The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-17


got the money to pay for what want,
and there amt no one in this hotel
asking me any if and or but"
"No one knew me. didn't care that
they should hear my name"
"It's nobody's business. What I'm
entitled to, I'm entitled to, and so long
as pay the money no 'one else can
interfere with the way run my ship"
"Still, woman-at this hourv'
makes no difference. although you
are the first lady to call on me, night
or day"
"You mean that no woman has ever
been in here beforeT'
"I said the first LADY,"
Mrs. Brooks shuddered, and instinc-
lively she glanced toward the door.
"You have a telephone here, haven't
you, captain 2" she asked.
Fright over there by the door," he
said, pointing to 1t. "Want to use itT'
mot now, thank you"
She cleared her choking throat and
started right in to the business that
had brought her.
Captain Williams, since you left us
tonight Joe-Mr. Brooks-has told me
about his difficulty"
$50 Smith SAID"
That's what 1 came to talk about"
"Well, that little matter can rest" he
said affably. you've called, and it's
the first chance I've had to speak to
you alone"
II want to know If there 10 any way
some arrangement
"No use in looking 80 glum over q
little stolen money. want to show
you my quarters"
II didn't come to see your quarters,
captain. I came to-
II don't care what you came for,
Mrs. Brooks" he declared, with mas
todonian playfulness. II make it a
rule that everybody who drops in
here, man or woman, has got to listen
to me spinning yarns. Now
Emma was becoming more and more
nervous.
II know you will think me rude, but
I can't delay" she insisted. "Joe is in
great trouble, and some other time I'll
hear the yarns"
He rose with mock ugnrry.
you're on my ship, Mrs. Brooks.
Please remember every captain is mas
ter of his ship, and If you don't listen
! and like it-mind you, say like it'll
clap you in double irons for mutiny."
Captain Williams" she pleaded, 81
am sure that you would not dis
please
"This little fore and after, Mrs.
Brooks" he broke in, picking up the
model Of the ship on the mantel, ''is a
model Of the Sally Moran, my first
command out of Frisco. That's her
wheel up there over the door. She
laid the cornerstone Of my fortune, but
she taught me how to fight and have
nerve. Took her up into the north Pa
cific sealing and then down on the jap
anese coast. Had crew who wouldn't
adorn any high back rover Captain
Kidd ever could wish for. If there
was any good in that schooner God
must "a saw it first and hit it."
To humor him she had advanced to
the mantel.
"And is that where you got your
awful reputationT' she inquired.
The bushy eyebrows came down un.
til the lids were hidden, and his eyes,
shining like live Goals, were alone visi.
BILE as he directed his gaze upon her.
"Just how bad is that awful reputa.
tion,' Mrs. Brooks?"
"They say" she returned, meeting
his gaze steadily, "that you have nc
heart, no pity, in you; that you'd kill q
man in those days with as little feel
ing as would kill mosquito"
"Well, guess the reason you'd kill q
mosquito isn't because it's just mos
quito and that you'd like to kill it, but
because you're afraid it will bite you
Amt it?"
''Yes."
"I had men, Mrs. Brooks. who, II
you let 'em go too far, they'd bite, and
if you let 'em bite too deep they'd kill
Them were the early days Of sealers
men. I amt any better, but guess
amt no worse, than lots of others
would be fixed just as was at thai
time"
"I'm glad to hear you say that, cap
tain," she declared, seizing the oppor
tunity. "It opens the way for the
business I came on"
"BusinessT
eyes, business"
'rBut it's after business hours, Mrs
Brooks, and amt half spun my yarn
Now, over here i want to show you 6
couple of spears I got from a lot Of
head hunters down in the Malay archi
pelago. You may not know where thai
is, but I've always had an idea it'l
where God battened down the devi
after that first big row they had yor
read about in the Bible. l. was goinl
ashore, seeing what was doing, whez
this crew of niggers come down on III
like a aquall. We had an awful timt
getting back to the boats, tell you
We were some cut I'D, and all ! 60