Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-02-14
CHAPTER Nv.

was not an unkndly looking man, beine
OF great age and somewhat feeble in his
actions; but he never opened his lips
when l questioned him, and gave a plain
Yes" or No" to any demand.
1t must have been on the fourth day
after my capture that the nameless ship
which hitherto lad not been speeding at
an abnormal pace, began TO go very fast
Finally, by the consciousness that the
ship had stopped. and that there was
much agitation on deck, l looked from
my window and observed the cause of the
confusion, for there, ahead of us mile
or more, was one of the largest icebergs
/ have ever seen. | watched intently, hop
ing to see other bergs that should tell me
how far we had gone towards the North,
but the night fell suddenly. | had no.
ton that Captain Black was running to
hiding; and his hiding place lay to the
north, far above the course even of Cana
dian-bound vessels.
The time passed, the weather growing
colder day by day, the bergs more fire.
quent about my windows; until on the
evening of the seventh day the ship stop
ped suddenly. The work of mooring was
not long one. On the next morning | got
up at daybreak, and looked eagerly from
my spying place but l could discern only
a blank cliff of rock, the ship being now
moored against the very side of it. The
negro brought a note with my breakfast
and l read an invitation to dine with
Captain Black that evening. l welcomed
the prospect of change, when the old man
threw open the door and said, The Mas
ter waits ~
He led the way up the companion lad
der, which was, in fact, broad staircase,
elaborately lit with the electric light; and
50 brought me to the deck, where there
vas darkness save in one spot above the
fore-turret. There a lantern threw great
volume OF white light which spread out
upon the sea, and showed me at once that
we were in a cove of some breadth, sur
rounded by prodigiously high cliffs; and
the light being focused straight across the
bay, disclosed a cleft in these rocks lead
ing apparently to further cove beyond.
/ had scarce time to get other than
rough idea of The whole situation, for a
boat was waiting at the gangway. The
men gave way at once. keeping in the
course of the searchlight, and rowing
straight to the cleft in the cliffs, through |
which they passed: and so left the light |
and entered a narrower ford. This sec
ond cove opened after a while into a |
lake above whose shores I observed many |
twinkling lights, which seemed to come |
from windows far up the face of the cliff |
There was a rough landing stage, cut in |
the rock, and an iron stairway led thence |
to the chambers which evidently existed |
above.
When we had come to shore, and had |
been received there by several men who |
held lanterns, the negro pointed to the |
iron stairway and told me to mount; he |
NE to the summit where there
was a platform and an iron door. The
door opened as we arrived before it, and |
there standing by it l found the young
doctor.
Come in," he said, they're waiting
for you."
We were in broad passage lit by the
electric light-a passage cut in a crystal |
Ike rock, whose surface had almost the
lustre of a mirror. The passage led up
TO a second door-this one built of fine
American walnut and we passed through |
it at once into a room where | was as
founded to see indisputabe evidence of
civilization and Of refinement. The whole |
chamber was hung round with superb |
skins, the white fur of the polar bear pre-
but there were couches cush-
ioned with deep brown seal and the same
glossy skin was laid upon the floor in
so many layers that the football was
and pleasantly luxuriant. The |
furniture otherwise was both modern and
artistic.
The room had solitary occupant. One
glance assured NE that was face to face |
with Captain Black-the Captain Black l
had seen in Paris; but yet not the same
for all the bravado and rough speech |
which which then fell from his lips was
wanting. When he stepped forward and
held out his hand to me, | had the mind |
almost to draw back from him, for l |
knew that the man had crime heavy upon |
him: but a second thought convinced me
of the folly of making a scene at such a |
moment: so | took the great hard hand
ard looked him full in the face.
Il am glad to see you" said he: "din- |
ner waits u.s. and with that we passed |
into another chamber containing dining |
table laid for four persons in a very ele
CANT manner. The only servant was |
giant black. and the guests of the Cap |
tain were the young doctor, the Scotsman
known as Dick the Ranter, and myself.
The captain made no attempt to con-
ceal information from me. The first oc-
casion of his speaking during dinner was
in answer to a remark of rine that | |
found the room very pleasantly warm.
YES" he said, you must feel the
change. You know where you are, of |
course. This is the west coast of Green
land, and there is Danish settlement not |
fifty miles from you-although we don't !
leave cards on our neighbors Well, | |
won't have you hurried, and you're my
guest until l put a certain straight ques-
ton to you. When that happens you
won't think twice about the answer"
This pleasant party must disperse,"
he said to me later; you can go to the
quarters we have provided for you, unless
you would like to see more of u.s."
IL should like to see everything you
can show me-" | replied, being afame
18th curiosity to know all that the strange
situation could teach me; and then he
made a motion for the others to follow,
and we passed from the room.
The way from the dining room was
q long passage lighted with arc