The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-03-10

God must have hated them that
they should be tortured sol
II have seen and heard moth
Ing. believe me-" ! said quietly.
II tell yer, he's all right"
could hear Leach saying as l went
up the ladder. "He don't like
the old man no more nor you OF
me-"
found Wolf Larsen In the
cabin. stripped and bloody. wait
ing for me. He greeted me with
one OF his whimsical smiles.
Come. get to work, Doctor.
The signs are favorable for an ex-
tensive practice this voyage. I
don't know what the Ghost would
have been without you, and IL
could only cherish such noble SEN
timents ] would tell you her mas
ter Is deeply grateful"
knew the run OF the simple
medicine-chest the Ghost carried
and while | was heating water
on the cabin stove and getting the
Things ready for dressing his
wounds, he moved about, laugh
ing and chatting. and examining
MS hurts with a calculating eye.
mad never before seen him
stripped, and the sight of his body
quite took my breath away. IL
mas nevera been my weakness TO
exalt the flesh--far from it; but
there Is enough of the artist In
me TO appreciate it's wonder.
must say that was fascinat-
ed by the perfect lines OF Wolf
Larsen's figure, and by what 1
may term the terrible beauty of
II. had noted the men In the
forecastle. owerfully muscled
Enough some OF them were, there
mad been something wrong with
all OF them, an insufficient de-
Veiopment here, an undue devel-
opment there, a twist or a crook
that destroyed symmetry, legs too
snort or too long, or too much
sinew or bone exposed. or too lit
tie. oofty-oofty had been the
only one whose lines were at all
pleasing, while, In 30 far as they
pleased, that far had they been
what should call feminine.
hut Wolf Larsen was the man
type, the masculine, and almost n
god in his perfectness. As he
moved about or raised his arms
the great muscles leapt and
moved under the satiny skin. 1
have forgotten to say that the
bronze ended with his face. His
body, thanks to his Scandinavian
stock, was fair as the fairest
woman's. remember his nut
ting his hand up to feel of the
wound on his head, and my watch
ing the biceps move like a living
thing under It's white sheath. IL
was the biceps that had nearly
crushed out my life once, that /
had seen strike so many killing
blows. l could not take my ewes
from him. stood motioniess. n
roll OF antiseptic cotton In my
hand unwinding and spilling It,
self down to the floor.
He noticed me, and became
onscious that was staring at
him.
God made you we'll" said.
did he?' he answered. al
have often thought so myself, and
wondered why"
Purpose" ! began.
Utility" he interrupted. This
body was made for use. These
muscles were made to grip, and
tear, and destroy living things
that get between me and life. But
have you thought of the other
living things? They, too, have
muscles, Of one kind and another,
made to grip, and tear, and de-
stroy; and when they come be.
tween me and life, ! outgrip them,
outtear them, outdestroy them,
Purpose does not explain that,
Utility does"
1T is not beautiful" ! pro-
tested.
Life isn't, you mean" he
smiled. "eYt you say / was made
well. Do you see this?"
He braced his legs and feet
pressing the cabin floor with his
toes in a clutching sort of way
Knots and ridges and mounds OF
muscles writhed and punched un.
der the skin.
| Feel them" he commanded.
They were hard as iron. And ]
observed, also, that his whole
body had unconsciously drawn IL
self together, tense and alert; thai
muscles were softly crawling ant
shaping about the hips, along the
back, and across the shoulders
that the arms were slightly lifted
their muscles contracting, the fin.
gers crooking till the hands were
like talons; and that even the
eyes had changed expression and
into them were coming watchful
ness and measurement and lighi
none other than of battle.
Stability, equilibrium" hi
said, relaxing on the instant and
sinking his body back into repose
Feet with which to clutch the
ground, legs to stand on and tc
help Withstand, while with arms
and hands, teear and nails,
struggle to kill adm to be o,
killed. Purpose? Utility is the
better word"
did not argue. I had seen the
mechanism of the primitive fight.