The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-07-09

and when caught his eye he saw something
in my face that induced him to look closely at
the compass for while The girl seemed to
be about sixteen, tall and well developed for
her age, and with face like that Of child.
She had wealth of black hair, which she
seemed to take little care OF, for it blew around
her face in the wind, and was innocent Of
putfs or hair pins-only a bit Of ribbon
showed now and then. Her complexion was
somewhat dark tanned, in fact, but there
was rich, creamy tint to it, and there was
color in her cheeks But it was her eyes that
impressed me most; they were large and lu-
minous, black as night, and with frank,
direct stare in them that was disconcerting
to me when they fell upon me. stood up,
lifted my hat politely, and would have joined
her had she returned my greeting. But she
did not; she stared at me a moment longer,
faced TO windward, and slowly moved over to
the weather rail; reaching this she moved aft,
her hands sliding along the rail until her out
stretched left hand touched the quarter bitt;
then she slipped behind it, found the tanrail
and felt her way along this to grating along
side the whcel-box Ard by this time the
truth had dawned upon me, also upon Finne-
gan His eyes sought mine, wide open in
pity, and as he looked at me his lips seemed
to frame the unspoken word upon my own:
"blind."
Mr.. Mcleod came aft, hoarse from bawl-
ing to the men at their watch tackle and strap.
II had grown nearly dark now, and was glad
of il because did not care to have this fellow
see the tears in my eyes. He was q tall good
looking sort Of man, about thirty years old,
hrst-class seaman, and we hac got on very
well together, even though did not like him.
he joined me in the alley.
Hello, the BRIDES up. Seen her yet2"
"You mean the slippers daughter" an
swcred. "Yes, I've seen her.,
"She's blind as bat, the old man says.
For all that, she's peach, as they say in your
country. Guess III take kiss in the dark.
She'll never know who 1t is"
Mr.. Mcleod" ! said, standing erect.
"What are you thinking Of z"
"Oh, h-l. The oid mans dead drunk,
and she'll never know. It'll keep her guess
ing"
"Mr. Mcleod, l won't permit it."
You won't permit, you say" he had
started, but turned back. you'll remember
that I'm over you here and have charge Of the
deck. Get down off the poop, to the main
deck, or to your room"
! weakly yielded, so strong is the influence
Of nautical etiquette upon seafaring man.
1t was well for me, perhaps, that did, for
another man took up the burden and bore the
punishment. | had reached the foot Of the
steps in obedience to bic order when heard a
scream, then snarling, growing sound, and
mounted the steps again in two bounds
The girl was erect clinging to the quarter
bitt, the wheel was deserted, and saw by the
stars that the ship was rounding to. And in
the clear space between the wheel and the
house two FORMS locked in close embrace,
were writhing to and fro As ] hurried aft |
heard Tinnegan's voice, highly accented, ex-
pressing his opinion Of the mate in explosive
sentences punctuated with lurid oaths.
"Tamn yer miserable, Sawnee heart and
soul, II" he growled. g You hunter o weemen
--cowarily sneak; you kisser o leetle girls. |
kill you. kill you, Tamn you"
q Finnegan, yelled. Stop it. Take
your wheel, man. This isn't your affair"
Take der wheel yourself, sir. Ill ! kill dis
Scotchman."
1 took it, for the weather teaches were shak-
ing, and by hard heaving got the ship off 10 her
course. And by this time the struggle was
about over. Looking up. from the compass
| saw Mcleod bent back nearly double
Finnegan's righ, arm around his waist, which
he hugged tightly to himself, and his left
wrist under the others chin Farther and
farther back went the mate until there was an
unmistakable cracking sound. Something
inside OF him, tendon, vein, a bone, posi-
bly, some joint Of his vertebral column, had
given way. He dropped like log and lay
still, while Finnegan, first giving MIN kick
approached the Wheel
"Now, | take it, sir, he said, calmly Hc
won't hunt any more, the Scotchmanw
"Have you killed him. ~ asked, horri6ed
at the situation.
"Sure. | have broken his back He de
served it, the wretch"
His excitement was gone, and his dictior
again correct. He took the wheel and ben
over the mate feeling his heart There wa
not boat, nor sign Of breath from the nos
trils.
"The mate has been killed, captain"
said, when had his attention.
"Whatlo he answered. "Killedl Who
killed."
The mate. Dennis Finnegan killed hin
near the wheel. He's lying on the deck u
there now"
Mr. Mcleod killed." He was coherer
now And Finnegan killed him2 Is he i
irons?"
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