Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-01-10
yet. put into plain English, that Is the
tale your friend tells"

: yet. put into plain English, that Is the
tale your friend tells"
1T is; have never doubted that from
the first. Captain Black is either the
most original villain living, or the whole
story is silly dream--besides, we have
yet to learn if he is the commander of the
nameless ship, we have also to learn il
the nameless ship is not myth" ~.
-. l remained above for half an hour, gaz-
ing -ever sthe great sweep of the Atlantic.
Paolo was on the bridge. took all op-
portunity of watching him. l made pre-
tense to so to my cabin, and bawled a
goodnight to the mate as | went; but
it was only to put on felt, slippers and to
get a warm coat. and | made my way
stealthy amidships. l took a stand aft
of the skipper's cabin, where could pry,
yet not be seen. heard Paolo address
several of the men forward, and it seemed
to me that his mode of speech was not
quite that which should be between officer
and seaman.
1t CHANGED that in this watch the new
men were on deck. my old crew being in
the port watch Suddenly, on the far hor-
izon over the starboard bow, | saw the
flare of a blue light, bright over the
water; and showing as it hared, the dark
hull of a great ship. Paolo himself struck
light to a flare which he had with him on
the bridge, and answered the signal.
This action completely staggered me.
Without thought | rushed up the ladder
to the hurricane deck and stood beside
him. He started as he saw me, and
could see him biting his lips, while an
ugly look came into his eyes.
Good evening, Mister Mate" I said :;
will you kindly tell me why you burnt
that blue light?"
Il burnt it to answer the signal yon-
DER
But that was no affair of ours "
He shrugged his shoulders, and NUT
! tered something about custom. Yet in
| another moment he made effort to recall
| himself, and met me with an open, smil-
| ing face which covered anger.
When turned in at last, the little wind
! there was had fallen away. | must have
slept very heavily for an hour, when a
+ great sense of unrest and waking weari-
ness took me, and lay, now doing, now
dreaming so that in all my dreams l saw
the face of Paolo. l seemed to walk the
decks of the Celsis, yet was Paolo there
more strong and masterful than |.
Then the man Paolo stood over me,
looking straight into my eyes; and when
l would have risen up to question him
l was powerless l opened my eyes and
saw, during the veriest reality of time
that others looked down into mine.
saw them for some small part of a sec
ond, yet in the faint light that came from
the port | recognized the face and the
form, and was certain of them; for the
man who had been watching me as / slept
was Paolo. w.. .s.5 ..le.4-. ,,o4 ,,s,,.
A quick sense Of danger walked me thor
oughly then. l put my band to2the tap
of the electric light and the white rays
flooded the cabin. But the cabin was
empty and Roderick's dog sat by my
trunk, and had, l could see, been licking
my hand as l lay.
| knew not how to make out the mean
ing of it but l was trembling from the
horror of the dream, and went above in
my fiannes. looked into Paolo's bunk,
and he slept there, in so heavy sleep
that began to doubt altogether the truth
L
man have left my cabin as he had done,
and yet now be berthed in his own? The
dream had cheated me, as dreams often
do
But more sleep was not to be thought
Of. / fell to talk with Dan, and paced
the deck with him, asking what was his
opinion of our new second mate.
Its not for me to be spoutin' about
them as is above me-" he said, 'but you
ask me a fair question. In course, l
amt the party to be thinking i'll of any
man, but what l do know | know. He's
no more'n a ship with voice under the
forehatch-"
l laughed at him as l asked, And
what's the matter with ship like that?
Why shouldn't there be a voice under the
fore hatch, Dan?'
well, you see, sir, as there amt no.
body alvin in that pertcler place, you
don't 90 for to look to hearin' of voices,
or. in plain lingo, there's something queer
about it.'
The sound of a gunshot to leeward
awoke me from my thoughts. Fearing
that some vessel lay in distress, we put
the helm up and went half-speed for a
time. We had cruised thus for five min
utes or more when terrific report burst
upon our ears. The thunderous echoing
of a great weapon which a man-of-war
only could carry.
The sound died away slowly; but in the
same minute the fog lifted and | saw,
away mile on the starboard bow, spec
tacle which brought a great flush upon my
face, and let me hear the sound of my
own heart beating.
(To be continued.)