The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-05-23
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
. A Singular Episode. &


"Not-suicide?'
Yes. Cyanide of potassium. She
must have rung for the stewardess just
before she drank It, They found her
dead, and the bottle-a dose to kill an
ox-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. crouched 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 at once
-to-night-before the passengers get
wind of her death"
Bury herr | 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 l hur-
ried. Might not such an act prove to
them the severest Of trials?"
mo 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
a steamer trunk. In these not trace
of her identity has been gained"
But, still" | began.
Monsieur Guijean cut me short
Il know what you would say To
fling her into the sea like this is a hor-
rOr. My friend. the second officer. is
grinding his teeth. But he can do moth
ing. The captain-you've seen him,
with his red whskers and his burly
frame. and his arrogant Scotch scowl-
is imperious and also impervious. The
funeral Gf one may dignity it by such
a 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" I groaned. Say, rather
Unreasonable 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 Scotlandr'
Monsieur Guijean nodded.
The second officer has pleaded with
the captain in just those terms. But
he is not only a bOor of vulgarity. He
is also bigot of grossest supersti-
ton"
superstition"
Yes, in this way: He believes that
to carry corpse on the ship will bring
it i'll luck"
And he cannot be reasoned out of
this folly?'
Can the despotism of a cyclone be
reasoned out of its savagery? He will
have it so; that is all. If you are on
the lower deck by midnight you will
see the burial. shall be there The
captain may not like it, but he will not
presume to oppose your presence other
wise than by one of his grim scowls."
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 a certain
dim lighted portion Of the lower deck.
Six or seven sailors were standing
about a long pine box. A few passen-
gers, all men, had already gathered
here. having learned the grisly news,
heavens knew how. The second officer
stood near the captain. his head bowed
! The captain with suppressed wrath and
disgust, was murmuringsto him certain
gruff words which | wholly failed to
catch. In another instant he gave the
sailors commanding gesture. Three
of them went nimbly forward and
, lo0sed broad segment of the taffrail
, 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 il
? with a sudden crash.
? Il will not be cast overheard like
this. Carry me 20 the friends who wait
for me. i implore it, command it,
These words, clear and infinitely
piaintive, came from the box on which
! all our eyes were fixed. From two OF
thrae Of those assembled brOka a borri