The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-04-03

CHAPTER XIV.

filled with wonderment. For Gods
sake. wat is II, monsieur7"
"There are dead men in there" / ex.
planned. already ashamed Of my display
OF terror. I'll touched one In the
dark"
They drew back from the open
door. gazing with new horror into the
blackness Of the interior; but my own
courage was rapidly returning. as
realized that must lead and control.
well, lads, II startled me, all right,
but we cannot afford to give up this
ship to dead men. De Nova, take
Kelly with you, and try to discover
something on board with which to
make flare. There ought to be plenty
of dry stun in the galley Not word
to the women about what l found aft"
The rest OF us hacked away, while
they we're gone, at the ice conceafing
the front window shutters, and partly
uncovered one. But we could get no
purchase upon It from the outside and
no one volunteered to venture within.
j kept them all busy. however the
hard work and sense OF command
combining to restore my own nerves
to normal condition. The mate de-.
spairing Of doing better, finally
brought back table-leg Of pitch pine
which We contrived to ignite after
several unsuccessful experiments. the
yellowish-red flames circllng the heavy
end like so many coiling serpents, and
sending forth weird reflection
through spirals OF black smoke. It
was poor glm enough. yet 1t would
serve; and bore 1t inside. holding the
torch we'll before me, the men clus.
tering about the door.
The notified fare cast mingled light
and shadow over the horrors thus
dimly revealed, rendering the CHASTITY
sight one to chill the blood of any
man. The cabin was long one, ex-
tending aft clear to the stern, the
immense butt of the mlzzen-mast al
most separating it into two apart.
ment1. About This was arranged a
great arm-rack completely filled with
q variety OF weapons, many of them
lhashing back the glittering rays of the
torch. At one time that had been
a rare sea.parlor, but now It was a
wreck, the walls and ceiling dingy
with smoke, the gilt defaced and bat.
tered. Overturned furniture was every.
where; piles Of clothing. and perfect
Tifran OF articles strewed the deck
floor; violin lay almost at my feet,
all but one string snapped: and some
sort OF an odd music-box rested
against the bench over which had
fallen. A great square box.stove
stood just before the mast-butt, a huge
pile OF ashes all about. An immense
lantern, as strange looking contrlv.
ance as ever I saw. swung solemnly
from a deCk.beam, and Just beyond,
suspended by wires, was gorgeously
colored picture OF the Madonna and
Child"
i beheld all these details at glance,
although at the time scarcely realized
any OF them, my entire Mortified atten.
ton being rlveted upon the scene Of
death revealed. Tile table. which |
had previously touched, extending
crossways Of the cabin, was uncovered
but contained plates. cups, large
bottle halfflled, and some scraps of
frozen food. The bodies OF two mon,
one with cloak over his shoulders,
occupied the bench within three feet
OF me. The one nearest had fallen
sideways, and hung there. his arm
hooked across The back of the bench,
his long, black hair dangling over his
face; the other sat with head bowed
on the table. his features hidden by
his arms but the gold rings in his
) ears plainly showing. Directly oppo.
site these two, sitting bolt upright in
a chair, eyes wide open, staring
straight at me, was q third. My God!
It was De Nova! The same eyes, the
same dark curly hair, the same little
black mustache, the same smile
curling the thin lips. ! could have
I sworn II was the mate, endeavoring 10
frighten and mock me. I even
wheeled about angrily, flashing the
flight Of my torch over that cluster OF
faces In the doorway. MOI by heavens,
the creole stood behind, and this, this
counterpart was dead man-dead
I for a hundred years. No words can
lever retell the struggle made 10 con.
y troll myself, the smoking torch sha,
king in.my hand and casting its mis-.
cradle flicker over that charnei house.
every limb trembling like aspens, my
eyes staring into the shadows. My
very violence OF fear angered me I;
! what had to be afraid OF? How
could these poor frozen bodies Injure
me? Neryed TO the endeavor stepped
forward around the end OF the table,
throwing the faint glare Of the torch
into the after space concealed by the
huge riast.butt. A tall, thin man sat
ON the deck. braced against the wall,
his long, gray beard almost concealing
his face: on a wide divan, nearly op.
roslte, lay woman. her dark hair
loosened a large diamond glittering
on the hand which hung rigid over the
edge Of the couch. Just below her
fingers, az II dropped there in final
weakness, lay baby's well-worn
shoe.
"a a j scarcely comprehend how / ever
conquered the slckly horror that smote
rne as gazed about upon this scene
4 Of death, rendered even more terrible
n 4. &. Iii ~ D. -. ~. .