The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-12-03
CHAPTER II.
Worse Than Wilderness.

] 80
of a dream in which he had
been swimming for life across a sea
OF boiling oil. He sat up and gazed
about him. half-dazed. The cyclone
had been followed by a dead calm, and
the sun, already well above the hOr-
zOn, was blazing upon them over the
CLASSY surfaces of the dying swells
with fierce heat.
Winthrope felt about for his hat. 1t
had been blown off when, at the stri-
king of the steamer, he had rushed
up on deck. AS he remembered, he
Strengthened. and looked at his com
| panions. Blake lay snoring where
he had first outstretched himself
sleeping the sleep of the just-and of
the drunkard The girl, however, was
already awake. She sat with her
hands clasped in her lap, while the
tears rolled slowly down her cheeks
"My-ah-dear Miss Genevieve.
what is the natter" exclaimed Win
| thrope
Matter? Do you ask, when we are
here on this wretched coast, and may
/ AipN SCI q " bN LOl NCVhS. OIls L ulu 81
count on the London season this year,
Lady Bayrose promised that l should
! be among those presented"
We'll, I-ah-fancy, Lady Bayrose
will do no more presenting-unless it
may be to the heavenly choir, you
| know"
Why, what do you mean, Mr.
Winthrope? You told me that she and
| the maids had been put in the largest
! boat"
My dear Miss Genevieve you must
| remember that I am a diplomat It
was all quite sufficiently narrowing,
assure you. They were, indeed. put
! into the largest boat Beastly mud
| dle!- While they waited for the mate
to fetch you. the boat was crushed
| alongside and all in it drowned"
"Drowned!-drowned. Oh. dear
Lady Bayrose, And she'd travelled so
much-oh oh. it is horrible! Why
! did she persuade me to visit the Cape9
! 1t was only to be with her-And then
for us to start off for India. when we
| might have sailed straight to England,
| Oh it is horrible. horrible, And my
! maid and all--it cannot be POSSIBLE"
Pray. do not excite yourself, my
| dear Miss Genevieve. Their troubles
/ are all over. Er-Gawd has taken
| them to Him, you know"
Put the pity of it! To be drowned
SO far from home"
| "Ah, if that's all you're worrying
] about II lilo To
how Wen get a snack for breakfast.
I'm hungry as a-er-groom."
Eating, How can you think Of
eating, Mr. Winthrope-and all the
/ others drowned? This sun is becom-
/ irg dreadiully hot l. is unbearable,
Can you not put up some kind Of an
awning?"
We'll, now | must say. was never
much of a hand at such things. and
really I can't imagine what one could
/ rig up. There might have been a bit
| of sail in the boat, but one cant see
a sign of il. | fancy it was smashed"
Miss Leslie ventWed a glance at
Blake. Though still lying as he had
| sprawled in his drunkenness. there was
! a comforting suggestion of power in
his broad shoulders and square jaw.
rs he still-in that condition."
Must have slept it off by this time.
and there's no more in the flask" an
swered Winthrope. Reaching over
with his foot, he pushed against
Blake's back
Huh! All right" grunted the
sleeper and sat up, as had Winthrope,
half dazed. Then IL stared around
| him, and rose TO his feet We'll, what
in hell. Say, this is damn cheerful"
Il fancy we are in nasty fix But
| say, my man, there is a woman pres
ent, and your language, you know"
Blake turned and fixed the English
! man with cold stare.
Look here, you bloomin' lud." he
| said, there's Just one thing you're
going to understand, right here and
now. I'm not your man, and we're not
going to have any of that kind of blat-
| ter. Any fool can see we're in a
| tight hole, and we're like to keep COM
| pany for while-probably long as we
| last"
'What-ah-may ask, do you mean
by that"
Blake laughed harshly, and pointed
from the reefstrewn sea to the vast
! stretches of desolate marsh Far in
land, across miles of brackish lagoons
and reedy mud-hats, could be seen
! groups of scrubby. half-leafess trees
ten or twelve miles to the southwark
a rocky headland iutted out into the
water; otherwise there was nothing in
sight but sea and swamp. If it could
! not properly be termed a sea-view, it
was at least a very wet landscape.
Fine prospect" remarked Blake,
dryly. Wen be in luck if the fever
| don't get the last of us inside
month; and as for you two, you'd have
as much show Of lasting a month as
toad with a rattlesnake, if it wasn't
! for Tom Blake-that's my name-Tom
Blake-and as long as this shindy
lasts, you're welcome to call me Tom
or Blake, whichever suits. But I'M
derstand, we're not going to have
any more of your bloody, bloomn'
| English condescension. Aboard ship
you had the drop on me, and could
pile on dog till the cows came home.
! ITHa 1.Ir