The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-07-17

desire OF life itself, temporarily dis
appeared in the gloom OF seasickness.
In spite of difficulties. Jim tried to
ind out something about the boat.
The seamen were none too friendly;
but by patching up his almost forgot
ten French and by signs, he learned
something. His sudden failure of
strength In the water had been due to
a blow from a floating spar, as a
bruise on his forehead testified; "the
old man." whom Jim supposed to be
the captain, was n hard master; Mon
sieur Chatelard was owner, or at least
temporary proprietor. OF the yacht;
and the present voyage was an un-
lucky n by all the signs and omens
known to the seamen's horoscope.
The ~sullenness OF the men was APP
parent. and was not caused by the en-
forced presence OF q stranger among
them. In fact. their bad temper be-
came so conspicuous that Jim began
TO believe that II might have some
thing to do with the mysterious ac-
tons OF the man on shore. He pom
dered the situation deeply; he evolved
many foolish schemes to compass his
own enlightenment, and dismissed
them n by one. He grimly reflected
that a man without clothes can scarce
ly be a hero. whatever his spirit. Not
since the days Of Olympus was there
any record of man or god being re-
ceived into any society whatever
without his sartorial shell, thought
Jimmy. But in spite of his discomfort,
he was glad he was there. The In.
tuition that had led him since that
memorable Sunday afternoon was
strong within him still, and he never
questioned its authority. He believed
his turn would come, even though he
were a prisoner In the fo'cas1e OF the
Jeanne Dare.
| AS the violence of his sickness
passed. Jim began to cast about for
some means Of helping himself. Grad
uaIiy he was able to dive into the for.
gotten shadows OF his French learn.
ing. BY much wrinkling or brows he
evolved a sentence. though he had to
wait some hours before there was q
favorable chance to put 1t to use. AT
last his time came. with the arrival
of his former friend, the sailor.
200 ~avay-voo cashay mon money
belt?" he inquired with much conf
dence, and with pure Yankee accent.
The sailor answered with a shrug
and a spreading of empty hands.
Pas de m~oney-belt, pas de panta.
lon, pas dc tous! Dam queer Amayrir
cain!"
Jim was not convinced Of the sail
or's innocence. but perceived that he
must give him the benefit OF the
doubt. AS the sailor intimated, Jim
himself, was open to suspicion, and
couldn't afford TO be too jealous In
illuminating others. He fell to think
ing again. and attacked the nexI
Frenchman that came into the TO-
cas'le with the following:
'Kond 1'aytay malade don ma tate
kee a pree mon money-belt?"
1t was the ships cook this time. and
he turned and stared at Jimmy al
though he had seen a ghost wher
he found to.lgue he uttered a volume
OF opinion and abuse which Jimmy
knew by instinct was not at 70 BIZ
translated. and then he fed up the
ladder.
On the fourth day, toward evening
James had a visitor. All day the yacht
had been pitching and rolling, and BY
afternoon she waa laboring in the VIC
lence OF a storm and was listing badly
James was a fearless seaman, but Il
crossed his mind more than once tina
IL he were captain. and II there were
4 port within reach, he would put into
II before midnight. But he could tel
nothing OF the ships course. He
turned the subject yer In his mind al
he lay on his bunk In that peculiar
state halfway between sickness ant
health, when the body Ia relaxed by I
purely accidental illness and the mint
is abnormally alert. He wished in
tensely for q bath. a shave. and, a fail
complement Of clothes. He longed also
to go up the hatchway for q breath o.
air. and was considering the poasibSl
ity or doing this later. with a bianbeI
and darkness for a shield. when he be
came conscious OF q pair Of neatl,
trousered legs descending the ladder
It was quite q different performance
from the catlIke climbing up and
down of the sailors.
Jimmy watched In the dim light nj
iii the whole figure was complete, fan
fasticalIy supplying. In his imaeina