Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-07-01
CHAPTER II.
Out OF the Silence.

Mansfield was right. The pages Of
this diary struck the essentially hui
man note of frank self-avowal. They
were as fragrant as May orchards;
their sweetness of personality made
one think OF brave young dreams
among dewy blossoms. But l 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 clung 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 Sandal1an, grew malev-
olent and menacing at one hundred
and fifty degrees, east, where, if I 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's'le
disparagement, l pieced together
lurid abstract of his story.
knew how wild and unsavory were
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 coldness 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 a
silent man, yet in his own fashion, he
was bitterly passionate.
Hefferman, the first mate, was
tawdry courtier, who studiously con-
sidered his chief in every matter, and
maintained his position of concord by
ludicrous care to risk no disagree
d. ment. In the stuffy. cabin where, three
times day, we sweltered over bad
food, Mansfield and studied the atti-
tudes of the officers. 3D..
Coulter grimly amused himself over
his eating by making absurd stale
ments 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 declivity
from lost responsibility had taught
him consideration for odds. II he did
not contradict the dogmatic utteran-
ces of his chief in table conversation,
he at least refused to agree.
Mansfield and were convinced that
If this prematurely gray fellow with
the dissipated face. cut in a 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 af-
terwatch and fo'c's'le drove the Off
GERS into necessary alliance,
thought that there would be a brave
clash between the captain and the
second mate.
1t was night of intolerable heat,
i and sky spangled with stars hung
over us low and smothering. Law
renee, the second mate, was off watch
and Joined us carrying violin. Then
under the weird depression and mel
ancholy lassitude which burdened us
all, he began to improvise.
Mansfield and listened, spellbound.
Under his touch the instrument gave
off such strains as could come only
from the sheer genius of gifted mu-
sician who had suffered miserably.
1t was almost as If he were giving
without words the story which his
lips would never tell, and into the i'm
proyised music crept infinite pathos
and somber tragedy.
In few minutes the captain came
over, and his advent was like that of
q maniac. The lame foot was pound.