Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-12-07
CHAPTER II. '...s,
Out Of the Silence. =
Copyright by the Frank A. Nun.
sey Co. ~

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CHAPTER Il. .,s
Out Of the Silence.
Mansfield was right. The pages OF
his diary struck the essentially HUI
nan note OF frank self-ayowal. They
were as fragrant as May orchardss
their sweetness Of personality made
one think Of brave young dreams
among dewy blossoms. But ! con-
fessed to him the feeling that We
were ,trespassers into, these secrets.
and. after that, he either laid the book
by altogether or read it only when
alone.
The Wastrel was cruising at her
cripple's pace southwest by east,
through those hot waters which lie
directly above the equator After
some days we sloped across the line,
but still chung to the hideous swelter
of the next meridian. Our course lay
among groups Of lush islands, which
simmered in steam and fever. and the
merciless. overhead sun beat upon us.
and soured US, until faces that had
been sullen at Sandakan, grew n1alev-
oient and menacing at one hundred
and fifty degrees, east, where, if l. re-
member rightly, we crossed the equa-
tor. ~
The brows Of the men always gath
cred into sweating scowl when they
gazed at Captain Coulter pacing tho
bridge. From scraps Of information
picked up here and there, in fo'c'sIe
disparagement, I pieced together
lurid abstract Of his story.
Iknew how wild and unsavory were
the regulations Of many Of the men
OF the eastern beaches. ] had lis
tened to tales Of lanai and bund, but
even in such company brutalities and
so strong its note Of implacable reso-
luteness.
Over high and rather prominent
forehead, long hair Of iron gray was
always swept back Under bushy and
aggressive brows his eyes were sim
gularly piercing and Of the same deep
blue GOODNESS as polar ice. His nose
was large and straight, and his lips
set tight and unyielding like the jaws
OF steel trap. The chin was almost,
but not quite, protrusive. He was
silent man, yet in his own fashion he
was bitterly passionate.
sHefferman, the first mate, was
tawdryi courtier, who studiously con-
sidered his chief in every matter. and
maintained his position of concord by
ludicrous care to risk no disagree
ment. In the stuffy cabin where, three
times day, we sweltered over bad
food, Mansfield and l studied the atti-
tudes Of the officers. I
Coulter grimly amused himself over
his eating by making absurd state-
nents for the sheer pleasure OF see
ing his next in command fall abjectly
into agreement.
The second mate. however, was I'M
penetrably silent. He was without
fear. but life which had evidently
brought him down steep decliyity
from a lost responsibility had taught
him consideration for odds. II he did
not contradict the dogmatic utteran-
ces OF his chief in table conversation,
be at least refused to agree.
Mansfield and were convinced that
II this prematurely gray fellow with
the dissipated face. cut in patrician
mold, could ever be brought to the
point Of personal narrative, he would
have stirring story to tell. We also
knew that he would never tell it.
Once, before the feud between at.
terwatch and fo'c's'le drove the OFF,
GERS into a necessary alliance. ]
thought that there would be brave
clash between the captain and the
second mate.
It was "a night of intolerable heat.
and sky spangled with stars hung
over us low and smothering. Law
renee. the second mate, was on watch
and Joined us carrying violin. Then
under the weird depression and mel
anchoiy lassitude which burdened us
ali, he began to improvise.
Mansfield and listened, spellbound.
Under his touch the instrument gave
Oft such strains as could come only
from the. sheer genius of gifted ml-
stefan who had suffered miserably.
1t was almost as II he were giving
without words the story which his,
lips would never tell, and into the i'm
provised music crept infinite pathos
and somber tragedy. g
In Few minutes the captain came
over, and his advent was like that of
maniac. The lame foot was pound
ing the deck with the stressful stamp
that was always an indication Of rage.
He halted before US with fists clench-
ed and his eyes glittering. Upon
Lawrence he vented an outpouring Of
blasphemous wrath which is unquot.
able.
"Throw that damned fiddle over
board" he ordered at the end of a
fierce TRADE. Don't let me hear its
damnable scratching again on my
ship
For a moment Lawrence stood 81.
lent and cold with anger. He laid the
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