New Britain herald., 1924-11-20

broad-featured and giggling; Chi nese coolies, some with flimsy Boxes resembling violin-cases, others with nothing at all, because they had gambled away everything they had started with except strip of rag at the lolns: R tall Sikh with curl ing beard and effeminate swagger: Tamils, coal-black and wearing gold ornaments in their lips, noses and ears; chattering like monkey col ony, clutching their entire worldly possessions, they swarmed below decks to remain, wedged like swelt- ering sardines, until the vessel chose to put to sea again. The Dutch mate, the stump of black chceroot stuck in the corner of his great mouth, hastened their lnove- ments with none too delicate prods of an iron bar.
 Irene Matheson, reclining in 8 long cane chair on the narrow first clas5 deck under a patched avn ing, raised her eyes from the bNk she had been reading. There was a wealth of pity in her soul for these helpless creatures. formed like men and women, yet herded to- gether like beasts of the field. Sud denly she gasped and leaned for ward. Something that the ships of fcer had doRe sent shudder through her slender frame. In dumb protest, she looked at the broad white back of the man who stood by the rail. She could not zee his face, but she thought that his 1 sun-burned neck was unusually red and that the big brown hands which gripped the rope barrier had frightened their hold. IL was as If d chord of sympathy had passed 1 between these two. The slim girl in i the chair felt that the silent mes , sage her brown eyes had flashed 1 into space had come to rest in q | highly sensitive receiving station , encaScd in a. suit of immaculate duck. The shoulders of the man she knew as Corrigan twitched, Her eyes widening with suppressed eX- Citement, her tiny hands clutching at the sides of her chair, she saw lete on to the deck below. Half a. dozen strides sufficed to cover the ! distance between him and the mate. she saw the iron bar descend pitt lessly on the head of a native woman who had tried to secure a portion of her personal effects that had fallen as she staggered through that gaping hole. and then - Cor rigan's great fist shot out and the first mate fell heavily, the bar roll 1 ing into the scuppers. Feeling like a fair spectator in a Roman arena Mrs. Matheson clapped her hands
 The mate, crawling painfully tc his feet, heard it and threw 8 male. volent glance in her direction Swearing horribly. he reached out for the belaying- pin. Corrigan, who Vas bending over the injured wom' an. caught his eye. The fat fingers that groped for the bar ceased theil fumhling and the little pig eyes o' the Dutchman qUatled suddenly be. meath a steely gaze that spoke vol. umes. Mrs. Matheson had never heard Corrigan's voice. During ths whole of the three days from Sin. saporc, he had remained silent s' the sphynx, gazing ceaselessly ou 10 sea like a man weighed down |, g breeding sorrow, Under this sud den call to action, the spell wal broken.
 Leave that alone. my friend. advised Corrigan in measured tones You've gone 2 bit too far for my llkin'."
 The mate gulped down some thing in his throat,i shrugged hi shoulders and remembered his posi- ton cn the boat Perhaps 1t wal that he caught sight Of the captain m hts way from the bridge, for h. stepped and picked up the bar, snc Corrigan hit him again,
 The skipper, his eyes ablaze. con frontcd the master Of the situation What docs this mean?" he de manded in very good English.
 Corrigap. square iawed and clean sharen, rose 10 his full height. H. stood like colossus. his hand resting easily on his hips, betweel ihe fat mated holding his bruise' law and the Dusun girl, the whit mans handkerchief knottod roun' her head, on which showed al cyer-increasing patch of blood.
 T regret having to interfere wit the discipline of your ship, Ca. iaiu Iamburg." he said, but to
 humane man he situation explain its"lf"
 The captatn, broad and bearded his vhite-tor7ed cap cooked owe
 one eye, his arms over-long, lik giant ape, thumped his grea
 chest until it resounded like
 drum,
 I'm captain here, Mr.----,' h shouted
 "Corriesn's my namo" put in tn other calmly. When aeo a ma
 hit a woman, black or white, th
 niceties of marine etiquette ar
 lost on me. I see red However. a if snpeers I owe vnu an apolory -- T give ii; hut I give no Euarante not 10 repeat my action in simila case of brutality"
 The skipper choked down hi wrath.
 "T see" he said tbiclly. "Yo will also apologize to Mr. Nanop. 5 He ierkcd his head toward the mat
 who kept or feeIius al his face g , sr.seg. '