Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-11-13

steady climb up rolling hill Of water
the Sirdar quickly pecked at the sue
ceeding valley, and the propeller gave
a couple of angry flaps on the surface,
while a tremor ran through the stout
iron rails on which the girls arms
rested.
The crew were busy too. Squads of
Lascars raced about, industriollsly ODE
dent to the short shrill whistling of
jenadars and ouartermasters. Boat
lashings were tested and frightened,
canvas awnings stretched across the
deck forward, ventilator cowls twisted
to new angles and matches clanped
down over the wooden gratings that
covered the holds officers, spotless in
white linen, fitted quietly to and fro.
When the watch was changed Iris
noted that the chief" appeared in an
old blue suit AMI carried oilskins over
his arm as he climbed to the bridge.
Nature looked disturbed and fitful,
and the ship responded to her mood.
There was sense of preparation in
the air, Of coming ordeal, Of restless
foreboding. Chains clankedl with a
noise the girl never noticed before; the
tramp Of hurrying men on the hurri-
cane deck overhead sounded heavy and
hollow. There was squeaking of
chairs that was abonlinable when peo-
pie gathered up books and wraps and
staggered ungracefully toward the
companionway. Altogether Miss Deane
was not wholly pleased with the pre-
liminaries Of a typhoon, whatever the
realities might be.
Why did that silly old woman allude
to her contemr lated marriage to Lord
Ventnor, retailing the gossip of Hong
kong with such malicious emphasis!
For IN Instant Iris tried to shake the
railing in comic anger. She hated Lord
ventnor She did not want to marry
him or anybody else just yet. OF course
her father ha6 limited approval of his
lordships obvious intentions. Countess
Of Ventnor! Yes, it was nice title.
Still she warted another couple Of
years Of careless freedom. In any
event why should Lady 1'o2er pry and
probe?
And finally, why did the steward
oh, poor old Sir John! What would
have happened if the ice had slid down
his neck? Thoroughly comforted by
this gleeful hypothesis, Miss Deane
seized favorable opportunity to dart
across the st,lrboard side and see If
Captain Ross heavy bank Of cloud
in the northwest had put in an ap-
pearance.
Ha! There it was, black, ominous,
gigantic, rolling up over the horizon
like some monstrous football. Around
it the sky deepened into purple, fringed
with a wide belt of brick red She had
never seen such beginning OF gale.
From what she had read in books she
imagined that only in great deserts
were clouds Of dust generated. There
could not be dust in the dense pail now
rushing with giant strides across the
trembling sea. Ten what was it?
Why was it SO dark and menacing?
And where was desert Of stone and
sand to compare with this awful ex-
panse Of water? What small dot
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 mere speck,
undistinguis liable beneath celestial
microscope such as the gods might
condescend 20 use.
Iris shivered and aroused herself
with startled laugh.
The lively fanfare Of. the dinner
trumpet failed to fill the saloon. By
this time the Sirdar was fighting reso-
lutely against a stiff gale. But the
stress Of actual combat was better than
the eerie sensation of impending dan
ger during the earlier hours. The
strong, hearty pulsations of the en-
gines, the regular thrashing Of the
screw, the steadfast onward plunging
Of the COOL ship through racing seas
and flying scud, were CHEEKY, confident
and inspiring.
Miss Desne 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 be Joined her.
"You arr, 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 remain long on
this ship j. will certainly have my head
turned" she cried. II receive nothing
but compliments frona the captain
down toto
1.-THE dcctorv
mo. You come a coed second on the
list"
In very truth she was thinking Of the
ice carrying steward and his queer
start of surprise at the announcement
Of her rrlmored engagement. The man
interested her. He looked like broken
down gentleman. Her quick eyes trav-
eled around the saloon to discover bis
whereabouts. She could not see him.
The chief steward stood near, balanc-
ing hims elf in apparent defiance Of the
laws Of gravitation, for the ship was
now pitching and rolling with mad
zeal. For an instant she meant to in
Quire what had become of the trans