The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1904-12-30
A DUEL IN
A STORM
IOriginal.l

some, though sensual, features and q
bad eye, stood watching the different
points of interest. The crew were set
ting things to rights on deck, the cap
tain ION the poop keeping an eye on
them, for so long as his vessel was be
ing towed he had no responsibility of
navigation.
whats that baggage down thereT'
he asked, pointing to a trunk, a valise
and bag standing against the mizzen
mast
ut belongs to passenger that didn't
come aboard" replied the purser.
"Well, take it down to the stateroom
engaged. The rooms been paid for, l
spppose?"
The baggage was carried below. AS
1t passed the only passenger and he
caught sight of the owners initials,
II. c. b., on the end of the trunk he
started, and the captain, noticing that
he was very pale, remarked
"What, sick already? Why, we
haven't reached the lower bay yet"
The passenger walked away, and the
captain wondered.
AS the land line was sinking below
the horizon supper was called, and out
of the stateroom where the missing
passengers baggage had been taken
walked its owner. Entering the cabin,
where the other passenger was seated
on the captains right, he took the
seat on the captains left.
s4TTnnT, NV rt-nrJ tho
tonished captain, "where did you come
from?'
didn't feel WELL" was the reply,
"and went directly to my stateroom. I
was in the upper berth with the cur
tains drawn when the men brought in
my luggage"
Him, singular. This is Mr.. Gath
any, who we supposed was our only
passenger. Mr.. Gathany, Mr.. Brooks"
The two men bowed formally. The
captain strove to introduce conversa-
ton at the table, but, failing, ate his
supper in silence and went on deck"
How is 1t, Mr.. Sweetser," he asked
of the mate, that this passenger
Brooks came aboard without being no
ticedY
Don't know, sir. 1 stood at the
gangway all the while and didn't see
him."
At first there was fear among the
crew that the stranger was something
uncanny and would hoodoo the ship,
but he appeared so unobtruslve, spoke
in such gentle voice and with all
seemed so kindly disposed that this
feeling soon died away, or, rather, was
transferred to the other passenger,
Gathany. At any rate, d prejudice
sprang up against the man, and, when
one day the barometer suddenly fell
nearly an inch within half an hour and
q terrible black cloud came out of the
west, growing in few minutes from
the size Of a ships sail to cover the
whole heavens, one Of the men re-
1.-THE DEVILS aboard this ship
In some fashion, and l think he's that
black looking passenger"
The hurricane struck the vessel be-
fore sufficient sail for safety could be
got in and jib burst with n report
like q cannon. Then the fore topmast
was carried away with its canvas.
Next the miZzen mast went by the
board and had to be cut loose. After
this there was nothing to do except to
man the pumps, but despite the crews
best efforts the leaking ship took wa
ter faster than it could be pumped out.
"Where are the passengers? roared
the captain. "Do they think we're go
ing to let them skulk at such time.
Go find them, Mr.. Sweetser."
The mate went up into the cabin
and there an astonishing sight met his
gaze. The two passengers, manned
with cutlasses, were in a life and death
struggle as terrible as that Of the crew
ut the pumps. In vain the mate called
on them to desist; that the ship was
that they were needed at the
pumps. They saw him, but for the
roar Of the hurricane could not hear
him. But neither for q moment took
his gaze off the other. Presently the
mate went back and reported the
strange scene. The captain sprang
away to keep the two men who were
needed to save the ship and the crew
from killing each other. When he came
to the cabin he saw Brooks bending
over Gathany, looking into n dying
face, with an expression of fierce hate.
The captain plucked the victor by the
sleeve, saying:
Come; the pumps! We're sinkingw
At that moment 1t seemed as If some
)ne had thrown q handful of white
lower on the fallen mans face. There
was a gurgle. His jaw dropped. He
was dead.
Then for the first moment Brooks
earned to realize that there was n
hurricane. The captain took hold of
his arm and led him away to the
pumps, where he took his place and
worked mechanically. But he had
begun when n yellow light
'hone through n port hole, and the
,aptain, looking out, saw broad band
the dark heavens and darker
water line. Meanwhile the wind had
ulled, and in few minutes there was
scarcely zephyr.
For the rest Of the voyage the crew