The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-22
JIMMY'S WIFE.
(Author of swind hammers" "Mr. TrunneJln sCruise of the
 Petrel," Etc.l
BY T. JENKINS HANS.

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 | (Copyright. 1906. by Joseph E. Bow 's) We were about 50 miles south of Cape Horn, hove-to in a high, rolling northwest sea which made the main | deek unin habftable.
 Tn the dog-watch the carpenter took | mercy on Gantline and myself and al- l lowed us to share his room In the for ward house for an after-supper smoke | We had started forward when the man on lookout hailed. Through the gloom of the flying drift and twilight a shadow bore down upon the ship, Erey-white above black. Then there suddenly loomed out xthe shape of q great ship tearing along under t'g-l- lant sails dead before the gale.
 Then In an instant she was gone. The drift had closed upon her as she swept astern before anyone could read her name. She had vanished as quick ly as she had appeared. passing on In- to the dismal sea behind us like q aff-streaked mystery.
 We stood gazing at the whirling drift of the gloom astern for some minutes. and then we followed Chips into his room. Cantline could not re- call the vessel by her shape or rig and asked the carpenter about her
 Do I know her?" he missed fierce iy. '.woutd l be apt to forget herr" And he thrust out an arm. pulling up his sleeve until a long livid scar showed clear to his elbow. Tt .sn't likely anyone would forget the Morn. Ing Light if they ever sailed in her.
 Man! I'd know her in the depths O perdltion. the deepest hole in devil dom. where she'll sail in the hereaf- ter
 NO. didn't intend to ship fin CT. Jimmy Turner an got into her after we left the navy. When we went broke fellow wanted hands for the Morning Light, Captain Sam Smith. master. we hadn't heard of any par ticnlar Sam Smith. so on we signed with shaking hands and dry throats, willing 10 so anywhere or do anything for enough grog to keep alive
 Jimmy had gone In the navy, be- cause he couldn't live ashore. He'd married and was sorry for it--rnade a mistake But he'd never said any thing to me about his wife or family, and never asked. Nobody asks uues- tions of anybody aboord men o-war: When we dropped down the bay a tug came alongside and Cap'n Smith went to vne rail 10 greet a little hatch et-faced fellow who jumped aboard. He was with a woman
 Sammy Smith an niece' said an old sheiiback standing on the forecas- tie head T thought SO"
 "WhAt's the marter?-' we asked.
 Matter! Don't you know that fel- low? That's Morreil, the worst thing in mans image that ever rrod a deck plank Come it on us as Sammy Smithi Man, if ye can get ashore. swim for 1t afore its too late. I'm too old" But Morrelt didn't ship men to have then do the pter-nsad jump. We were m for western ocean cruise in one of the packet snIps who will leave har memory a black and bloody track in the minds Of sailor men.
 Before we'd crussed the stream Nor rell had begun on Us. Bur--wei1- new CT mind. It would make the tales of old-tfrne horror seem like play tu tell one-half of what took place in a week. Save ye, GantIine, I could sit here and tell you things till morrIng--and each one would make you sn1ver We had five men missing" berore the voyage was hale over, Jimmy and l came in for some of 1t but even that rlger- shark aft knew when ne had reached the iiniit--and we were nen-o'-wars men.
 One night there was a row aft and there were cries of woman. Jimmy heard them and started out on deck with his sheath knife. but we heard him. and four of us got the marks of the knife to remember how we saved him. 4
 After that Jimmy was quiet and agly HsAnever spoke to any one, There were no more men in tho crew, only square heads and Dutchmen, and they never go aft.
 T wouldn't consent to go alone when Jimmy gave mo look that told hk game. Soon I noticed he wouldn't turn In at night and then l knew 1t was coming. I stole aft to see the end
 T found him standing close under the break of the poop. talking in a whisper to some one. Then I caught the giint of a skirt and recognized the voice of the woman. .~.~3..-
 It's no use Jim. let me live 1t out, she said. Tt won't last long Her voice was like that of the dying.
 Then Jimmy answered her slowly and quietly His words came deep ami low like the smothered roar of the surf on the shore. Man. it was like | the great sea rolling over an outlying l reef. bursting, gathering again and then rushing with that mighty power f to the end. When he stopped she was | choking. gasping for breath. Man 1t ! seemed like her heart would break. I | couldn'. help listening, hearing her | pay for what she'd done. But Jimmy | never blamed her, no not he.
 Jimmy stood there waiting for his | answer.
 "'Go-goi Go and forget She was [ choking. but 1t came plain and dis | tinct. There was a long silence, and ! looked hard into the gloom. She had gone. Jimmy was standing there sway ing in the night Ike an unstaved mast and I led him foirads, his head hang ! ing down and saggng like he was asleep.
 "The next day 1t came m heavy from the northwest Jimmy was sent aloft to put an evtra gasket around the bunt of the cro' jack where if had been blown out by the gale. Some thing went wronr with the foot-rooe, | Looked like a clear case of cutting. | for 1t was all right when we curled the | sail few hours before.
 Jimmy fell with the dull wallop that generally means death, and he landed right across the cabin skvlight. i It was q long fall and he was still ', MorreIl was watching his ship and saw the falL IIe stnrted for Jimmy. i Just then the woman below rushed on ! deck and flung herself upon the poor cd to raise him. The woman as soh- | bins and calline for him to speak just | Once more to her; and, man II was terrible to hear her what she said
 'Morrrll stood looking on, and then ! burst into a laugh.
 50 that's him is it? Ho! no Tho! ' So that's the fellow? And ne went to , the dying man.
 she was unon him before he knew ! 1t, strlkinR him blow that sent him reeling Then he went mad and had his pistol out firing and cursng like a ! maniac. II was all over in minute !
 Here Chips stopped awhile and cut ! some fresh plug for his pipe.
 'rpAfor, fhe morning watch had