The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-01-27
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
z YHEN Jimsy Smith had told
"" Emma and Joe that Cap
tain Williams lived in q lit


tie south sea island nook
moved into his fiat and that 1t was
dirty the description had done justice
to the place in general way. 1t was
In hotel not far from that in which
the Brookses had so recently taken up
their residence, and the living room
was curious combination of natural
history museum and ships cabin.
A wooden capstan in the center did
duty for round table, and on it, in
addition to an electric reading lamp.
an untidy litter of papers and maya
zines, some writing paper. envelopes.
pens and ink, were huge tin box of
tobacco and rack containing pipes of
wood and meerschaum of all sizes,
shapes and colors. Remarkable among
the few chairs of rattan or rush was
one, a large rocking chair partially
constructed Of two small anchors, the
flukes forming the rockers. In cor
ner over comfortable lounge was a
canopy made Of piece Of sail can
vas supported by south sea island
spears and decorated with leather
|
other native weapons, together with
necklaces and various ornaments of
sharks teeth. Covering the walls
| were stuffed fishes of weird shape
| Over the entrance door was a ships
| wheel and on the mantel a model of
an old time trading schooner with all
sails set. Among other objects on the
mantel also was faded daguerreo-
type showing Captain Williams as a
young man. In uniform. On each side
Of the capstan was dirty cuspidor.
The carpet also was dirty and spotted.
and dust had settled thickly every
where In this queer abode Williams
lived alone. save for Sato. Japanese
valet who had served him for many
years.
The massive form Of the captain
himself. minus his coat. might have
been deserted in the light Of the lamp
through the cloud of tobacco smoke
that enveloped him as he sat reading
magazine some time after his de-
parture from the home of Mr.. and
| Mrs. Brooks. He was rather annoyed
when the telephone bell rang and had
he not been expecting Smith would
| not have troubled to answer 1t. AS 1T
was, he swcre little and rose lazily
to respond.
"Hello! Yes, this is Captain WI
liams," he said in his usual stentorian
voice. What, Brooks? l won't talk
with you over the phone-no-what:
Mrs. Brooks? What. here? Well,
well! Yes, Pm at home-yes. Right
away. you say? Yes, I'll wait"
Williams could hardly believe what
he had heard. He turned it over in his
mind for fully three minutes figuring
cut just what it could mean.
Going to send his wife here! What
4 skunk he is.' he grunted.
He ambled to the telephone again
and instructed the hotel clerk that If
any visitors called to see him they
were to be shown right up. From
there he went to the door of an ad-
joining room and roared for his valet.
| ANY beer on ice?" he demanded
when the Japanese, who evidently had
been asleep. presented himself.
Eyes, saar."
"Got lines and rum the kind l
brought up from the West Indies?'
Eyes, saar."
"Plenty ice?'
Eyes, saar."
THAT'S ALL"
He could not get over the wonder
Brooks telephone communication had
caused him.
'TOld her he'd got raise Of pay. Ell?
| What q skunk he Is! And what fine
| girl she is!'
He gazed abstractedly at the model
Of the schooner on the mantel opposite
to him and became buried in thought
80 deep that he actually stopped smok-
ing and let his pipe 60 out. Presently
he reused himself, fished a sheet Of
writing paper from among the reading
matter on the capstan table and wrote
something upon it. after which he
folded the paper carefully and hid it
between the leaves of a magazine.
! Then he shouted a9n.n Tor his valat.