The Cairo bulletin., 1904-03-26
NJ O r q n
of the
Lady Lefty

Your name Is Moran, isn't It, be
asked Moran SternersenY
Yes" she said after pause, then
looked curiously at q bit of tarred rope
on the deck Nothing more could be
got ont of her. Wilbur talked to her
ut length and tried to make her under
stand the situation, but 1t was evident
she did not follow However, at each
mention of her name she would an
swer:
Eyes, yes; I'm Moran"
Wilbur turned away from her. bit
ing his neither lip in perplexity.
Now, what am | going to do?' he
muttercd. what situation! If |
tell the captain, it's all up with the
girl. If he didn't kill her he'd do
worse might do both. If don't tell
him, there goes her birthright. 100000,
aud she alone in the world It's begun
to go already" he added. listening to
the sounds that came from the bark.
kitchell was raging TO and fro in the
cabin in a frenzy Of drink. AK in hand.
smashing glassware. hacking into the
woodwork, singing the while at the
top of bis voice.
That's the kind Of man I have to
deal with" muttered Wilbur, ITS en-
couraging, and there's no one to talk
to- Not much help in Chnaman and
crazy girl in a mans oilskins. It's
about the biggest situation you ever
faced, Ross Wilbur. and you're all
alone. What are yor going 10 do?"
He acknowledged with considerable
humiliation that he could not get the
better OF Kitchell either physically or
mentally. Mitchell was more power
full man than he and cleyerer, The
captain was in his element now. and
he was the commander. On shore It
would have been vastly different. Tho
city bred fellow. with a policeman al
ways in call. would have known how
to act.
81 simply can't stand by and see that
hog plundering everything she's got
What's to be done?"
And suddenly while the words were
yet IN his mouth, the sun was wiped
from the sky like writing from slate,
the horizon blackcned, vanished, a long
white line of froth whipped across the
sea and came on kissing 4 hollow
note doomed out, doomed, sweled and
grew rapidly to roar.
An icy chill stabbed the air. Then
the squat swooped and struck, and the
sky shut down over the troubled ocean
like a pot lid over a boiling pot. The
schooner's fore and main sheets, that
had not been made fast, unrore at the
first gust and began to slat wildly In
the wind. The Cinnamon covered to
the decks, grasplng at cleats, stays and
masts, They were helpless paralyzed
with fear. Charlie chung to stay, one
arm over his head as though lodging a
blow. WilbW gripped the rail with his
hands where he stood. his teeth set, his
eyes wide. waiting for the laundering
of the schooner, his only thought being
that the end could not be far. He had
heard Of the suddenness of tropical
squalls, but this had come with the
abruptpess of scene shift Mt play.
The schooner veered broad on to the
waves. 1t was the beginning OF the
end. Another roll to the leeward like
the last and the Pacific would come
aboard.
"And you call yourselves sailor men.
Are you going to drown like rats on a
plankT' A voice that Wilbur did not
know went ringing through that horrid
shouting Of wind and sen like the call
Of bugle. He. turned to see Moran.
the girl of the Lady Lefty. standing
erect upon the quarter deck holding
down the schooner's wheel The con
fusion of that dreadful moment that
had parnlyZcd the crews senses. had
brought back hers She was herself
again--savage splendid. dominant. su-
perb in her wrath at their weakness
their cowardice.
Her heavy brows were knotted over
her flaming eyes, her hat was gone,
and her thick bands of yellow hair
whipped across her face and streamed
out in the wind like streamers of the
northern lights. As she shouted, ges-
turing furiously to the men. the loose
skin of the oilskin coat fell back and
showed her forearm. strong, round and
white as scud. the hand and wrist so
tanned as to look almost like a glove.
And oil the while she shouted aloud.
furious with Indignation. raging against
the supineness Of the Bertha's crew.
stand by, men! Stand by! Look
alive. now Make fast the stays'l hal
yards to the dorys warp! Now, then.
unreeye yr halyards, All clear there!
Pass the end forard outside the rig
ging. Outside. YOU fools. Make fast
to the bits fcr'ard, Let go y'r line!
Thstll do. Soh-sob. There, she's
coming up"
The dory Ind been towing astern
ana the seas, combing over her. had
swamped her. Moran had been in
spired to use the swamped boat a. q
sea anchor, fastening her to the schoon-
ers bow instead of to the stern The
Bertha's bow. answering TO the drag.
veered around. The Bertha stood head
to the seas, riding out the squall 1t
xroo n t,,ao4ors,faoo IF son uoao1bsp ron
ceived and executed in the very thick