The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-10-12
A DUEL IN
A STORM
IOriginal.l


The only passenger, man with hand
some, though sensual. features and
bad eye. stood watching the different
points Of interest. The crew were set
ting things to rights on deck, the cap
tain on 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 there?"
he asked, pointing to trunk. valise
and a bag standing against the mizzen
mast
1T belongs to passenger that didn't
come aboard" replied the purser.
well, take it down to the stateroom
y engaged. The rooms been paid for, l
I suppose?"
The baggage was carried below AS
1t passed the only passenger and he
caught sight of the owners initials,
r. 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.
tonished captain, where did you come
from?''
Didn't feel WE'LL" was the reply,
'and went directly to my stateroom.
was in the upper berth with the cur
tains drawn when the men brought in
my luggage"
Him. singular. This is Mr.. Cath
any, who we supposed was our only
!, passenger. Mr.. Gathany, Mr. Brooks"
Il, The two men bowed formally The
2captain strove to introduce conversa-
gtton at the table, but, failing, ate his
\ supper in silence and went on deck"
GLOW is it, Mr.. Sweetser,' he asked
Of the mate, that this passenger
Brooks came aboard without being no.
ticed?"
"Dont know, sir 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 unobtrusive, spoke
In such a 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, a prejudice
sprang up against the man, and, when
one day the barometer suddenly fell
nearly an inch within half an hour and
: a terrible black cloud came out of the
west. growing in few minutes from
the size Of ships sail to cover the
whole heavens. one of the men re-
marked: 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 lib burst with report
like 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 tc
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 cabi1
and there an astonishing sight met his
gaze The two passengers. manned
with cutlasses. were in life and dealt
struggle as terrible as that Of the crew
at the pumps. In vain the mate called
on them to desist; that the ship wa!
sinking; that they We're needed at thu
pumps. They saw him, but for thu
--ar Of the hurricane could not hea
= But neither for a moment tool
h., lAgaze off the other. Presently thu
mate went back and reported tn,
strange scene. The captain spranl
away to keep the two men who wer
pS SD to save the ship and the crew
II sG,skilling each other. When he cam
to the cabin he saw Brooks bendin,
over GaCnany. lOOhlAS lulo uylnl
face. with an expression Of fierce hate
The captain plucked the victor by tn
sleeve, saying:
Come; the pumps We're sinking!
At that moment 1t seemed as if som
one had thrown handful of whit
Y flower on the fallen mans face. Their
was a gurgle. His jaw dropped. ii
was dead.
Then for the first moment Brook
learned to realize that there was
hurricane. The captain took hold o
his arm and led him away to tn
pumps where he took his place an
worked mechanically But he ha
scarcely begun when yellow ligh
shone through a port hole, and tn
captain, looking out, saw broad ban
between the dark heavens and darke
water line. Meanwhile the wind ha
lulled, and in few minutes there wa
scarcely a zephyr
For the rest of the voyage the GREY
lopyr y,u