The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-05-03

In this mood then he was ushered
upon Gedge in his office and saw him
signing letters and casting occasional
sentences to young woman who
fiicked them down in shorthand.
The shipowner frowned. He was
very busy. ''Well, captain" he said.
"what is it? Talk ahead. 1 can listen
while sign these letters"
"It's a private question I'd like to
ask you about running the boat"
'Want Miss Payne to go out?"
eff l might trouble her so far"
Gedge jerked his head toward the
door. TYPE out what you've got" he
said. The shorthand writer went out
and closed the glass door after her.
'Now, Kettle?"
Captain Kettle hesitated. 1t was an
awkward subject to begin upon.
Nov, then, captain, out with it
quick. I'm in the devil of hurry"
Il wish you'd let me know a little
more eXactly-in confidence, of course
.-how you wish me to run this steam
DOdl DO yOu Wulll Ac lO-1 AchA
"Well, get on; get on
"When do you want her back?"
Gedge leaned back in his chair, tap
ping his teeth with the end of his pen.
Look here, captain" he said, you
didn't come here to talk rot like this.
You've had your orders already. You
aren't drinking man, or I'd say you
were intoxicated. So there's some
thing else behind. Come, out with it."
Il hardly know how to begin"
81 don't want rhetoric. If you've got
q tale, tell it; if not Mr.. Gedge
leaned over his desk again and went
OH signing his letters.
Captain Kettle stood the rudeness
without so much as a flush. He sighed
a little and then, after few moments
thought, took the letter card from his
pocket and laid it ON his employers ta-
BILE. After Gedge had conned through
and signed couple more sheets he
took the card up in his fingers and
skinned it through.
As he read the color deepened in his
face, and Kettle saw that he was mov-
ed, but said nothing. For moment
there was silence between them, and
Gedge tapped at his teeth and was ap-
parently lost in thought. Then he
said:
'Where did you get th.s?"
Through the post"
"And why did you bring it to me?"
81 thought you might have some
thing to say about it."
"Shown it to any one else"
'No, sir; I'm in your service and
earning your pay"
Eyes; l pulled you oct of the gutter
again quite recently, and you said
you'd be able to get your wife's clothes
out of pawn with your advance note"
I'm very grateful to you for giving
me the berth, sir, ard l shall be q
faithful servant to you as long as I'm
in your employ. But if there's any
thing ON I'd like to be in your conf
dence. l know she isn't an old ship,
but
"But whatY
"She's uneconomical. Her engines are
Olu IUSlllOHeu. II NOulli1 pay W 1T
her with triple expansions and new
boilers"
II see. You appear to know lot
about the ship, captain-more than l
do myself, in fact. 1 know you're a
small tin saint when you're within hail
of that Ebenezer or Bethel or whatever
you call it here ashore, but at sea
you've got the name for not being over
PARTICULAR
''At sea-" said the little sailor, with a
sigh, Il am what 1 have to be. But l
couldn't do that. I'm poor man, sir,
I'm pretty nearly desperate man, but
there are some things that are beyond
me. / know it's done often enough.
but-you'n have to excuse me. can't
lose her for you"
"Who's asking your said Gedge cheer
lily. I'm not. Don't jump at conclu-
sions, man. / don't want the Sultan of
Labuan lost. She's not my best ship,
I'll grant, but l can run her at profit
for all that, and even if couldn't Pm
not the sort of man to try to make
my dividends out of Lloyd's. No, not
by any means, captain. I've got my
name to keep up
Captain Kettle brought up a sigh of
relief. "Glad to hear it, sir; I'm glad