Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-04-19

tue DrluSe.
ut is all the but IT Is TRUE
more serious, DKEADFULLY TRUE.
inasmucb as sAID Iris.
we are helpless" he went on. Don't
you see how impossible 1t Is even to
hint at 1t in any discussion with the
man principally concerned? ! want
to say this. though-you are In no dan
ger. There is no ship SO safe as one
that is picked out for willful destruc-
ton. Men will not sacrifice their own
lives even to make good an insurance
policy, and | suppose that is what is
intended. So you can sleep sound OF
nights-at any rate until we near the
coast Of Brazil. can only promise
you II any watchfulness on my part
can stop this piece of villainy- Hello.
there! What's up? Why is the ship
falling away from her course"
The sudden change In his voice star
tied the girl so greatly that she uttered
q slight shrek. II took her an appre-
ciable time to understand that he was
speaking to the man at the wheel.
But the sailor knew what he meant.
Something's gone wrong with the
wheel. sir" be bawled. II wasn't GER.
tain at first. so tried to put her over
O bit to s'uth'ard. Then she jammed
for sure"
Hozier leaped to the telegraph and
signaled 'slow" to the engine room.
Already the golden pathway behind
the Andromeda had changed from a
wagering yet generally straight line to
q well defined curve. There was a
hiss and snort Of escaping steam as
the sailor inside the charthouse en-.
deayored to force the machinery Into
action.
STEADY. therew beloved Hozier
"Wait until We have examined the
gear boxes! There may be kink In
a chuin!'
A loud order brought the watch sour
rying along the deck. Some OF the
men ran to examine the bearings OF
the huge fan shaped casting that gov
erned the movements Of the rudder,
while others began to tap the wooden
shields which protected the steering
rods and chains. In the midst OF the
hammering and excitement Captain
Coke swung himself up to the bridge.
well, I'm blowed! You here" he
said. looking at Iris. "Wot is 1t nowT'
he asked. turning sharply to Hozier.
wheel stuck again2"
"Yes. sir. Has It happened beforeT
"WelI-er-not this trip. But 1t as
'appened. Just for minnit was
mixin' It up with the night you nearly
run down that bloomin' hooker of the
Irish coast, All. there she goes! Ev-
erything q. K. now. Wen daylight
comes we'll overhaul the fxin's. Nice
thing II the wheel jammed just as we
was crossin the Recife!
Hozier tried to ascertain from the
watch II they had found the cause OF
the disturbance, but the men could
only guess that chance blow with an
adj had Strengthened a kink In one
Of the castings. Coke treated the IN.
cident with nonchalance.
Thought you was to be called wen
the cross hove In sight, Miss Yorker
he said abruptly.
II am sorry to have to inform you
that some people on board cannot dis.
tinguish between falsity and truth. :.
she answered. But please don't be
angry with any Of the men on my ac'
count. Mr.. Hozier tells me they often
confuse the false cross with the real
one, and the mistake has been enjoy
able"
"A reg'lar 'umbug, the southera
Cross" grunted Coke. ut ain't a patcn
on the bear" ..u,.
Coke grinned at his own pleasantly
To one of his hearers at least 1t seem
cd to be passing strange that he was
so ready to forget such vital defect
In the steering gear as had manifested
its existence q few minutes earlier.