The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-03-08


thing must have been swept to the
floor. There were one or two minor ac-
cidents. \ steward. taken unawares.
was thrown Eeadlong On top OF bis
laden tray. Others were compelled to
clutch the backs of chairs and cling to
pillars. One man involuntarily seized
tlie hair Of lady who devoted an hour
before each meal to her coiffure. The
Sirdar with frenzied bound tried to
turn a somersault.
IA change, of course observed the
doctor. '.Tney generally try to avoid
it when people are in the saloon, but
typhoon admits of no labored polite,
ness. AS it's center is now right ahead,
we are going on the starboard tack to
get behind it..
81 must hurry up and go on deck"
said Miss Deane.
.You will not be able to go on deck
until the morning."
She turned ON him impetuously. In
deed I will. Captain Ross promised
me-that is, I asked HIM
The doctor smiled. She was so charm
ingly insistent! ut is simply impossi-
BILE" he said. "The companion doors
are bolted. The promenade deck is
swept by heavy seas every minute. a
boat has been carried away, and sew
eraI stanchions snapped off like car
rots. For the first time in your life,
Miss Deane, you are battened down."
The girls face must have paled some
what. He added hastily: There is no
! danger, you know, but these precau-
tions are necessary. You would not
| like to see several tons Of water rush
ing down the saloon stairs; now, would
you?"
Decidedly not" Then, after pause:
.It is not pleasant to be fastened up in
a great iron box, doctor. 1t reminds
! one Of huge coffin"
s.Not bit. The Sirdar is the safest
ship safloat. Your father has always
pursued a splendid policy in that re-
I spect. The London and Hongkong
company may not possess fast vessels,
but they are seaworthy and well found
in every respect"
care there many people i'll on
board?"
..No; just the usual number Of dis
turbed livers We had nasty acci-
dent shortly before dinner"
"Good gracious! What happened"
..Some Lascars were caught by sea
forward. One man had his leg bro
ken"
| Anything else?"
The doctor hesiated. he became
interested in the color Of some Bur-
gundy. 81 hardly know the exact de-
tails YETI he replied. Tomorrow aft
er breakfast will tell you all about
| It."
An English quartern1aster and four
Lascars had been licked from off the
forecastle By the greedy tongue Of a
huge wave. The succeeding surge flung
the five men back against the quarter.
One of the black sailors was pitched
aboard with a 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
veer off into the path OF the cyclone.
Captain Ross set his teeth, and the tele-
graph bell tangled Full speed ahead"
"Poor Jackson he murmured. Zone
Of my best men. remember seeing
his wife. a pretty little woman. and
two children coming to meet him last
homeward trip. They will be there
again. Good God! That Lascar WHO
was saved has some one to await him
In Bombay village, I suppose"
The captain fought his way to the
chart house. He wiped the salt water
from his eyes and looked anxiously ct
the barometer.
"Still falling.r he muttered Il will
keep on until o'clock and then bear
three points to the southwark. By
midnight we should be Behind it."
He struggled back into the outside
fury. By comparison the sturdy eta
del he quilted was paradise on the edge
Of an inferno.
Down in the saloon the harder PAS
sengers were striving to subdue the
ennui Of an interval before they sought
their cabins Some talked. One hard
ened reprobate strummed the piano.
Others played cards, chess, draughts-
anything that would distract attention.
The stately apartment offered strange
contrast to the warning elements with
out Bright lights, costly upholstery,
soft carpets. carved panels and gilded
cornices, with uniformed attendants
passing to and fro carrying coffee and
glasses-these surroundings suggested
a floating palace in which the raging
seas were defed Yet forty miles away,
somewhere in the furious depths, four
corpses swirled about with horrible
uncertainty, lurching through battling
currents and perchance conveyed by
fighting sharks.