The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-02-18


an bein' able to buy ennything l set
my fancy on. The answer to that is
Gold. With it you can buy most emmy
thing. Not all wimmen, I'll grant you
that, Not the kind Of woman I'd want
for a steady mate. Thet's one thing
I've found out can't be bought, my
son, the honor of good woman. An
thets the sort Of woman I'm lookin'
for.
This Is my gold, an I'm goin' 10
handle it. If emmy one tries to swizzte
me out. of 1t I'm goin' to swizzle back.
an you can lay to that. Not forget
tin them that stands by me-"
Between Lund and Simms there ex-
listed sort of armed truce. No open
reference was made to the desertiOn
of Lund on the foe. But Rainey knew
that 1t ranked in Lund's mind. The
five, Peggy Simms. her father, Carl
sen, Lund and Rainey, ostensibly
messed together, but Rainey's duties
generally kept him on deck until
Carlson had sufficiently completed his
own meal to relieve him. BY that
time the girl and the captain had left
the table.
Lund invariably waited for Rainey.
Tamada kept the food hot for them.
To Rainey, Tamada seemed the
hardest worked man aboard ship. he
had three messes to cook and he was
busy from morning until night, eff
cient. tireless and even-tempered. The
crew, though they acknowledged his
skill. were Californians, either by
birth or adoption, and the racial
prejudice against the japanese was
apparent.
A week of good wind was followed
by dirty weather. The persistence
and increasing opposition of the storm
seemed to have corresponding effect
upon Captain Simms.
He grew daily more irritable and
morose, even to his daughter. Only
the doctor appeared able to get along
with him on easy terms, and Rainey
noticed that, to Carlson, the skipper
seemed conciliatory even to Difference
Peggy Simms watched her father
with worried eyes. The curious, tar
nished look of his tanned skin grew
until the flesh seemed continually dry
and of an earthly color; his lips
peeled, and more than once he shook
| as if with a chill.
On the eleventh day out, Rainey
went below in the middle of the after
noon for his Seaboots. In the main
cabin he found Simms seated In a
chair with his daughter leaning over
him. speaking to her In a harsh, COM
planning voice.
"No, you can't do thing for me-"
he was saying. Its this sciatica.
I've got to get Carlson"
As Rainey passed through to his
own little stateroom neither OF them
noticed him. but he saw that the cap
| tain was shivering. his hands picking
almost convulsively at the tablecloth.
"Where's Carlsena cnrse him."
Rainey heard through his cabin parti-
ton. "Tell him can't stand this any
longer. He's got to help me. Got to-.
Got to-"
AS Rainey appeared, walking
heavily in his boots, the girl looked
up. Her father was slumped in his
chair, his face buried on his folded
arms. The girl glanced at him doubt
fully, apparently uncertain whether
| to 20 herself to find Carlson or stay
with her father.
Anything 1 can do, Miss Simms?
Your father seems quite ILL.,"
The hesitation Of the girl even to
| speak to him was very plain to
Rainey. Suddenly she threw up her
| chin.
"Kindly find Doctor Carlson" she
| ordered. rather than requested. "Ask
him to come as soon as he can. +"
She turned uncertainty to her father.
.Can l help you to get him into the
cabin7" asked Rainey.
She thanked him with lips, not eyes,
and he assisted her to shift the al
most helpless man into his room and
bunk. He was like a stuffed sack be-
tween them, save that his body
twitched. While Rainey took most OF
the weight, he marveled at the
strength Of the slender girl and the
way in which she applied 1t. Simms
seemed to have tainted, to be on the
| verge of Inconsistencies or even utter
collapse. Rainey felt his wrist. and
the pulse was almost imperceptible.
"I1l get the doctor Immediately" he
said.
"Mighty funny sort Of sciatica,'
Rainey told himself as he hurried for.
ward. He knew where Carlson was
in the hunters coy quarters, playing
poker.
| 1.-THE shippers H." said Rainey
mo pulse. Almost unconscious"
/ Carlson raised his eyebrows.
1 "Didn't know you were physician
he said. "Just one of his spells. III
finish this hand Too good to la.
down. The skipper can wait FOL
once"
| The hunters grinned as Carlser
took his time to draw his cards, make
his bets and eventually win the pot OF
three queens.
II wonder what your real game is?'
Rainey asked himself as he affected
| ~ xvotch tho NAV According TO hi!