Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1911-02-24

yesterday mornin. Maybe tbs pure JOY
Of heart. I'm not knowing rightly, but
it's sufficiently remarkable, as you
must be thinking
This was new, surely, and / gratified
the good fellow my admitting as much.
Looks as though h was running
a bit short of ammunition, Balaam,'
I said: has there been anything else
you have noticed?"
"Naething in particular, sir. She's
fred q popgun or two, but maybe she's
over merry the morn. You car hear
them for yourself. Bide here a mo-
ment and I'll show YOU" .
He took his stand by the taffrail
and pointed with a tarry hand at the
distant ship. Day had broken propi-
tiously with a fleece OF cloud high in
the heavens and a simmer OF splen-
did sunlight upon the chattering wa
ters. The Diamond ship herself lay dis
amt perhaps a couple of miles from us.
She had sails set to prevent her roll
ing, but not a vestige of smoke es-
capped her tunnels, nor was there any
indication of her being under steam.
When l spied out her decks through
my powerful glass, / perceived that
they were crowded with men.
Good God!" l said, they are fight
ing among themselves! Go and call
Captain Larry at once!"
Larry" l said. when he came UP
from the Cabin-McShanus upon his
heels-"they are shooting each other.
Larry!"
He did not reply Immediately, but,
focusing his glass, he directed it upon
the distant ship. Timothy, in his turn,
took his stand beside me.
And of what would happen to Joan
Fordibras If they quarreled amongst
themselves"
Il dare not think OF it. Timothy
she would be in her cabin. Good Godi
why do you make me think Of it?"
l stood by the taffrail to watch the
puffs of heavy white smoke and try
to depict the tragedy then consum-
mated on the decks Of the Diamond
ship. What a scene OF horror and
bloodshed it must be!
L could readily imagine that there
had been W parties, and that they had
come first to words and then to arbit-
rament of deeds.
Larry" l said, Il am going to see
what is happening yonder. Let Mr..
Benson know that we shall want all
the steam he can give us.
It's stalking much, sir"
80 little, Larry, that wen have our
breakfasts while we watch them. Even
Mr.. McShanus, you observe, is not dis
turbed. l believe that he imagines
himself in a theater."
But Timothy McShanus answered.:
"Indade and l do" said he, ''and no
more disturbed than a man at a hang
ing. Set a dish of parritch before me
and We shall see. Faith! should | weep
tears because one thief is cutting am
other thief's throat?"
We laughed at this splendid earnest
ness, while Larry went up to the
bridge; and Timothy himself came up
to me and spoke a more serious word.
"Ye are easier in your Mid, he
said, scanning my face closeIy, tis
good to see it, Fan, me bhoy! Ye don't
ye?"
She will suffer, but only her fears,
Timothy. The danger comes later.
when this is over. / do not think of
it, because 1 hope to share it with
her"
Good Godi we are not going on
board, man."
Il am going on board. Timothy-that
Is, II my judgment leads me to be-
an hours time"
Taking my stand upon our forward
bridge. / could clearly discern a group
of men defending the f~o'castle and an
other In ambush behind the superstruc-
ture a~midships. A powerful glass dis
closed the prone figures Of such as had
already fallen, while the intervals,
when a restless breeze carried the haze
OF smoke to the eastward, permitted
a fuller view Of the spectacle, r~eyoit-
ing in tie detail.
The Williams were evidently enraged
beyond all measure. l could see them
in the death grip, here wrestling as
athletes upon a stage, there fighting
upon their hands and knees, as ayages
who cut and slash at the face and head
and a in indispensable lust OF
blood and life. But beyond this, the
greater terror was to know that the
ship sheltered Joan Fordibras, and
that she must be the witness of this
debauch. What could 1t mean to such
a one to suffer that? Again I say that
l had no courage to think Of it.
We had come TO no agreement upon
the nature Of u approach, or upon
the limits which prudence should set
to it. l left it to Larrv's wisa sc.a
n could have done no better. Not
until we were within a cables length
OF their poop did he bring White Wings
to-and there WE lay, rolling to a gen
tie swell, half the hands on deck.
some on the rigging, two officers with
Timothy and myself on the bridge. as
amazed a company as sailed the At
lantic hat day.
The hands have mutinied and the
dead weight Is going under" said
Larry, with an indifference to the suf-
fering we witnessed / had hardly looked
for; Il shouldn't wonder If you are re-
sponsible. sin. A thieves crew Is for
fair weather. L.. q cloud come up as
big as a mans haf1 and they'll run
for port though Davey Jcnes takes the
tiller. They've had enough Of it-any
man could see that with half an eye.
And God help Imroth if he hauls down
his nag!"