The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1916-04-08
possibly be worse than the present

Ny knife was at my hip. | returned
to my hut for the shotgun, made sure
it was loaded, and went down TO the
Ghost. With some difficulty, and at
the expense OF q wettinS to the waist,
| climbed aboard. The forecastle scut-
tie was open. / paused to listen for
the breathing OF the men, but there
was no breathing. | cautiously de-
scended the ladder The place had
the empty and musty feel and smell
usual to dwelling no longer inhab-
tied. Everywhere was a thick litter
of the worthless forecastle dunnage
of a long voyage. | noted that the
boats were missing. The steerage
told the same tale as the forecastle.
The hunters had packed their belong
ings with similar haste. The Ghost
was deserted.
The reaction from my fear, and the
knowledge that the terrible deed /
had come to do was no longer neces-
sary, made me boyish and eager. |
sprang up the break Of the poop, and
saw-Wolf Larsen. What Of my i'm
petus and the stunning surprise, |
clattered three or four steps along the
deck before l could stop myself. He
was standing in the companionway,
only his head and shoulders visible,
staring straight at me. His arms were
resting on the half-open slide. He
made no movement whatever-simpiy
stood there, staring at me.
| began to .remble. The old stom-
ach sickness clutched me. put one
hand on the edge Of the house to
steady myself. My lips seemed sud-
denly dry and | moistened them
against the need Of speech. Nor did
for an instant take my eyes off him.
Neither of us spoke. There was some
thing ominous in his silence. his i'm
mobility. All my old fear of him re-
| turned and by new fear was increased
hundred fold. And still we stood.
the pair of US, staring at each other
was aware OF the demand for &C.
ton, and. my old helplessness strong
upon me, / was waiting for him to
take the initiative. Then, as the mo-
ments went by, 1t was at last i'm
pressed upon me that was there, not
to have Wolf Larsen take the initia,
tive, but to take 1t myself.
l cooked both barrels and leveled
the shotgun at him. Had he moved
attempted to drop down the compan
| 7 mould Ghnt
him. But he stood motionless and
staring as before. And as l faced
him, with leveled gun shaking in my
hands, had time to note the worn
and haggard appearance Of his face
II was as II some strong anxiety had
wasted 1t. The cheeks were sunken
and there was a wearied, puckered
expression on the brow. And II
seemed to me that his eyes were
strange, not only the expression. but
the physical seeming, as though the
optic nerves and supporting muscles
had suffered strain and slightly twist
ed the eyeballs.
All this saw, and my brain now
working rapidly. thought a thousand
thoughts; and yet could not pull the
triggers. lowered the gun ant
stepped to the corner of the cabin
primarily to relieve the tension OF
my nerves and to make a new start
and incidentally to be closer. Again
raised the gun. He was almost a
arms length. There was no hope fol
him. | was resolved. There was NJ
possible chance of missing him, NJ
matter how poor my craftsmanship
And yet | wrestled with myself anC
could not pull the triggers.
"Well?" he demanded impatiently.
| strove vainly to force my finger,
down on the triggers, and vainly
strove to say something.
why don't you shoot?" he asked
I cleared my throat of a huskinesi
which prevented speech.
Hump" he said slowly, you can
do it. You are not exactly afraid. YOU
are impotent. Your conventional
morality is stronger than you. Yo'
are the slave to the opinions which
have credence among the people yo'
have known and have read about
Their code has been drummed int,
your head from the time you lisped
and in spite of your philosophy, ant
Of what l have taught you. 1t won't lie
you kill an unarmed, unresisting man.
Il know it." l said hoarsely.
And Won know that I would kill al
unarmed man as readily as l woul'
smoke q cigar" he went on. "Yo'
know me for what l am-my WORT
in the world by your standard. Yo'
have called me snake, tiger. shark
monster, and Caliban. And yet, yo'
little rag puppet, you little echoini
mechanism, you are unable to kill m
as you would a snake or a shark, be
cause l have hands, feet, aid bod.
shaped somewhat like yours. Bah
l had hoped better things of you
Hump"
He stepped out of the companion
way and came up to me.
Put down that gun. / want t
ask you some questions. l haven
had a chance to look around YET
What place is this? How is tn
Ghost lying? How did you get here
Where's Maud?-I beg your pardon
Miss Brewster-or should l say, 'Mri
Van Weyden'?"
l had backed away from him, a
most weeping at my inability to shoe