The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-08-17

on poultry raising, and : know more
about that than any man living. He
can handle a drill or a coach and four;
he can tell all about the art Of ancient
Babylon, and he beats me playing crib
bage, which shows that he amt on the
level. He's the best Informed man out
side of a university, and he drinks tea
Of an afternoon, with his legs crossed
and the saucer balanced on his heel.
Now, it takes years of hard work for
an honest man to make q success at
one thing, but Gordon never failed at
anything. / ask you if a living author
ity on all the branches Of human en-
deavor and a man who car beat me ut
crib doesn't make you suspicious"
mot at all. I've beaten you myself"
Il vas SICK" said Captain Brennan.
"The man is brilliant and well edu-
Gated and wealthy. It's only natural
that he should excite the jealousy of a
weaker intellect"
Johnny opened his lips for an exrlo-
sion, then changed his mind and agreed
sourly.
Hes got money, all right, and he
knows how to spend it. He and his
valet occupied three cabins on this
ship. They say his quarters at Hope
are palatial."
my dear grampus, the mere love of
luxury doesn't argue that a person is
dishonest"
would you let a hired mar help you
on with your underclothes? 2" demanded
the mariner.
There's nothing criminal about it,"
"Humph! Mrs. Gerard is different.
She's all class! You don't mind her
having d maid and speaking French
when she runs short Of English. Her
daughter Is like her."
81 haven't seer Miss Gerard"
IF you'd stir about the ship instead
of wearing out my morris chair you'd
have that pleasure. She was on deck
all morning" Captain Brennan fell
silent and poked with a stubby fore
finger at the ice in his glass.
"Well, out with it." said O'Neil after
a moment.
I'D like to know the inside story of
Curtis Gordon and this girls mother"
why bother your head about some
thing that doesn't concern you?" The
speaker rose and began to pace the
cabin floor, then in an altered tone in
quired, Tell me, are you going to land
me and my horses at Kyak bay?"
THAT depends on the weather. It's
a rotten harbor. You'll have to swim
them ashore"
Suppose it should be rough?'
"Then Wen go on and drop you there
coming back. don't want to be caught
on that shore with a southerly wind,
and that's the way it usually blows"
81 can't wait" O'Neil declared. "a
weeks delay might ruin me. Rather
than go ON I'd swim ashore myself,
without the horses"
Even as Brennan spoke the Nebraska
seemed to halt, to jerk backward IN
der his feet. O'Neil, who was standing,
flung out an arm to steady himself; the
empty ginger ale bottle fell from the
sideboard with a thump, Loose ar
ticles hanging against the side walls
swung to and fro; the heavy draperies
over Captain Johnny's bed swayed.
Brennan leaped from his chair; his
ruddy face was notified, his eyes were
wide and horror stricken.
"Damnation! he gasped. The cabin
door crashed open ahead of him, and
he was on the bridge, with O'Neil at
his heels. They saw the first officer
clinging Imply to the rail; from the
pilot house window came an excited
burst Of Norwegian, then out of the
door rushed a quartermaster.
The steady, muffled beating of the
machinery ceased. the ship seemed sud
denly to lose her life, but it was plain
that she was not aground, for she kept
moving through the gloom. From down
forward came excited voices as the
crew poured up vi of the f~orecastle.
Brennan leaped to the telegraph and
signaled the engine room. He was
calm now, and his voice was sharp
and steady.
"Go below, Mr.. James, and find the
extent of the damage" he directed, and
a moment later the hull began to throb
once more to the thrust Of the pro-
peller. Inside the wheelhouse Swan
had recovered from his panic and re
peated the masters orders mechanic
ally.
Tell me where and how | can help"
Murray offered. His first thought had
been of the possible effect Of this ca
t%astrophe upon his plans, for time was
pressing AS for danger, he had looked
upon it so often and in so many forms
that 1t had little power to stir him,
but a shipwreck, which would halt
his northward rush. was another mat
ter.
Brennan stepped into the chart room.
but returned In q moment to say:
There's no place to beach her this
side Of Halibut bay"
How far is thatY'
Five or six miles,"
"Youll-have to beach herr"
I'm afraid so. She feels queer"
Up from the cabin deck came a hand
full OF men passengers to inquire what
had happened; behind them a woman
began calling shrilly for her husband.
"VNn tn,rnhn1 n roalx > Ar