The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-09-28
CHAPTER XVII.

The remainder OF the day passed
uneventfully. Miss Brewster. we had
learned her name from the engineer.
slept on and on. A! supper request.
ed the hunters 10 lower their voices,
so she was not disturbed. and II was
not till next morning that she made
her appearance. II had been my in.
tention TO have her meals served apart,
but Wolf Larsen put down his foot.
Who was she that she should be too
good for cabin table and cabin society?
had been his demand.
Wolf Larsen had little 10 say at
first, doing no more than reply when
he was addressed. Not that he was
abashed. Far from II. His was the
perfect poise, the supreme confidence
In self, which nothing could shake;
and he was no more timid OF a
than he vas OF storm and battle.
And when shall we arrive at Yoke.
hama?" she asked. turning to him and
loking him squarely In the eyes.
There II was, the question fiat. The
jaws stopped working. the ears ceased
webbing. and though eyes remained
glued on plates. each man listened
greedily for the answer.
In four months. possibly three II
the season closes early" Wolf Larsen
said.
She caught her breath, and STAN.
mered, II thought was given TO
understand that Yokohama was only
"A hn % anIl mo- N-' IIAHA nEA.
paused and looked about the table at
the circle OF unsympathetic faces star.
ing hard AZ the plates. 1t is not
right" she concluded.
THAT is a question you must settle
with Mr.. Van Weyden there" he re-.
piled. noddinG 10 me with a mischie.
vous twinkle. Mr.. Van Weyden Is
what you may call an authority on
such things as rights. Now /, who am
only a sailor, would look upoa the sit.
uation somewhat differently. II may
possibly be your misfortune that you
have to remain with US, but II is Ger.
tainly our good fortune"
Il may be taken on by some passing
vessel, perhaps" she suggested.
There will be no passing vessels.
except other sealing schooners." Wolf
Larsen made answer.
Il have no clothes. nothing" she Oh.
iected. You hardly realize, sir, that
am not a man, or that ! am unaccus.
toned 20 the vagrant, careless life
which you and your men seem to
lead"
Il suppose you're like Mr.. Van Wev.
den there, accustomed e having things
done for you. Well, | think doing "A
few things yourself will hardly dislo-
cate any joints. by the way, what do
you do for a living"
She regarded him with amazement
unconcealed.
i mean no o~fense. believe me PEG.
pie eat, therefore they must c
the wherewithal. These men here
shoot seals In order to live; for the
same reason ! sail this schooner. and
Mr. Van WeydeL, for the present at
any rate. earns his salty grub nv "a.
sistins me, Now what do you du?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
AT present she said, after slight
pause i earn about eighteen hundred
dollars q year
With one accord. all eyes left tho
plates and settled on her. A woman
who earned eighteen hundred dollars
a year was worth looking at Wolf
Larsen was undisguised In his ADM.
ration.
Salary or pieceworE?" he asked.
"Piecework." she answered prompt.
ly.
Eighteen hundred" he calculated.
That's a hundred and nifty dollars a
month, Well. Miss Brewster, there
IL nothing small about tho Ghost.
Consider yourself on salary during the
time you remain with US"
She made no acknowledgment. She
was too unused as yet to the whlms OF
the man to accept them with equa.
nimity.
i forgot TO inquire" be went on