Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-03
DAILY SHORT STORY
A DUEL IN A STORM.

/ 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 Us his vessel was be-
! ing lowed he had no responsibility OF
| navigation.
What's that baggage down there:"
he asked, pointing TO u trunk. 4 Valise
and a bag standing against the mizZen
mast.
1T belongs TO i passenger that dldnt
come aboard" replied the purser.
We'll, take it down to the stateroom
| engaged. The rooms been paid for. /
suppose?"
| The baggage was carried below. AS
| it passed the only passenger and lie
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
|
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.
Upon my word" exclaimed the as
tonished captain. where did you come
| from"
Didn't feel we'll" was the reply.
land went directly to my stateroom. 1
was in the upper berth with tie 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"
The two men bowed formally. The
! captain Strovc to Introduce cOnverSa-
tion 1T the table, but. failing, ate his
supper in silence and went on decky'
How IS it. Mr.. Sweetser,' he asked
OF the mate, that this passenger
Brooks came aboard without being no
ticed:"
Don't know, sir. I stood at the
rangway all the while and didn't see
him"
At first there was fear among the
crew that the stranger was something
uncauny and would hOodOo the ship.
but he appeared SO unObtrusiv", spoke
III such gentle voice and with all
seemed SO kindly disposed thTt this
feeling soon died away. or, rather, was
transferred TO the other passenger,
Gathany. At any rate, Il prejudice
sprang up against the man, ;cnd, 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 i'll n few minutes from
the size of Il ships sail TO cover the
whole heavens. one of the men re
marked: 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 Il jib burst with n report
like a cannon. Then the fore stOpmaSt
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 attime.
IGO find them, Mr.. Sweetser."
The mate went up into the cabin
land there an astonishing sight met his
gaze. The two passengers, manned
with cutlasses, were in a life ami death
Istruggle as terrible as that of the crew
at the pumps. In vain the mate, called
on them TO desist; that the ship\was
sinking; that they were needed atsthe
pumps. They saw him, but for the
roar of the hurricane could not hear
him. But neither for moment Gtook
his gaze off the other. Presently the
mate went back and reported the
strange scene. The captain spr8ng
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 q dying
face, with an expression of fierce hate.
The captain plucked the victor by the
sleeve, saying:
Come; the pumps! We're sinking!"
AT that moment it seemed as If some
one had thrown a handful of white
flower on the fallen mans face. There
was gurgle. His jaw dropped. He
was dead
! Then for the first moment Brooks
learned to realize that there was a
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
scarcely begun when a yellow light
Ishone through q port hole. and the
captain, looking out. saw a broad band
between the dark heavens and darker
water line. Meanwhile the wind had
lulled, and in few minutes there was
scarcely a zephyr.
/ For the rest Of the voyage the crew
| looked upon Brooks as having saved
them. Not a man but believed Gath