Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-05-30


Yes Cyanide OF pota ssium She
must have rung for the stewardess just
before she drank It, They found her
dead, and the bottle-a dose to XIII an
% was clutched IN one hand"
felt my blood freeze
1T was In her face" | faltered
That is what saw there She was
not alone on the wooden bench Death.
all the While. crouohed beside her
tempting her
The captain" my new acquaintance
went on. lis furious. Our voyage to
Glasgow will not be brief one, and
he has determined to bury her a once
to onight-before the passengers get
wind OF her death"
Bury herr l gasped.
Don't you understand, Throw her
into the sea, cased In pine box. with
some stone or leaden weights that will
instantly sink it..
But her friends In Glasgow" hur-
ried. Might not such an actprove to
them the severest of trials:"
NO evidence has been found that she
possesses any friends either in Glas-
gov or elsewhere. She came on board
with only two small portmanteaus and
steamer trunk. In these not a trace
of her identity has been gained"
But, still" began.
Monsieur Guijean cut me short.
Il know what you would say 10
fling her into the sea like this Is hor.
ror. My friend. the second officer, IL
grinding his teeth. But he can do moth
ing. The captain-yOu've seen him,
with his red whiskers and his burly
frame, and his arrogant Scotch scowl-
is imperous and also impervious. The
funeral Qf one may dignity it by such
name) will take place at midnight.
| am sworn to secrecy by the second
officer, though told him might break
my word to you, because OF the Interest
that poor creature has reused In you"
Interest" | groaned. Say, rather,
inmeasuSable pity. Think" went on,
what an anguish this brutal burial
may cause to parents, sisters, brothers
possibly to some one OF nearer and
dearer relation-who may now be
awaiting her arrival in Scotland"
Monsieur Guijean nodded
'The second officer has pleaded with
the captain in just those terms. But
he Is not only boor OF vulgarity. He
is also bigot Of grossest supersti-
ton"
superstition
Eyes, in this way: He believes that
to carry a corpse on the ship will bring
it i'll luck"
And he cannot be reasoned out OF
this folly?"
Can the despotism of cyclone be
reasoned out Of its sayagery? He will
have it so; that Is all. Ii you are on
the lower deck by midnight you will
see the burial. shall be there. The
captain may not like Ii. but he will not
presume to oppose your presence other
wise than by one Of his grim scOwla"
Within few minutes OF II, the prep
arations had begun. My heart thumped
against my side as stole, in the COM
pany of Monsieur Guijean. to certain
dim lighted portion of the lower deck
Six or seven sailors We're standing
about a long pine box. A few passen-
gers. all men, had already gathered
here, having learned the grlsly news
heavens knew how. The second officer
stood near the captain. his head bowed
The captain with suppressed wrath and
disgust, WAS murmurlng to him certain
gruff words which | wholly failed to
catch. In another instant he gave the
sailors commanding gesture. Three
of them went nimhly forward and
loosed Il broad segment OF the tuffrail
Soon between ourselves and the vast
starlit ocean there spread an open space
across which the least chance stumble
might has tossed you into eternity.
Then came silence. All was ready.
Horrible" | heard Guijean whisper
In my ear. The swash and rustic of
the tranquil water, plowed by our
speeding ship, gave to the stiffness an
accent of awe
The captain raised his hand A man
near me turned away with an audible
sob. Four sailors lifted the box. As
they did so a long, soft. yoluminous
groan issued from it. The men. about
TO tumble it into the sea, dropped it
with sudden crash.
Il will not be cast overheard like
this. Carry me TO the friends who wait
for ME. implore it--l command it,.
These words, clear and infinitely
plaintiye, came from the box on which
all our eyes were fixed. From two or
three of those assembled broke horri
fled cry. For myself, clutched the
arm of Guijean iu an agony OF alright
But he almost shook my grasp away
and hurried TO the captain.
| staggered backward. Through the
bewllderment OF my horror l next re-
call seeing the captains white face
glistening with sweat. while some one
IA sailor. doubtless) ralned ak strokes
upon the wooden box. Presently |
reeled forward again, Everybody was