The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1924-07-10

a AsAlkts AhAlRs
The launch would not head toward
ltE home. nor would there be- any
great thrll IN battling these angry
waves. II Big Chris had kept silent.
the captain might have puHhed out
and forgotten him. they had met
only a few days before, and there
fore, had no instinct 10 turn TO each
other In "a crisis. However. II did not
80 much as occur 90 him that he
could refrain from answering per
Aonnlly that distress call from the
deep. or that he was entitled 10 any
special credit FOR doing 10.
Captain Jims brain moved delib
erately and allow. but certain AZ
yoked oxen. II was true. he knew.
that no seconds were 10 be- wasted In
reaching that sinking ship. Yet
every available man would be needed
IN the work Of rescue. and particu.
lorly srcatmusclcd. 'scookcm" lei.
lows. such as he had observed Big
Chris 10 be, At his command one Of
his mcaEer crew pushed or In the
nkiff and. standing bent In the boat,
rowcd IN swift, sure strokes 20 the
shore.
Big Chris was standing ready 20
Jump IN but he paused for one In.
slant II dar nobody else in dis
village wort taking7 he asked.
No. The florckctpcr'a o cripple.
but Lord, he'll be mad. There's only
ono other white man In The village.
and that's the Remittance Man. Get
in"
II did not occur 10 either % them
that they should take natives on
this rescue trip This was q white
mans job. and IL would take The
white mans steel % heart. And they
would not even go 10 sec about the
RcmittaECo Man. Surely he was too
lost 10 manhood and Eclfrcapcct 10
be OF any aid in this nights work.
But they were suddenly brought
up sharp in their work OF pushing
of by a voice in the darkness behind
them. Wait second. you fellows"
the voice said II was abrupt. ni.
most commanding In tone. and there
was the sound OF hurrying feet in
the snow. Il want to go"
Even his irrcmcdiablc disgrace
disgrace that the northern men
guessed at. but never knew In full
had not destroyed certain quality
I Of charm in tho Remittance Mans
voice. II was rich, full baritone. and
u had an irrcprcssibln boyish dual.
iiy. a frankncss and opon.hcarted.
ness that appealed instiuctiycly even
90 these hard.fistcd men OF tho
North The Remittance Man was
from the States" and the particu.
lar section Of which he was native
could usually be recognized by his
accent; softening OF hard conso.
nants and mcllowing OF novels that
Is indigenous to the country south
OF the Mnson.Dixic line. The two
men in the boat heard no THICK
speech TO show his drunkenness.
In an instant his great breadth
pushed between them. The two men
tried 20 probe the dusk 10 see his
face.
"Are you sober?' the man from
the Jupiter asked bluntly.
/ Not entirely" was the answer.
sober as | ever am. III be MS sober
rs q saint by the time We get out to
that sinking Ship."
Then pile in. Push off, Larson"
In moment more all three were
aboard the Jupiter. the powerful,
rugged engines had begun to rumble.
and the launch was struggling out
TO sea.
Captain Jim. nj the wheel, steered
straight out until he was compare.
lively out of danger OF close. lying
reefs and shadows, then turned east.
lie was n nothern man. and the
love OF the sea was In the fiber OF his
being: but there was no Joy tonight
| In this battle under tho star.studded
welkin He found himself wishing
that he was like that unexpected
passenger. tho Remittance Man. too
near drunk really to understand. He
had deep feeling against going on
not fear. but rather a secret
knowledge that he could not trace
and yet he could not turn back. 1t
was not In him 10 turn the wheel
and steer back TO the harbor when
those yellow rockets sIgnalcd for
help. Tho laws Of tho sea arc few
and old. but they hold like iron
shacltles. II was not that he went
on against his will that he could
not II he had so desired, find OK.