Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-02-01
event why should Lady Tozer pry and

this gleeful hypothesis, Miss Deane
seized favorable opportunity to dart
across the starboard 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 wide belt of brick red. She had
never seen such a 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. Then 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 a 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,
undistinguishable beneath celestial
microscope such as the gods might
condescend to use.
Iris shivered and aroused herself
with n 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 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 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!"
CALAIS, no! Too often can only bt
truthful when am dumb"
Iris laughed. IF l remain long OF
this ship will certainly have my heat
turned" she cried. 81 receive nothing
but compliments from the captain
down toto
1.-THE doctor!"
mo You come good second on til
list"
In very truth she was thinking of til
ice carrying steward and his luce
start Of surprise at the announcement
of her rumored engagement. The ma
interested her He looked like broke
down gentleman. Her quick eyes tray
eled around the saloon to discover hi
whereabouts. She could not see hin
The chief steward stood near, balant
ing himself in apparent defiance of til
laws of gravitation, for the ship wa
now pitching and rolling with ma
zeal. For an instant she meant to il
quire what had become of the trans
gressor, but she dismissed the though
at its inception. The matter was to
trivial.
With wild swoop all the plate
glasses and cutlery on the saloon t
bles crashed to starboard. Were it u
for the restraint of the fiddles ever
thing must have been swept to Il
floor. There We're one or two minor a
cidents. A steward, taken unaware
was thrown headlong on top of Ii
laden tray. Others were compelled
clutch the backs Of chairs and cling
pillars. One man involuntarily seiz'
the hair Of lady who devoted an ho
before each meal to her couture. II
Sirdar with a frenzied bound tried
turn somersault
"a change, of course" observed t
doctor. "Tley generally try to ave
1t when people are in the saloon, but
u typhoon admits Of no labored polit
ness. AS its center is now right ahea
we are going on the starboard tack
e get behind it."
Il II must hurry up and go on decl
SAID MISS Deane.
"You will not be able to go on de
until the morning."
She turned on him impetuously. 81
deed l will. Captain Ross promis
y me-that is, asked HIM
l. The doctor smiled She was SO char
ingly insistent! at is simply impos
: ble," he said. 1.-THE companion doc
y are bolted. The promenade deck
e swept by heavy seas every minute.
}, boat has been carried away. and ST
a eral stanchions snapped off like CT
rots. For the first time in your Ii
'e Miss Deane, you are battened down.
Il The girls face must have paled son
y what. He added hastily: "There is
l danger, you know, but these prec,
II tons are necessary. You would /
Is like to see several tons of water ru,
III ing down the saloon stairs; now, wo,
il your"
4 Decidedly not" Then, after a pau
II at is not pleasant to be fastened up
I. a great iron box, doctor. 1t remir
e. one Of huge coffin"
ANot ~ Oit. AS Acilddl ID llC DILL
er ship afloat. Your father has alive
c. pursued splendid policy in that
re spect. The London and Hongko
e, company may not possess fast vesse
1t but they are seaworthy and well fou
Is in every respect"
care there many people ill
of board?"
e. 'No; just the usual number of {
Of turbed livers. We had nasty az
1t dent shortly before dinner"
d. Good gracious! Whit happened?
lie "Some Lascars We're caught by
I'd forward. One man had his leg b
I'd KEN"
at Anything else?'
in The doctor hesitated. He beca
o. interested in the color of some 3
is gundy. 81 hardly know the exact
IN tails yet" he replied. Tomorrow &
or er breakfast l will tell you all abb
it."
ii, An English quartermaster and f,
d. Lascars had been licked from off
in forecastle by the greedy tongue OF