Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-09-03
CHAPTER XVII.

tdIeS OF his C0'tlny, WAS purely Qe-
ice Of despair over pro-
found depths of exasperated rebellion.
Overhead on the deck heavy
humping Of hurrying feet awoke him
to keener perceptiveness.
Judging from the incessant rolling
and pitching of the brigantine. the
crashing thunder of seas upon her
sides, the eldritch shrieking of the gale,
as well as from the chorused groans
and plants of each individual bolt and
timber in the frail fabric that housed
his fortunes. the wind had strength
ened materially during his hours of
forgetfulness, however many the lat
ter might have been.
A wild night. certainly. Probably by
that time the little vessel was in the
middle of the North sea. bound for
Antwerp.
The first color of resentment ebbing
from his thoughts left him rather in
terested than excited by the prospect.
He found that he was neither pleased
nor displeased. He presumed that 1t
would be no more difficult to raise
money on personal belongings in Ant
werp than anywhere else. 1t has been
observed that the first flower of CIV
ilization is the rum blossom. the next
the conventionalized fleur-de-lis of the
money lender There would be pawn
shops, then. in Antwerp, and Kirk
wood was confident that the sale or
pledge of his signet ring. scarfpin
matchbox and cigar case would provide
him with money enough for return
to London by third class, mt the worst.
There-well all events were on the
knees of the gods. He'd squirm out Of
his troubles somehow AS for the
other matter, the Calendar affair, he
presumed he was well rid of it-with
sigh of regret. 1t had been most
enticing mystery. you know. and the
woman in the case was extraordinary,
to say the least.
The memory OF Dorothy Calendar
made him sigh again. And he sat up,
bumped his head. CROPPED round until
his hand fell upon doorknob, opened
the door and looked out into the
blowzy emptiness of the ships cabin
proper, whose gloomy confines were
made visible only by the rays of
dingy and smoky lamp swinging vio-
lently in gimbals from deck beam.
kirkwood's clothing now rough
dried and warped wretchedly out of
shape. had been thrown carelessly on
a transom near the door. He got up,
collected them and. returning to mis-
berth. dressed at leisure. thinking
heavily. disgruntled-in a humor as
evil as the after taste of bad brandy
in his mouth. He had slept away
some eighteen or twenty hours. He
felt stronger now and bright enough
and enormously hungry into the bar
gain.
Abstractedly, needless of the fact
that his tobacco would be water
soaked and ruined he fumbled in his
pockets for pipe and pouch. thinking
to soothe the pangs of hunger against
breakfast time. His pockets were
empty-every one of them. He as
simulated this discovery in patience
and cast an eye about the room, tc
locate, if possible. the missing prop
erty. But naught of his was visible
So he rose and began more pains
taking search.
The cabin was at once tiny, low
ceiled and deprcssingly gloomy. 1t.
furniture consisted entirely in chat
or two. supplementing the transom!
and lockers as resting places. and {
center table covered with cloth o
turkey red. whose original aggressive
ness had been darkly moderated b.
libations of liquids. principally blacl
coffee and burnt offerings of greas
and tobacco ash. Eight bells sounded
and, from the commotion overhead, tn
watch changed A little later the com
panionway door slammed open ant
shut. and Captain Stryker fell down
rather than descended, the steps.
Without attention to the America
he rolled into the mates room an
reused that parsonage Kirkwood hear
that the name of the second in con
mand was 'Obbs, as well as that b
occupied the starboard stateroom af
After a brief exchange of CONNER
and instruction Mr.. 'Obbs appeared
the shape of walking pillar of OF
skins, capped by Southwestern. an
/ went on deck. Stryker. following hi
out of the stateroom. shed his own OF
ers in a clammy heap upon the foo
opened locker. from which he brougf
forth bottle and dirty glass. AM
turning toward the table. for the fir
time became sensible of Kirkwood
presence.
COW. there you are. eigh. little brigl
eyesw he exclaimed. with surprised n
imation
Good morning. Captain Stryker
said Kirkwood, rising. Il want to te
YOU
But Stryker waved one great re
paw impatiently. with the effect
discard Kirlswoods intepded speech
thanks. Nor would he hear him furthe
! Ibid you ave nice little nap?"
] interrupted. Come up bright a
= smilin'. eigh? Now l guess"-the Ell
phasis made it clear that the capita
believed himself to be employing ;
\ Americanism and so successful w
he in his own esteem that he could n
resist the temptation to improve up
the imitation-''na-o guess yeou'
abaout right ready, bent ye, to hev
drink. sonny?"
i mo. thank YOU" said Kirkwot
smiling tolerantly. 1--WE got a
amount of appetite"
cave you. now?" Shryker dropp
II x.Io Of al,