Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-04-07

my sloe, began 10 cnuckle IN signiu
cant way. looked at him inquiringly.
Talk Of mess!" he giggled. Don't
you see there. in. the stern-sheets. on
the bottom. May I never shoot a seal
again If that amt a woman!"
looked closely. but was not sure
until ordinations broke out on all
sides. The boat contained four men,
and its fifth occupant was certainly a
woman. We were agog with excite
ment. all except Wolf Larsen, who was
evidently disappointed in that 1t was
not his own boat with the two victims
of his malice.
We ran down the flying lib. hauled
the jib-sheets to windward and the
main sheet fat. and came up into the
wind. l now caught my first glimpse
of the woman. She was wrapped In a
long ulster. for the morning was raw;
and could see nothing but her face
and a mass of light brown hair escap-
ing from under the seaman's cap on
her head. The eyes were large and
brown and lustrous, the mouth sweet
| and sensitive, and the face itself
delicate oval, though sun and expos
ure to briny wind had burnt the face
scarlet. When one Of the sailors lift
ed her into Wolf Larsen's down.
stretched arms, she looked up into our
curious faces and smiled amusedly
and sweetly. as only a woman can
smile. and as had seen no one smile
for so long that l had forgotten such
smiles existed.
"Mr. Van Weyden!"
Wolf Larsen's voice brought me
sharply back to myself.
Twill you take the lady below and
see to her comfort? Make up that
spare port cabin. Put Cooky to work
on it. And see what you can do for
that face. It's burned badly"
He turned brusquely away from US
and began to question the new men.
The boat was cast adrift, though one
of them called it a bloody shame"
with Yokohama so near.
mo need to go to any great trouble
for me-" she protested, when / had
seated her in Wolf Larsen's armchair.
which had dragged hastily from his
cabin. THE men were looking for
land at any moment this morning, and
the vessel should be in by night; don't
you think so?"
Her simple faith in the immediate
future took me aback. How could l
explain to her the situation, the
strange man who stalked the sea like
Destiny. all that 1t had taken me
months to learn? But l answered hon
estly:
IF 1t were any other captain except
ours, should say you would be ashore
In Yokohama tomorrow. But Our cap
tain is q strange man, and / beg of
you to be prepared for anything. I'M
derstand for anything"
IL confess l hardly do under
stand" she hesitated. a perturbed but
not frightened expression in her eyes.
"Or is it a misconception of mine that
shipwrecked people are always shown
every consideration? This is such a
little thing, you know. We are so
close to land"
"Candidly. l do not know" I strove
to reassure her. Il wished merely to
prepare you for the worst. II the
worst IL to come. This man. this
captain, Is a brute. demon, and one
can never tell what will be his next
fantastic act"
was growing excited. but she in
terrupted me with an "Oh, l see," and
her voice sounded weary. To think
was patiently an effort. She was clear
ly on the verge of physical collapse.
l had quite forgotten the existence Of
Leach and Johnson. when suddenly,
like a thunderclap, Boat ho!" came
down the open companionway. 1t was
Smokes unmistakable voice. crying
from the masthead.
There were swift commands on
deck. a stamping of feet and slap
ping of reef-points as the Ghost shot
tack. AS she filed away and heeled.
the armchair began to slide across the
cabin floor, and l sprang for 1t just
in time to prevent the rescued woman
from being spilled out
Her eyes were too heavy to suggest
more than a hint Of the sleepy sur
prise that perplexed her as she looked
up at me. and she half stumbled, half
tottered. as l led her to her cabin.
Mugridge grinned insinuatingly in my
face as I showed him out and ordered
him back to his galley work: and he
won his revenge by spreading glow
ing reports among the hunters as to
what an excellent "lydy's myde" I was
proving myself to be.