The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1916-02-18
CHAPTER |.

'bDtn circuit. I1o hSPb "uNA |
tage In Mill Valley, under the shadow
Of Mount Tamalpais, and never occu'
pied It except when he loafed through
the winter months and read Nietzsche
and Schopenhauer to rest his brain.
Had 1t not been my custom to run up
10 see him every Saturday afternoon
and to stop over TIL Monday morning.
this particular January Monday morn.
ing would not have found ME anoat
on San Francisco bay.
Not but that was afoat in safe
craft, for the Martinez was a new ferry |
steamer, making her fourth or hfth
trim on the run between Sausaiito ana
San Francisco. The danger lay In the
heavy fog which blanketed the bay,
and Of which. as landsman, had
little apprehension. took up my posi-
ton on the forward upper deck. direct,
" beneath the pilot house, and al
lowed the mystery OF the fog to lay
held OF my imagination. A fresh breeze
was blowing. and for q time was
alone in the moist obscurity-yet not
alone, for was dimly conscious OF
the presence Of the pilot. and Of what
I took to be the captain, In the glass
house above my head.
II was good that men should be spe-
cialists, unused. The peculiar knowl-
edge of the pilot and captain sufficed
for many thousands OF people who
knew no more Of the sea and naviga-
tion than knew. On the other hand,
instead of having to devote my en-
ergy to the learning of multitude OF
things, concentrated 1t upon few
particular things, such as, for instance,
the analysis of Poe's place In Ameri'
can literature-an essay of mine. by
the way, in the current Atlantic.
From out the fog came the mourn
full tolling Of bell, and ! could sea
the pilot turning the wheel with great
rapidity. The bell. which had seemed
straight ahead. was now sounding
from the side. Our own whistle was
blowing hoarsely, and from time to
time the sound Of other whistles came
to us from out of the fog. An unseen
ferryboat was blowing blast after
blast, and mouth-blown horn was
footing in terror-stricken fashion.
A shrill whistle. piping as II gone
mad. came from directly ahead and
from very near at hand. Gongs sound
ed on the Martinez. Our paddlewheels
stopped, their pulsing beat died away
and then they started again. The
shrilI whistle, like the chirping OF a
cricket amid the cries of great beasts
shot through the fog from more tC
the side and swiftly grew faint and
fainter.
glanced up. The captain had
thrust his head and shoulders out o.
the pilot house. and was staring in
tently into the fog as though by sheel
force of win he could penetrate 1t. Hi
face was anxious.
Then everything happened, and will
uncomfortable rapidity. The fol
seemed to break away as though spill
by a wedge, and the bow of steam
boat emerged. trailing fog-wreaths o.
either side like seaweed on the snou
of Leyiathan. . could see the pilo
house and a whhe-bearded man lear
ing partly out Of It. on his elbows. II
was clad In a blue uniform, and ! r.
member noting how trim and quiet b
was. His Quietness, under the circun
stances. was terrible. He accepte
destiny. marched hand In hand with !
and coolly measured the stroke. A
he leaned there. he ran a calm an
specuIative eye over US. as though
determine the precise point OF the co
lision. and took no notice whatevt
when our pilot, white with rage, shou
ed, Now you've done it,"
We must have been struck sQuarel
amidships, for ! saw nothing. Il
strange steamboat having passed b
yond my line OF vision. The MARITIME
hceled over, sharply. aud there was
crashing and rending of timber. ! WI
thrown fiat on the wet deck. and b
fore | could scramble to my feet
heard the screams of women. Th
n was, am certaln-the most ind
scr,bable OF blood curdlIng sounds
that threw me into a panic. remeI
hered the life preservers stored In q
cabin. but was met at the door al
swept back by wild rush Of men Al
women. What happened in the ne
few minutes do not recollect thou
have a clear remembrance of pu
,ns down life preservers from the ov'
head racks, while redfaced m
fastened them about the bodies Oh
hxsterical group Of women.
was the screaming OF the won
that most tried my nerves. II mt
have tried. too. the nerves of the n
saced man, for have q picture viii
wil, never fade from my mind. A SIC
gentleman Is stnfing a magazine II
his oyercoat pocket and looking on
rlously. A tangled mass OF wom'
with drawn. white faces and op
mouths. 10 shrieklng like chorus
iost souls: and the red-faced man.
face now purplish with wrath. Q
w,,h his arms extended overhead
a tss act OF hurting thunderoolts
shoatinx shut up! Oh. shut u
These wonen. capable Of the M
suhllue emotions. Of the tender