The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-04


He became a haunting shadow, .skulking
in the vicinity Of the bridge, drinking in
eagerly every phrase that he could catch
from the mouths Of the restless officers,
from the youngest middle to the bald cXccu-
tive; though TIC latter took no part in the
discussion, but was, like Whittier himself,
an acute listener.
With a thrill Of something like relief, the
sailor saw the SQUAT form OF the captain,
fresh from his forty winks, loom again into
the bridge lights, and he waited breath
lessly for what he hoped might come. But
the ship leaped on into the darkling north,
Captain MonEaster gazing fascinatedly at
the "bonc in her teeth" The executive
officer, also marking the reappcarance Of the
commander, paused in his pacing and stood
with head lifted, one foot forward, hands
locked behind lis back in a NapoleoHio
pose, and with an expression on his thin
face scarcely less concentrated than was
that cl The great ovcrman when he looked
toward England.
IIc finally passed UP the ladder, saluted
Captain McnEaster, and a moment later
the two stepped aside to the starboard end
cf The bridge. None heard anything that
was said, but the quick gestures and uneasy
shiftings ci positions disclosed that the
argument was sharp il not acrid. Captain
Mcnkastcr was not a man to tolerate criti-
ciem from one under him, or to permit an
infc7:cr to ovcrstep the bounds Of strict
military discipline. With heavy heart,
Whittier at last saw the "flrst-lutf'' (the
executive ctlicer), a superior whom he loved,
turn abruptly away, step Lriskly down the
ladder and disappear below.
Some time later, Whittier was fumbling
over shelf Of charts in the chart house,
having some sort ofvaguc desire to locate the
position Of Loomee, with what object he did
not know, unless it was whimsical wish to
see il Alice were really there, and if 50, ii she
were still holding on. He paused in his
work at hearing the rumbling voice Of
Captain MQnkastcr, who, CHANGING to be
standing near the voice tube leading to the
chart room, was unwittingly-though there
was no cause for secrecy-scnding his voice
down it with sonorous clarity.
"Oh, no! not yet awhile Mr.. Lusk; not
for another hour or so. can sleep by day,
and tonight this forging ahead has got into
my blood; it's better than good wine. I'm
fresh as a daisy and wakeful as the baby.
About three O'Clock I'll go down and turn in
for three or four hours-that will be
plenty How's that, Stevens?-twenty-
forty-three? That's better than the last
hour Bullyl"
Whittier had cooked up his ear and
serpent had entered into it. It's wisdom
was filling his brain. He went out softly,
hurried silently down the ladder, as if going
bcatcdly to urgent duty, and sought his
quarter in the steering engine room. But
there he momentariy broke down again.
Leaning on his stretched hammock that
swaycd under him with the swing of the
ship, His head in his arms, he cursed and
yept.
Jccm-i-ncntlyl-what's the matter
Wit, old man?' asked his astounded ship
mate, gunner mate "Fadc-away' Forqucr,
"Nou been hittin' the alcohol chest?
Whittier looked up, and The serpent
thought another thought Forquer carried
the keys to the armory and magazines.
Whittier went over to him and whispered
coIoquy followed For9uer, alarmed re-
monslratcd with hushcd violence. \, e
tier pleaded and clustered in the same key.
These two men were Of the Damon and
Pyth.as breed, of which the army and navy
are prolifc-a type Of friendship bern OF
the forfeited home liic The debate WIS
lengthy, but in the end Forquer let the
compartment, and returning presently he
placed something in the quartermaJ;cr'5
hand5-a glistening, omnous thing
There were two exits from the steering
engine room: one through a passage running
forward on the oTlop deck, the l)wcst down;
enc through an overhead hatch-lid opening
on passage running forward 20 the main
salon. When one passed through the salon,
one came upon door to the lett opening
on another passage where the captains
orderly was stationed leading 10 the
crews living spaces and TO a quarterback
ladder by which the open maindeck was
reached On the right was the door open
ing into the captains stateroom. Whittier
left the compartment by the overhead trap
Something like an hour later, Captain
Monbaster retired He carefully slid the
stateroom door shut behind him, partially
disrobed, and, leaving the electric light
turned on, lay down. He lay uncovered,
being still in the tropic belt. With all the
slow sinuosity of approved melodrama, a
stealthy form crept presently from behind
the full-length cheval glass in the corner to
the left Of the door, prostrately insinuated
itself worm-like along the deck to a point
between the door and the couch, then
suddenly loomed erect. Captain Monkas-
ter, lying face outward, heard clicking
sound, and opened his tired eyes to look into
the muzzle Of Colts service revolver,
which was cooked, and beyond il into a pair