The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-01-31

10 Missouri, ana unuer nlgh pressure
- grunting and snOrting southwark.
al river men about the fort watched
~ trailing cloud of smoke until she
~ disappeared. then shook their
IDS and muttered dark prophecy.
r. although she was the lightest and
t,stest boat in the upper waters at
~ time (for which reason she was
'Losen 10 carry a very important mes
&c from the fort to ST. Louis), yet
- boat is so swift as the prairie win
md the winter was coming early
lot year. The old men read warnings
non the face of the heavens and
shifted treachery in the damp south
,yind They recalled other Octobers
,.ben the winter had swooped down
suddenly. they spoke of billiards; they
recslled the names OF companions who
lad perished. they talked of hunger.
Rut the Lucas, laden heavily with
or. embarrassing cargo OF firewOod.
and groaning through all her strained
machinery, raced into the south.
she had only made a hundred miles
yrben a bolt head in the boilers gave
vav under the abnormal pressure of
steam. and il became necessary to lay
I'd for repairs.
Jim Hanway.. the head engineer,
worked upon the boilers with a neT-
VOWS haste that attracted the attention
Of the captain.
Take your time, jim" said the
eaptain: there's no hurry"
mo hurry?" Hanway grinned with
tvitching lips at the captain. Take a
look al the sky, will you? If We don't
all turn up in some coyotes belly be-
fore spring, you can thank me and
this engine
The captain endeavored to laugh
pleasautly. but succeeded only in pro-
duciug a dry Cackle. Certainly some
Thing had come over Hanway. The tail,
raunt. good-natured engineer was no
jonged good-natured. There was a
drawn, set look in his face, and the
whole engine room seemed filled with
some strange disqUieting influence,
some subtle emsnation from over
wrought nerves.
The captain went up on deck. "Jim's
got a case of cold feet he said to the
pilot; nerves all frayed out to
ragged edge. Talks about US all turn
ing up i'm some coyotes belly before
spring, What do you think of that for
Hanway?"
The way he's been giving her tie
whip so far, he'll be blowing US to
kingdom come more likely" said the
pilot. I yelled down the tube for less
speed a dozen times. and he went right
on Shaping the speed to her. Want to
look after him bit. captain,''
Meanwhile Hanway worked nervous
~ at the boilers. He reinforced them
with other bolts and beIted them with
iron hoops. ali the while muttering 20
himself. A deck hand. tottering under
a log Of wood, ventured to joke with
the engineer Hanway turned upon
him and snsTled with a savage lifting
of the upper lip. If you ROSTERS don't
get this engine room full of wood be-
fore We start he said, III brain the
last one Of y0u,"
The rooster deposited his load ana
withdrew at a tTot.
On the morning Of the second day of
the delay the Lucas again started
south. Hanway bawled ND the tube to
the pilot at the wheel: Don't 20 vell-
ing any more instructions down here to
me. This boat is going somew heres!i
He turned to his engine. now throb-
Ding nightly like an overtaxed heart
Don't give up, old grill" he muttered
Don't give up again, I know it's q
killing pace, but hold together some
how"
In the late evening the Lucas ran fou
OF suag and came off with a shat
tered paddle wheel. This required two
days for repairing, during which time
II began TO snow with great wet lazily
tumbling fakes. that fell melting upon
the deck like soft kisses Of BETRAYAL
Hanway grew more and more nervous
as he helped at the repairing of the
paddles
Are sou sick. jim? asked the cap
tain kindly: for Hanway fumbled the
tools with shaking hands and dropped
them often.
No, not sick, cap" answered Han
ay with strange tremoT in his voice
But it seems like I can feel something
coming-something- don't know what
something big and black and terrible
moving down upon US, I know it's fool
ish."
"Oh. this is Just a little furry" said
The captain soothingly.- Too early fol-
real winter, Jim. Better go to be-
awhile and let the second engineer ruT
her tonight. You're worn out"
When the damage had been repaired
the Lucas again started south with tht
second engineer at the trottle. tn,
Lucas was now running night and day
Tor something of the dread of Hanway
had come upon the captain.
In the middle of the night Hanway
aWoke with a start from a heavy sleep
Tie arose at once and went on deck. fo1
ne Add not undreSSed. The snow haC
ceased falling and 5 northwest wins
with keen knife edge smote him il
ln2 face. He listened for a moment I.
iae chug-chug of the revolving paddl,
wheels, the sigh of the waters abOu
oef sides. and the estimate snore o
tne exhaust. Suddenly he thought h
laught the tiniIling sound of small ic
PARTICLES. He rushed to the thermom
sleT and, striking a match, gazed 70
moment hOTTOT-stricken upon Tn
Mercury 1t registered 81 degrees,
Inc match flsred and went out. Han
way shivered in the sudden darkness
es though he had just gazed upon tn
aye 9t corpse. He glanced at tn
p"et house and saw the pilot swinging
'Fee arm about him to warm hi
Aunbed fingers
IianWay ran down the aft stairs an
o-ist INTO the engine room. He rushe
faSl me second engineer and glance
az me steam gauge. II registered tei
POUNDS less than he himself had bee
carrying.
giueer.
don't go of till morning, Jim. re
PIE the other kindly.
on 80 on nOw-d'ye heaT?"
nenNay grasped the second eEginee
ts me shoulders. and. with the aid 0
vigorous foot. hurled him boil
through the door. which he bolted. The