The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-05
CHAPTER ]
The Wreck of the sirdar.

nified agSressiVenesS. She had lived
too many years in the far east. In
Hong Kong she was known as the
Mandarin" Her powers Of nerciess
inquisitiOn suggested torrents long
drawn out. The commander of the
Sirdar, homeward bound from Shang
hal. knew that he was about to be
stretched on the rack when he took
his seat at the saloon table.
rs 1t true, captain. that we are
running into a typhoon?" demanded
her ladyship.
From whom did you learn that,
Lady Tozer?" Captain Ross was wary,
though somewhat surprised.
From Miss Deane. l understood
her moment ago to say that you had
told her"
'I?"
Didn't you? Some one told me this
morning / couldn't have guessed If,
could I?p Miss Iris Deane.s large blue
eyes surveyed him with innocent IN
difference to strict accuracy. Incl
dentally, she had obtained tho infor-
nation from her maid. a nose-tilted
couuette who extracted ships secrets
from a youthful quartermaster
"Well-er-I had forgotten" ex-
planned the tactful sailor
rs 1t true?"
Lady Tozer was unusually abrupt to-
day. But she was annoyed by the as
sumption that the captain took a mere
girl into his confidence and passed
over the wife of the ex-chief justice OF
Hong Kong.
yes, it is" said Captain Ross,
equally curt, and silently thanking the
fates that her ladyship was going
home for the last time.
How horrible!" she gasped, in unaf-
fected alarm. This return to feminity
soothed the sailors ruffled temper.
Sir John, her husband, frowned jul
ideally. That frown constituted his
-flsgal stock in trade. vet it passed cur
- rent for wisdom with the Hong Kong
bar.
what evidence have your" he
asked.
DO tell u.s." chimed in Iris, delight
fully unconscious of interrupting the
court. Did you find out when you
squinted at the SUM-"
The captain smiled. you are near
err the mark than possibly you imag-
Inc, Miss Deane," he said. when we
took our observations yesterday there
was a very weird-loOking halo around
the sun. This morning you may have
noticed several light squalls and a
smooth sea marked occasionally by
strong ripples. The barometer is fall
ing rapidly, and 1 expect that. as the
day wears, we Will encounter a heavy
swell. If the sky looks wild tonight,
and especially if we observe a heavy
bank Of cloud approaching from the
northwest. you viii see the crOckeTy
dancing about the table at dinner
am afraid you are not a good sailor,
Lady Tozer. Are you, Miss Deane?"
Capital! 1 should just love to see
a real storm. Now promise me sol
EMMY that you will take ne IN into
the charthouse when this typhoon is
simply tearing things to pieces"
''Oh, dear! / do hope it will not be
very bad. Is there no way in which
you can avoid it, captain? Will it las,
long?"
The polite skipper for once preferred
to answer Lady Tozer. There is NJ
cause for uneasiness,' he said. "Ot
course, typhoons i'm the China sea ara
nasty things, while they las but q
ship like the SiTdar is not troubled by
them. She will drive through IN.
worst gale she is likely TO meet here
in less than twelve hours Besides,
alter the course somewhat as soon a
discover our position with regard [,
its center. You see, Miss Deane-"
And Captain Ross forthwith Illus
trated on the back OF a menu card
the spiral shape and progress CT a ~.
girl by his technical references Il
northern and southern hemispheTes
polar directions, revolving air currents
external circumference and dimin
ished atmospheric pressures, that she
was too bewildered to eriterate a le-
sire to visit the bridge.
Then the commander hurrledly ex-
cused himself, and the passengers saw
no more Of him that cay. a
Rut his short scientific Lecture
achieved a double results Il rescued
him from a request which he could
not possibly grant, and treasured Lady,
ToZer. To the non-nautical mind it is
the unknown that is fearful A storm
cIassed as periodic" whose velocity
can be measured, whose duration and
direction can be determined before
hand by hours and distances. ceases
TO be terrifying. 1t becomes an &c.
copied fact, akin to the steam engine
and the electric telegraph. marvellous
yet commonplace.
So her ladyship dismissed the topic
as of no present interest, and focused
Miss Deane through her eyeglasses
Sir Arthur proposes to come home
IN June ] understand" she inquired
Iris was a remarkably healthy young
woman. A large banana momentarily
engaged her attention. She nodded af.
fably.
You Will stay with relatives until ht
arriyes?' pursued Lady Tozer.
The banana is a fruit of simpl.
characteristics. The girl was able t,
reply, with a touch of careless hauteui
in her voice:
Relatives, We have none-non,
whom we specially cultivate. that is
] Will stop in town a day or two t
interview my dressnakeT. and then &,
straight TO Helmdale, our place il
Yorkshire"
Surely you have a chaperon."
a chaperonl My dear Lady TOZeT
did my father impress you as one VIII,
would permit a fussy ard stout oil,
person to make my life miserable"
The acidity in the retorc lay IN RI,
word stout" But Iris was not accus
toned TO ross-examination. During
three months residence on the island
she has learned how TO avoid Lady
ToZer. Here il was impossible, anC
the older woman fastened upon hel
sasp-like. Miss Iris Deane was a tooth
some morsel for gossip. Not vet wen
ty-one. the only daughter of a wealthy
baronet who owned a feet of stately
ships-the Sirdar amongst them-a
girl who had been mistress Of her ia
Tiers house since her return from
. Dresden three years ago-young. beau
tiful rich--here was combination fOl