Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-22

what He added hastily. "lhefe 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: Tt is not pleasant to be fastened up ill great iron box. doctor It reminds one of huge coffin"
 Not bit. The Sirdar is the safest ship afoat. 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?"
 No; just the usual number of dis turbed livers, We had a nasty acci- dent shortly before dinner
 Good gracious. What happened:"
 Some Lascars were caught by a sea forward. One man had his leg bro ken"
 Anything eise?"
 The doctor hesitated. He became interested in the color of some Bur gundy. "I hardly know the exact de tails yet" he replied. Tomorrow aft CT breakfast I will tell you all about it."
 An English quartermaster 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 fractured leg and other injuries. The others were smashed against the iron hull and disappeared.
 For one tremulous moment the en- zines 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. "One of my best men. I remember seeing his wife. 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 a Bombay village, I suppose"
 The captain fought his way to the chart house. He wiped the salt water from his eyes and looked anxiously at the barometer.
 Still falling" he muttered. Il will keep on until z o'clock and then bear three points to the southward. By midnight We should be behind it.
 He struggled back into the outside fury. By comparison the sturdy cita- del he quilted was paradise on the edge of an inferno.
 Down in the saloon the hardier pas sengers were striving to subdue the ennui of an interval before they sought their cabins Some talked. One hard enei 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 floating palace in which the raging seas were defied. 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.
 The surgeon had been called away. Iris was the only lady left in the sa- loon. She watched a set of whist play CTS for a time and then essayed the periIous passage to her stateroom. She found her maid and stewardess there. Both women were weeping.
 What is the matterT she inquired
 The stewardess tried to speak. She choked with grief and hastily went out. The maid blubbered an explana- ton.
 "A friend of hers was married, miss. to the man who is drowned"
 Drowned. What manT
 Haven't you heard, miss? sup pose they are keeping it quiet An English sailor and some natives were swept of the ship by sea. One native was saved. but he is all smashed up. The others were never seen again"
 Iris by degrees learned the sad chronicles of the Jackson family. She was moved to tears. She remembered the doctors hes!tancy and her own idle phrase. "a huge coffin"
 Outside the roaring waves pounded npon the iron walls.
 Two staterooms had been converted into one to provide Miss Deane with ample accommodation. There were no hunks. but a cozy bed was screwed to the deck. She lay down and strove to read II was g difficult task. Her eyes wandered from the printed page to mark the absurd antics of her gar ments swinging on their hooks. At times the ship rolled so far that she felt sure it must toppIe over. She was not afraid. but subdued. rather aston ished. pIaeidly prepared for vague erentualitieS.
 Things were ridiculous. What need was there for all this external fury Why should poor sailors be cast forth to instant death in such awful man ner: IT she could only sleep and for get-it kind oblivion would blot out the storm for 2 few bIissfBI hours. But how could one sieer wiib the conscious