The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-03-18
Captain OF the Ship


weady for sea. The last few cases o.
cargo were being swung aboard, the rig
gers were busily bending the great
sheets Of canvas that. ere many hour
we're past, would be swelling TO the
thrust OF the Biscay gales. Her decks
were Uttered from stem TO stern with
ropes, provision cases. odds and ends OF
refuse. and In and between all this
conglomeration the sweating stevedores
moved and swore fiuently. catching the
swinging cases deity. guiding them to
the open matches. bestowing them in
orderly precision. ready to stand what
ever the future might be pleased TO
show In the WAY Of weather.
ave got something rather important
10 tell you. FIaxman." said Wenlock.
and had the skipper not been 70 taken
up with his own lmaginings he might
have noticed a trace OF nervous excite
ment in the owners voice. You're not
TO bring the Deliveranee home again"
He tried to look the skipper In the face
as he spoke. but failed His eyes
dropped of their W accord to his feet
sri see you Id first said Flax
man, holly. ~What. throw away my
ship? II you weren't my owner. ia tell
you pretty plainly what I think about
you. Being that you are my owner, I
tell you to your face that / won't rom
mlt barratry for any man under the
sun, not II IL meant drowning myself
Erst. And III tell you this. Mr.. Wen
lock. that If you so much as put your
hand to pocket and show me the color
of your dirty cash I'll throw 1t In your
FACET
1T Isn't cash I'm going to show you,r
sneered wenlock. Its something else
LDokw He took out a folded paper as
he spoke. and opened it before the skip
per's eyes
'Read IT," he commanded. and Flax
man. with horror Tightening his heart
strings, read:
ION the 7th Of August. 1901. I prom
1se to pay Samuel wenlock the sum Of
$1,000. value received. with interest at
the rate Of I per cent per annum.r
"see the signature?" asked the ship
owner. That writing ought to be ia
miliar TO you"
Yes. / see IT. gasped Flaxman.
hoarsely. He might well gasp. for the
promissory note was signed by his
father.
Nineteen hundred and one said
Wenlock, musingIy. and now it's 'O5
-Four years overdue. and never a penny
OF interest been paid ever since the be-
Do you know what that
means2" He had grown suddenly VI
cfous. as weak men sometimes do. at
that I've only to lift my hand
to have your father thrown into gaoI as
a debtor. 1t means that I've only to
my hand as / now close 1t. to
your father branded in the sight
OF men. Well. on the day / hear the
Deliverance is thrown away I'll burn
this or, better, when you come and
tell me the ships lost III give 1t to you
to burn What do you think Of the az
low. Capt. Flaxmany"
A hundred times a day Faxman
went over his parting with the girl he
He con1ured up souI4stirring
Of her humid eyes which yet
shone with a light of perfect faith.
Her parting words sounded in his ears.
above the rustling fret Of the canvas
and the booming Of the Atlantic gales:
IL know there's something worrying
gou, dear, but remember that I love
you with all my soul, and perhaps that
will help to Tighten the load"
What would she think II she knew
The aus Of his worry He could pic
lure the cold pallor Of her cheek, the
proud dIsdain Of her scornfu1 mouth,
and picturing them he writhed in men
tai agony. For 40 man pursues ~vfllainy
for vilIainy's sake.
but it's no use" muttered the cap
tain to that vision that would persist
In growing out of the night; "Tve got
10 do 1t, Elsie. It's as much for your
sake as my own. / can't lose you, girl,
[ can't
Now that he had made mp his mind
po@A1ASefyf ne tetb SOnelnlng or cneer-
Fulness enter into him. He tried to as
sure himself that he was not actually
8 crime; the Deliverancs
was old, she must come TO her end
by the mere action OF Nature.
7e was forestalling the inevitable, that
all. And so he whistied about the
iecks, now and then he sang a rolling
of some good old sea song; but
{ was In the darkness Of his WI
Inrouded cabin that the full horror Of
What he purported came to him, and 9
hen he saw himself face to face, With
any pleasure In the sight. I
1t was then the vision came to him, I
be vision that brought him to his feet