The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-24
CHAPTER TX

known
Il suppose did, but that's small
matter. There were twenty other lives
In danger. And what Is one mans life
when there is duty to be done?
We've all got TO die some time"
Captain Hallam did not utter the
thought that was In him. That thought
was:
well, OF all the queer men have
ever had TO deal with you are certain.
ly the queercst. StIll. | think | under
stand you, and that's queerer stlll'
"What do you want. Duncan, for last
nights work."
Duncan looked at his companion for
half minute before answering. Then
he said:
II want that tug captain Of yours
discharged
"WhyT'
Because he's a coward and an ut.
terly unfit man. Human life may de-
pend upon his courage at any mo-
ment. and be has no courage"
'Is that all you want|
"Yes. That's all"
"Why don't you demand an increase
In your salary? Anybody else would.
But perhaps you don't care for big
ger salary. You're a queer Sort you
know
"oh. yes. ! care very much for an
Increase." answered Duncan.
"Then why didn't you seize upon the
opportunity to ask for lti'
"Must tell you franklyT
II wish you would. 1t might help me
to understand you"
swell. It Is simple enough. You gave
me employment when was desperate
iy In need OF It. should be an In
crate II did not consider your inter
ests In all that do / think | ought
to have larger salary than you are
now paying me. think | earn 1t. and
II has been my purpose TO ask for 1t
when the proper time should come"
"Then why haven't you been In a
hurry TO ask for It now? There couldn't
be better time"
Pardon me- but | cannot agree with
you. II so happens that Just at this
moment have several very important
matters of yours in my charge. You
have intrusted them to me, and they
have come so exclusively under my
control that nobody else, not even you,
could conduct them to successful
issue so well as | can. Under such
circumstances, of course, cannot make
any personal demand upon you without
indecency. To do so would be to take
advantage of your necessities. 1t would
amount to threat that II you refused
my demands l would abandon these en-
terprIses and leave you to get out Of all
their difficulties as best you could.
Don't you see, Captain Hallam, that
under such circumstances simply
could not make a demand upon you for
more salary or for anything else Of
personal advantage to myself?"
"No. don't see it at all, and yet
somehow | seem to understand you.
II were In your place I'd regard these
circumstances as trump cards, and I'd
lead them for all they are worth. So
would any other man IN the Mississippi
valley or anywhere else, think"
'"That may perhaps be so, and sup
pose ! am queer as you say. But to
me 1t would seem despicable thing to
take advantage of the fact that you
need me in these affairs of yours. You
have hidden me be frank. l will be so.
When / came to Cairo sought work
Of the hard physical kind at the small
wages that such work commands. You
quickly gave me better work and lar
ger pay than / had expected to earn
for months to come Little by little
you have advanced me in your regard
until now / seem to enjoy your con-
fidence. When you first brought me
into contact with the big men of af-
fairs - more or less big Il was op-
pressed with an exaggerated sense OF
their greatness. Presently / discovered
that, while you are always deferential
toward them. you are distinctly their
superior In intellect and In your grasp
OF affairs. You allow them TO think
that they are your masters, while In
fact you never fall to have your way,
and to compel them and the many mil.
lions OF other peoples money whose
use they control 10 your own pur.
poses"
At this point TIallam uttered q low
chpchle,
"a little later | discovered another
fact" Continued Duncan "li slowly