The Detroit times., 1915-09-21
CHAPTE l.
The Red Death.

line with unusual alarm. He shout
ed TO his mate:
"Welcher." he cried. poiRtins ait.
look at that. I've never seen old
Pelee act that way before"
welcher, the mate, a suriy. sal
low.faced. ill-conditioned individual
In unkempt uniform. followed with
his eyes the captains glance.
Gee whix." he said. me, neith'
err"
The ruddy tan on Capt. Hardin's
face paled into dullness. I've seen
Mount Pelee twenty times at least
be went on, his breath coming fast.
"i'ys watched her In her every
mood-but." he repeated. II never
saw her act like this. Give me tho
glass, Ben. I'll take closer Took"
His mate nshed out a telescope
from the spacious pockets OF his
baggy coat Capt Hardin adjusted
II. He held his eye glued to II for
fully half a moment
Ben" he exclaimed to Wclcher.
shes splitting fire. by Godfrey.
that means death--death. l tell you,
death"
This was back In 1902. The Prin.
cess. Capt. Hardin's boat. was a
tramp steamer bound to New York
from the city of st. Pierre, In the
Island of Martinique, with a cargo
of cocoa, coffee. sugar cane and cot.
ton. She was heavily laden--her
water line far out OF sight. Capt.
Hardin was buying In cheap mar
ket--Martinique; he expected to
sell In a dear market--the city OF
New York.
The Princess had been under way
for probably an hour. St. Pierre It.
self was dull, white, sprawling
spot against the green background
Of the Isle OF Martinique; but above
the town Mount Pelee reared her
threatening head. and above Mount
Peiee. pierced with splitting fire ever
and anon. hung an ever widening,
ever spreading cloud OF smOke--sin.
lister. dangerous.
Capt Hardin surrendered his tele-
scope to his mate.
Take a look. Ben." he exclaimed.
FOR Gods sake, take a look"
Welcher took a look-a long one.
Then he lowered the glass.
you're right. captain" he re-
turned. "Pelee means business this
trip. Death is right"
They were interrupted by a WON.
ans shrill cry, A feminine figure.
her skirts and fair hair nuttering In
the stiff breeze, emerged from the
shadow of the afterhouse and
rushed forward toward the bridge.
Behind her. following in her wake,
raced two sturdy youngsters. One
Of these youngsters darted past her.
swarmed upon the bridge and con.
fronted the captain and his mate.
He was a clear.fAced. bright-eyed
youngster. this boy, Of eight years
old or so. He Was clad In the toEs
OF a common seaman. Under his
arm. with all the. aplomb OF Dick
Deadeye. he carried diminutive
but highly polished telescope OF his
own. He saluted his superior ON
GERS gravely. then crouched with a
spring, and in another instant was
perchcd upon the captains shoul-
ders.
He was Capt. Hardin's boy-the
only child. With a fine disregard
of the proprieties he pulled the cap.
tains ear, then he, too. pointed aft
with his chubby hand.
"Pop-Cap'n Hardin" he cried
shrilly, his nervous, muscular littlc
legs nearly cutting of the captains
wind. look At Pelee--see what Pc
lees doing. Joey Welcher says it's
the day OF judgment-the worlds
coming to an end"
BY this time the other boy. mate
Welcher's son. had reached the
bridge. He heard young Hardin's
last remark.
Yer n liar" he retortcd. Didn't
say nothin' OF the kind"
He was chip off the old block.
this young Joey Weicher. sallow-
faced and dlsagreeable like bis IA
ther. He was older than the cap
tain's son and bigger, but awkward.
gawky. III conditioned.
"You did 30 say IT," said the cap
tain's son.
Didn't" returned young welcher
"I1i get down there and lick you.
Joey" said young Hardin, waving
his small telescope threateninsly.
"Aw, 10 on y snarled Joey WEIGH.
or, dodging around behind his IA.
ther's back.
But the Hardin boy neither fol-
lowed up hts challenge. nor accept.
ed joey welcher's, for his mother.
the captains young wife. had step
ped upon the bridge and laid a
trembling hand upon the captains
arni She. too. pointed aft.
Jack" she cried, In tones Of des-
peyatiou, 'look--look-look!"
weD might they look for what
had gone before was but prologue.
an introduction 10 the tragedy that
lay behind. With the roar OF
thousand thunders Pelee beloved
forth. She beiched forth the red
flame OF thousand titan furnaces
she dealt forth battle, murder.
suAAan AaaAh