The Harlowton news. [volume] (Harlowton, Mont.) 1909-1914, 1910-04-08

cause OF the eagerness, WIN Sne ex-
ception of the ship master, looked
upon him as a harmless visionary.
They had been away SO long and had
visited so many islands with so much
hardship, oftentimes with SO much
danger from uncharted reefs in the un-
known seas that they were one and all
wildly anxious to return from the, to
them, aimless wandering. If he had
communicated to them at the first his
quest, they would have shared his
eagerness, but he kept it to himself,
as he had kept his own counsel in
San Francisco. and he straitly charged
his sailing master to say nothing Of 1t.
Consequently the lookout on the
fore-topmast cross-tree on a certain
summer morning, catching sight of q
dim, blue haze on the horizon fer OF
to starboard, made no report Of it.
What was the use? It would only de.
lay matters and they were within q
few weeks Of Honolulu now, and an.
other fortnight beyond Hawaii would
bring them back to the United States,
for which they all longed with the de.
sire CT men who had been away from
home and confined to the narrow
decks of cruising ship for over q
year.
Something-as to whether It was
Providence or not he was somewhat
doubtful in his mind afterward-
brought Langford on deck before his
usual time for rising. The watch was
in charge Of rather sleepy, stupid
second officer, unimaginative and I'm.
observant. He had not noticed the
land which it was difficult to see from
the deck at any rate, especially as 1t
did not lie between the yacht and tho
sun, and as it had not been reported
from the masthead, he knew nothing
of it.
Langford had found sleep impos.
sible. The year Of search, the constant
disappointment, the pressing sense of
mystery, the feeling that his conduct
was indeed irreparable had preyed
upon him. He was thin, worn, nervous
and irritable. He walked up and down
the deck in the cool of the morning
thinking. For three years practically
he had had this woman before his
eyes as the goal of his efforts. Now
she was gone, and he must concen.
trate his life upon something else. He
gazed languidly and indifferently
about the horizon, his Impractical eye
noticing nothing for a time. Sudden.
ly, however, staring off to starboard
listlessly during 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 it again;
thin cloud of smoke, or was it haze.
rose above it. He was puzzled by 1t,
of course, and stood staring. The con.
centration 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 q
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 it 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..
Hoffman,"
The officer took 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"
Every 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
were both dead ahead.
"Now, Mr. Hoffman," said Lang
ford, when the maneuver was com.
pleted, "who is at the masthead"
"I'll see, sir" answered the second
officer, stepping forward.
Bring him to me-" said the owner
as the officer turned away.
In few moments the officer came
back to the quarterback followed by
one of the seamen. The man Looked
very much frightened, for Langford
was in towering passion, and when
he was in passion he was not q
pleasant spectacle.
did you see that island yonder?"
began the owner, fiercely.
"I-er-"
ANSWER mel"
Yes, sir" said the man, desperately.
"You did?"
Eyes, sir"
"Why didn't you report it?"
The man hesitated, shifting from
one foot to another, muttered some.
thing about wild goose chase Car.