The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1922-02-04

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. year
an more ago. Brought me up all
standin'. What are you? Steamer
man? Purser, maybe?'
Newspaper man." answered Rainey.
"Waterfront detail For the Times"
you don't say so, matey? A writer,
eh?"
Again Rainey felt the tug Of that
something back of the dark lenses.
some speculation going on in the
mans mind concerning him. And he
felt the firm fingers contract ever so
slightly, sinking into the muscles OF
his forearm for second with Il hint
OF how they could bruise and para
I'VE at will. A faint sense of revul-
sion fought with his natural inclina-
ton to aid the handicapped mariner,
and he shook it off:
1.-THE Karluk sails tomorrow he
said. II had short talk with Captain
Simms when she locked. Not much
OF yarn. She didn't have a good trip,
you know"
"Why, didn't know. But-hold a
minnit, will We? You see, Simms is
an old shipmate of mine. He don't
dream I'm within hundred miles O
here Aye, or thousand" He gave
deep-chested chuckle Now, then.
matey. look here"
Rainey was anchored by the COM
polling grip. They stood next to the
slip in which the sealer lay. The
Karluk's decks were deserted, though
there was smoke coming from the gal
ley stovepipe.
"Simms is likely to be aboard"
went on the other. Eye see l know
his ways. An I've come long trip
to see him. Nigh missed him. Only
got in from Seattle this mornin'. He
amt expectin' me, an it's in my mind
to surprise him. BY way Of joke
Hows the deck? Clear?"
"NO one in sight" said Rainey.
Zine. Do me a favor. matey, an
pilot me down into the cabin, if SC
be the shippers there. If he amt III
wait for him. I've got the right an
run O. the Karluk's cabin. | know
ey'ry inch of her. You'll see wher
we go aboard. Let's 60"
Rainey led him down the gangway
to the deck of the sealer, still clut
tered bit with unstowed gear. Once
aboard, the blind man seemed to wall
with assurance, guiding himself witt
touches here and there that showed
his familiarity with the vessels rig
He approached the cabin skylight, lift
| ed it on the port side. Through 1
| came the murmur of voices. Th'
| blind man nodded in satisfaction ant
widened his grin with warnn:
"hush-sh" to his guide.
!, "We'll fool 'em proper" he Tipped
rather than uttered
The companion doors were closed
but they opened noiselessly. TIT
, stairs were carpeted with corrugated
rubber that muffled all sound. TIVE
, men sat at the cabin table, leanin.
, forward, hands and forearms out
stretched, lingering something ON
Rainey recognized as the captain
, Simms-a heavy. square-built man
, gray-haired, clean-shaven, his tlesl
tanned vet somehow unhealthy. as I
the bronze was close to furnishing.
, The other was younger, tall, nerv
] Ously active, with dark eyes and
: dark mustache and beard, the latte
trimmed to vandyke. Between then
, was a long. slim sack of leather.
, miners poke. 1t was half full o
something that stuffed its lower ex
, tremity solid, without doubt the SAM
, substance that glisteped in the moutl
of the sack and the palms of the tw'
; men-gold-coarse dust Of gold!
, Rainey felt himself thrust to on
: side as the blind man straddle'
2 across the bottom of the companion
r way, towering in the cabin while h
thrust his stick with thump on tn
floor and Numbered, in below tina
: seemed to fill the place and come tum
| DING Dack III uedlenlHS ECHO.
: "Karluk ahoy"
: The face of Captain Simms paled
f the tan turned to a sickly gray, an
: his jaw dropped. Rainey saw fea
come into his eyes. His companiO
e did not stir muscle except for tn
e quick shift of his glance, but went O
e sitting at the table, the gold in on
. palm, the fingers of his other han
resting on the grains.
o "Jim Lund" gasped the capital
/. hoarsely.
e "That's me, you skulking sculpin
f Thought was bear meat by thi
didn't you, blast yore rotten soul
! hi! But I'm back, Bill Simms. Bacl
: an this time you don't slip met"
:. Jim Lund's face was purple-re
J. with rage, great veins standing OF
4 upon it so swollen that it seemed the
a must surely burst and discharge the
+ congested contents. He booked, Ra
d ney thought. like blind Berserker. r.
o strained only by his affection.
y "You left me blind on the foe. Bi
: Simms!" he roared. Blind. in a dri'
in blizzard with the ice breakin' uI
$ II 1 didn't have use for yore carcas