Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-04-07

in the northwest" had put in an ap:
rcarancc.
la. Their" it was. black. ominous,
gigantic, rolling W over the horizon
like some monstrouS football. Around
it the sky dreprned into purple. fringrd
with wide belt of brick red She had
never seen such II beginning of gale.
From what she had read in books she
imagined that only In great deserts
We're clouds of dust generated There
could not lie dust i'll the dense pail now
rushing with giant strides across the
trembling sea. Then what was 1t?
Why was 1t So dark and mcnacing?
And where WAS desert of stone and
sand to compare with this awful eX-
was this great ship on the visible sur
face. But the ocean itself extended
away beyond there. reaching out to the
infinite. The dot became 4 mere speck,
undiStingulshable beneath q celestial
microscope such as the gods might
condescend to use.
Iris shivered and aroused herself
with a startled laugh.
The lively fanfare of the dinner
trumpet failed to fill the saloon. BY
this time the Sirdar was fighting reso-
lutely against stiff gale. But the
stress Of actual combat was better than
the eeric sensation of impending dan
ger during the earlier hours. The
strong. hearty pulsations of the en-
gnes, the regular thrashing Of the
screw, the steadfast onward plunging
Of the good ship through racing seas
and flying scud, were CHEEKY, confident
and inspiring.
Miss Deane justified her boast that
she was an excellent sailor. She
smiled delightedly at the ships sur
geon when he caught her eye through
the many gaps in the tables. She was
alone, so he joined her.
"You are credit to the company
quite sea kings daughter" he said.
Doctor, do you talk to all your lady
passengers In that way!
"Alas, no! Too often can only be
truthful when am dumb"
Iris laughed. IF I remain long on
this ship 1 will certainly have my head
turned" she cried II receive nothing
but compliments from the captain
down toto
1.-THE doctor"
mo. You come good second on the
list"
In very truth she was thinking of the
Ice carrying steward and his queer
start Of surprise ut the announcement
Of her rumored engagement. The man
interested her He looked like broken
down gentleman. Her quick eyes trav-
eled around the saloon to discover his
whereabouts. She could not see him.
The chief steward stood near, balanc-
ing himself in apparent defiance Of the
laws Of gravitation, for the ship was
now pitching and rolling with n mad
zeal. For all instant she meant to in
Quire what had become Of the trans
gressor. but she dismissed the thought
at its inception. The matter was too
trivial
With a wild swoop all the plates.
| classes and cutlery on the saloon Ia
lies crashed to starboard. Were 1t not
tor the restraint Of the fiddles every
thing must have been swept to the
| floor. There were one or two minor ac-
| cidentS. A steward, taken unawares,
was thrown headlong on top Of his
laden tray. Others were compelled to
clutch the backs Of chairs and cling to
pillars. One man invOluntarily seized
the hair Of a lady who devoted an hour
before each meal to her couture The
Sirdar with n frenzied bound tried to
turn a.sOmersault.
"a change, Of course" observed the
doctor. They generally try to avoid
1t when people are in the saloon, but a
NphOon admits Of no labored polite
ness. AS its center Is now right ahead,
we are going ON the starboard tack to
get behind it."
Il must hurry up and go on deck"
said Miss Deane.
You will not be able to so on deck
until the morning"
She turned on him impetuously. I'm
deed 1 will. Captain Ross promised
| me-that is l asked him
The doctor smiled. She was so charm
ingly insistent! 1T is simply impossi-
ble," he said. 1.-The companion doors
are bOlted. The promenade deck is
swept by heavy seas every minute. A
boat has been carried away, and sew
eral stanchions snapped off like car
rots.' For the first time in your life,
/ hat
| The girls face must have paled some
what. He added hastily: There is no
danger, you know. but these precau-
lions are necessary. You would not
like to see several tons Of water rush
ing down the saloon stairs; now, would
your
Decidedly not" Then. after pause:
ut is not pleasant to be fastened up in
O great iron box, doctor. 1t reminds
one Of huge coffin"
Not bit. The Sirdar Is the safest
ship afloat. Your father has always
pursued splendid policy in that re-
spect. The London and HOngkong
company may not possess fast vessels.
but they are seaworthy and well found
in every respect"
"Are there many people Ill on
board"
mo; just the usual number Of dis.
turbed livers. We had nasty acct.
dent shortly before dinner"
Good gracious! What happened"
Some Lascars were caught by q sea
forward. One man had his leg bro
ken"
Anything elseT'
The doctor hesitated. He became
interested in the color Of some Bur.
gundy. II hardly know the exact de
tails yet" he replied. Tomorrow aft.
er breakfast will tell you all about
It,"
An English quartermaster and four
Lascars had been licked from of the
forecastle by the greedy tongue Of q
huge wave. The succeeding surge flung
the five men back against the quarter
One Of the black sailors was pitched
aboard with q fractured leg and other
injuries. The others were smashed
against the iron hull and disappeared
For one tremulous moment the en-.
gines slowed. The ship commenced to
| yeer off into the path of the cyclone