Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-06-16
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Mr.. Langford Was an Intensely Dis
appointed and Embittered Man.

-
listlessly during a pause in his steady
tramp, he thought he caught a glimpse
Of light. He looked idly in the direc-
ton whence the reflection had come
for a few moments and saw 1t again;
a thin cloud of smoke, or was 1t haze,
rose above it. He was puzzled by it,
of course, and stood staring. The con-
c%entration in his gaze, he thought, dis
covered to him a cloudy blink in the
gray of the dawn which might mean
land. He knew there was no land
charted In those seas, for he had care
fully studied the chart the night be-
fore, saying nothing to anyone, for he
had become somewhat sensitive about
the matter.
He ran down the companion ladder
into his cabin and fetched thence a
new and powerful glass, which, upon
his return to the deck, he focused
upon the distant point Of light. By
the aid of those powerful binoculars
he made out what 1t was. He was a
man of quick decision and purpose.
| He called the officer to him, pointed
to the light, and handed the glass to
the man in question.
what do you make Of that, Mr..
Holtzman?"
The officer took a quick look
through the glasses, handed them back
to their owner, and said laconically:
Land! Fire! Smoke, sir"
Head the yacht to that island at
once"
very good, sir" said the officer,
turning to the man at the wheel and
ordering the helm to be put aport.
The yachts bows swung slowly
round until the island and the light
we're both dead ahead.
"Now, Mr.. Holtzman," said Lang
ford, when the maneuver was com
pleted, "who is at the masthead?"
"Ill see, sir" answered the seeonG
officer, stepping forward.
Bring him to me-" said the owner
as the officer turned away.
In a few moments the officer cam
back to the quarterback followed b.
one of the seamen. The man looked
very much frightened, for Langfort
was in a towering passion. and whel
he was in a passion he was not
pleasant spectacle.
"Did you see that island yonder?
began the owner, fiercely.
"I-er-"
ANSWER mel"
eyes, sir" said the man, desperately
. "You did,"
eyes, sir"
why didn't you report it,"
The man hesitated, shifting fron
I one foot to another, muttered some
thing about a wild goose chase. Cal
ried away by anger, Langford spran
at him, and would have done him boo
lily violence, had he not been quickl
| restrained by the second officer.
F, "Mr. Langford, sir" said Hoffman
grasping him tightly, recover YOU
! self, sir"
7 The check was sufficient.
GO forward" cried Langford, COZ
trolling himself with difficulty. mi
Hoffman, send for Capt. Harper"
very good, sir" answered the of
: Ger.
"And meanwhile you are to kee
) straight for that island until furthe
| orders"
/ In a few moments the old capital
presented himself before the wner
Harper" began the young man, In
t periously, "the lookout this mornin
& deliberately failed to report that Ian,
a that island yonder. | want him disra
ed and his pay stopped. Put him
the gig and set him ashore at Il
! first civilized port"
t every well, sir" said the old sailin
( master, not daring to demonstrate u
/ der such circumstances.
'Do you know that island?" CONT
5 ued Langford.
"No, sir, answered Harper. ct
not set down In any chart, / ha,
never heard of 1T before.
s Harper" said the other, laying h
" hand upon the old mans arm, tits Of
last chance. We are passing out Of Il
3 region Of these islands. II she be nj
Y there, we shall neve find her"
II am afraid not, sir"
l. II have an idea that our quest
4 going 70 be successful this morning