my head, andI hardly understood him.
Then recollecting, smiled and said,
| oh, yes, a sort Of opera bill name,
and with that careless dismissal Of the
matter went on ogling the sun.
"The weather remained quiet
throughout the day. The sea at sum
down went spreading away into blue
mist with the mirage Of ship upside
down in the southeast that filled the
line of our bulwarks with gazers. Ihad
seen plenty Of land mirages in my
time, amazing upheavals Of airy coast
within swimming distance, though God
knows how far off the real thing was.
but never ship upside down, high up
/ in the air before. She was clothed to
her trucks as we were, and rocked like
a delicate. exquisitely wrought toy or
model in the red ether of the sunset. I
! sent the third mate on to the main
royal yard to see if the substance Of
that lovely phantasm was in sight from
that elevation. He reported that moth
ing was to be seen. The wonder and
beauty Of the picture lay in the colors
and motions Of it. The sky was as q
looking glass. and every heave and roll
Of the hidden ship was counterfeited
by the shining shadow hanging STAR
like. Then again you saw the hurrying
Of the colors as the shadows swept fin
gerlike with the swinging Of the sails
and as the lights and CLEANS in the at
mosphere changed with the sinking Of
the sun, making the painted image
blaze out like burning gold, changing
them into a rich rose, fading afterward
into dull and rusty red, and SO expir-
ing as a whole orb Of moon sickens and
disappears to slow gathering Of flmy
thickness.
cat this time it was sheet calm. A
floating soup plate would not have
filled. There was a small terrace Of
cloud northwest, with an occasional
glance of lightning there, otherwise the
sky was OF tropic soft dark blue, the
liquid dusk Of it filled with stars, un-
der one or another Of the largest Of
which foated fake Of silver feather
ing and lengthening with the light run
of SWELL A moonless night, and, spite
OF the star shine, dark. The awning
was furled and the ships tall canvas
whitened the gloom.
Just before 8o'clock a little crowd
on the forecastle sang q hymn. Ihad
not looked for any piety in the tween
decks. Eight bells made knell for the
psalm singing-the star bowlines want
ed to turn in. After that asilence grad
ually stole over the ship. The emigrants
lay about the decks in dusky bundles.
Some went below. The lift of the swell
kept the wind sails wriggling, but there
was not SO much breeze in the heels Of
them as comes from the whisk Of q but
terfy's wing Most Of the ouddy passen-
gers were on the poop. was talking to
lady about the mirage and trying to
make her understand how such are
made. when the second officer, a gem
tleman named Marshall. approached and
asked leave in low, mysterious voice
to speak to me apart. I excused myself
to the lady and went q little distance
with the mate.
"'What is itY said I.
A mans been murdered, sir
In what part of the ship?'
In the steerage.'
"'Who is it?'
"sAn Italian named RavoRli.'
Do you mean the fellow who used
to sit with the girl under the break Of
the poop?'
That's the man, SIR