The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-04-02

scared, unhappy ghost within him,
''this parting will be final. l feel it
to be sO.''
1t must be understood that there was
nothing morbid or cherries in Paurs
behavior. On the contrary, he was
brisk, witty and entertaining. A skill
full economist of time, he could COM
press long work into short hours, and
there were few that could match him
in extorting leisure from laborious days.
he was much out of doors, took hand
at many sports and had never been
bored in his life His black view of
She future was private misfortune
which he had the courage TO support
Z have revealed 1t in a chosen series Of
Instances bearing upon a certain event
TO which now proceed.
The headquarters Of the Deering COM
Rany, its main office and warehouses,
were in Boston. 1t operated factory
in Machiasport, Me-, whence goods We're
shipped for the most part in convert
ed" schooners, robbed Of their sails and
drawn across the plains of ocean at
the heels of the company's towboat,
che John NJ. Deering.
In December of 1907 Paul desired to
inspect the factory in Maine. and he
perguad ID DIR. Hammond to accompany
him They made the voyage in the
Deefing, and very comfortably, for the
weather was like q piece of Indian
summer misplaced In the last week of
the year.
With the business details of this jour.
ney my record has nothing to do except
to note that they were completed in
the forenoon Of Dec 81
Suppose we stay over till tomor.
gow?" said Paul
They sat in the office of the factory,
room as bare as pauper's coffin. Tt
was furnished with two rude desks
and some wooden armchairs whose
arms had been almost whitfield away
by visitors, with whom this exercise
seemed less pastime than a ceremony,
SO solemnly was 1t performed
Cant" said the doctor. Engage
ment."
II might stay and return by rail-"
Desert me? Festa1 occasion too!
New Years eve? No; guess notr'
1t was against Paul's principles and
practice to give reason for his wish,
and, indeed, he would have been asham-
ed to confess that the cold counselor in
his inwards was prompting him to stay
safe ashore on this particular night.
IL he should live thirteen hours longer
the most persistent and definite pre-
sentiment that he had ever had in his
life would be relegated to the vast
forgotten company of its predeces-
sors.
DR.. Hammond knew the terms Of
that will, but did not dream that Paul
had any superstitious feeling about it.
He would have been amazed despite
his professional acquaintance with such
mysteries if he had guessed what more
than martial courage-the heroism of a
savage in d place of sepultrfre by night
was required of Paul when he march
ed aboard the John M. Deering that
afternoon. He had no more rational
expectation Of disaster than the cap
tain-1ess, no doubt, for the sailor knows
that the ocean is always dangerous
but this fear was deeper than reason.
It was the terror Of a soul within his
soul, centuries old perhaps, a deathless
coward
The sun set in a brief glaresof color,
and the night fell very dark and bitter
cold There was little wind upon the
sen. but in the upper regions of the
air heavy cloud masses were sailing,
with rugged riffs between through
which the wintry stars looked keen1y
down. The engine room was the
warmest 1abitable spot on board, and
IT was much more spacious than is
usual on such craft, with curved
and cushioned seat along the after
wall. Thereon sat DR. Hammond,
Paul and hand named Holdersen,
who was politely smoking one of the
doctors expensive cigars, though he