The Adair County news., 1921-11-01
CHAPTER 1.
Blind Samson.

1t was perfect weather along the
San Francisco waterfront, and Raj
ney reacted to the brisk touch of the
tradeJwind upon his cheek. the breeze
tempering the sun, bringing with it
tang of the open sea and hint of orr
entail spices from the wharveS. The
dull thump of a heavy cane upon the
timbered walk and the shuttle of I'M
certain feet warned him from blunder-
ing into a man tapping his way along
the Embarcadero, a giant who halted
abruptly and faced him, leaning on the
heavy stick.
''Matey," asked the giant, could you
put a blind man in the way of finding
the sealin' schooner Karluk?'
The voice fitted its owner, Rainey
thought bassO voice tempered to
the occasion, a deep-sea voice that
could below above the roar of gale
If needed. For all his ShOregOing
clothes and shuttle, the man was GER
tainly a sailor, or had been. He wore
dark glasses with side lenses, over
which heavy brows projected in shay
gy wisps Of red hair.
Blind as the man proclaimed him.
self with voice and action, Rainey
sensed something back of those col
ored glasses that seemed to be ap-
praising him, almost as if the will of
the man was peering, or listening, TO-
cused through those listless sockets.
You're not fifty yards from the
rl,rly Dot n,,&
bound in the wrong direction. Let me
put you right. I'm going that way my
self" - -
-That's kind of We, matey," said the
other. But 1 picked We for that sort,
hearin' you whistlin' as you came
,swingin' along. Give me the touch of
yore arm, matey:"
Rainey wOnderingly sized up his con-
sort. The strangers bulk was enor-
nous. Rainey was well over the aver
age himself, but he was only a strip
ling beside this hulk, this stranded
hulk, of manhood. And, for all the
specialized eyes and shutting feet,
there was a stamp of co-Ordinated
strength about the giant that bespoke
the blind Samson. Given eyes, Rainey
could imagine him agile as a panther,
strong as bear.
His weight was made up of thews
and SinewS, spare and solid flesh with
out an ounce Of waste, upon a mighty
skeleton. His face was heavy-bearded
in hair of flaming, curling red, from
high eheekbones down out of sight be-
low the soft loose collar Of his shirt.
About thirty, Rainey judged him.
Buffeted by time and weather, but in
the prime Of his strength.
"Snow-blinded matey," said the
man. North o. Point Barrow, a year
an more ago. Brought me up all
standin'. What are you? Steamer
man? Purser, maybeF
Newspaper man." answered Rainey
Waterfront detail For the Tines
You don't say so, matey? A writer
ehY"
Again Rainey felt the tug of that
something back Of the dark lenses
some speculation going on in thu
mans mind concerning him. And m
felt the firm fingers contract ever 81
slightly, sinking into the muscles o
his forearm for a second with a hin
bOf how they could bruise and para
Iyze at will. A faint sense of revul
sion fought with his natural inclina
ton to aid the handicapped mariner
and he shook it off.
"The Karluk sails tomorrow" b,
said. 81 had a short talk with Captain
Simms when she locked. Not mucl
of a yarn. She didn't have a good TRIP
you. know"
"Why, 1 didn't know. But-hold
minnit will We? You see, Simms /
an old shipmate Of mine. He dom
dream I'm within a hundred miles c
here. Aye, or a thousand" He CAV
a deep-chested chuckle. ''Now, then
matey, look here"
Rainey was anchored by the CON
polling grip. They stood next to tn
slip in which the sealer lay. TIL
Karluk's decks were deserted, thoug
there was smoke coming from the ga
ley stovepipe.
"Simms is likely to be aboard,
went on the other. "Ye see, l know
his ways. An I've come a long tri
TO see him. Nigh missed him. Onl
got in from Seattle this mornin'. II
amt expectin' me, an it's in my min
to surprise him. BY way of a jok,
How's the deck2 Clear?"
mo one in sight" said Rainey.
"Fine. Do me a favor, matey, al
pilot me down into the cabin, if S
be the shippers there. If he amt, +
wait for him. I've got the right al
run o. the Karluk's cabin. kno'
ev'ry inch of her You'll see whe
we go aboard Let's 90"
Rainey led him down the gangwa
TO the deck of the sealer, still clu
tered a bit with unstowed gear. Ono
aboard, the blind man seemed to wal