The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-18
/ / LUMP Of GOAL !


TN HE eattle-eoa, Gosaawk's mid
day sights has shown her 10 Re
III In latitude l. degrees - inmates
scush by & degrees q minutes
Ii west longitude. which meant that
she was coming up 10 that dan
gercus collection Of reefs and rocks known
as the Ahrclhos shoals. TIE chart wasca
covered them was from French survey
In lSI. and as any amount of anrecorled
changes Nigh; have been wrought since
then by that minute mason OF the deep
the coral insect. Capt GrinsAaw WAS very
much on the oui vive so leng as bis ship
was in the neighhoraood. For. being
wise nastsr-mar.ner. he 6e3snfed bat
little On either the chart or the A6rsihos
light Itself.
But X the captain did no, far-v this
particular patch ~ the sea tsr reasons
relating 20 navigation. the third engineer
CID for purposes of his own. In short. he
hoped to earn the ships insurance money
and a couple OF hundred pounds for him
self somewhere n the vicinity. II was an
excellent locality fer plausible story
about the Goshawk running on some IN
char,ed shoai and sinking az she backed
into deep water So when he was relieved
Of his half watch al 8 o'clock by the chief
engineer. he wen; straight 10 the engine
room mess table for his tea. carefully for
getting his blue jacket where il hung on
a rail on the forward side Of the engine
room huikhead, Having partakeu hastily
and sparin4iy of the bad tea and potato
hash supplied. he turned into his own
rooni locked the door. and arranged pair
OF trousers TO hang SO that one q fae
legs might cover the ksyhoie. Then he
kneis. though not exactly in prayer. be-
side his sea chest. and proceeded 10 TN
pack il. ,tll at length he reached "A small
wooden box with a sliding top. AT first
sight II did not appear why his hand
should tiembie little as he pulled TIE
Id aside and drew from its weil-wasl,ied
cradle a very commonplace lump OF coal.
1t was exactly like any other piece OF
coal, about the size of a large ns,--say
the mate's-and 1t had all the je;ty spar
kie and shine OF the newly broken article.
The only difference between 1t and the
other Jumps In the bunker was that f40.o0
worth and few mems lives lay in lis
nascent possibilities.
On closer inspection. however. II re-
vealed one little popularity. a little square
projection such as any lady or gentleman
who does not use a stenswinder may see
in his watch any night OF the week. Tom
Tudor's own watchkey. which he now
tried upon II to see II everything was In
proper working order, fitted IL exactly as
a matter OF fact.
Another hour and II viii be pretty
nearly dark. That will be my time" be
thought 10 himself with anything but
fendish chucklc. AS yer he was consider
ably removed from the villain teres atque
rotundus OF a sanguinary fiction. OF
truth he was conscious at the moment OF
a curious sickness. tickling In his sfom-
ach which not even the recent potato
stew could account for. No. Il was the
thought OF the coming appalling moment
OF flame and death-and the captains
daughter. Curse the captains daughter,
When he had entered into this nefar.ous
contrac; with certain unnamable people at
home. he had not counted on this dis
turbing element. That he, hHrd.hcarted
and hard-headed scouudrel as he was.
should feel this immense tenderness for
q pretty ailing girl. away with her father
for a voyage on account OF her health.
was an alteration beyond all calculation.
Was II love? II worried and pricked nm.
and IL awakened Old unwelcome chords In
the atrophiec sense OF ftness which had
been his conscience. Yes. II was love. and
bless Alice. the captains daughter!
IF she hadn't been 50 hard on me last
night = could never have done It," ran
his thoughts. waking a fierce tenderness
in his sallow. handsome face. "A touch
Of her hand and the Goshawk would have
s,emmed the Thames river again. Suppose
the ship sank In a couple Of minutes, he
There are sharks about. l don't mind
sending an old fireman or a trimmer TO
hotter furnaces. But the flop OF me orutes
round her sweet body. It's horrible. BY
heavens. can't do II. after ali.''
He bent his forehead against the raised
lid OF his trunk. but I'm talking bethel
rot The cursed thing Is calculated to give
the ship half an hour. There'il be- lots Il
time for everybody TO get clear Except
<ntsA 49,
from q stokehole. Then the weather's
quiet. and we're right In the track OF
shps-cersain TO be picked up within
forfy-eiKht hours
He handled the black mass on his I'm
gers.
Five turns OF the key. and then I've
minutes before the explosion, every turn
a minute. II / push the Job through I'll
never tackle another. God OF heaven.
wish we were ali safe In the boa'ss'
He replaced the grim handful 81 deem
In Its cradle again. replaced IL In It's box,
and went ~ 10 the windy deck. The
heat below laid fiery hand On his throat
and brain.
slice OF young moan. with few at
tendant stars. slowly climbing into is,mlrs-
ance against the last ar;fors OF the sunset
"a he leaned mooiily against the deck
house
How the misery hour caught up Its gol-
den cain Of minutes and fed,
.sTime-,ime. time time, tme-time." sang
the watch bell monstrously soon.
IT'S got TO be done," he mut,eresi be-
tween his locked teeth. as he stepped an
steadily cut OF the moonlight; along the
engine-roosn passage. once mere nnp.cksa
the fatal lump turned the Key five times
and with flying heart descenief the steel
ladder 20 the eng re~roorr the bansu tiek-
iug in ihe .tese breast Of his shit "a i.a
went
'Tieiio. Tudor. Forgot your jacket 90
sang out the chief. be stopped over the
rails and tried the hes, Of his bearings
Aye" replied the third engineer. az he
passed
In the fierce tunnel Of light from one OF
the open furnaces the nude stokere and n
trimmer psliDg forward the coal 10 thsm
from behind. seemed like gnonss Of some
Eastern ,eeead Poor ssviis' A chatter
like she sound Of a sewing machine from
the thing IN his breast seemed 90 chant
their requiem.
He slipped shs hisrk abortion below an
end Of one OF the boilers. caught Up his
Jacket and ran OF deck. Under the shadow
If me o. the after Iifetaafs ne stool sssck