Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1925-11-06
Two Men and One
Woman
By JOHN MATTER
1925, western Newspaper unlon.)


4 ocean; the girl stirred in her sleep
and family moaned; and so began an
other day In the lifeboat.
"Ssy, you" muttered the red-faced
man, slide that woman overheard,
Gets on my nerves, her groanin'."
Gets on my nerves, you're yappin',"
replied the pasty-faced man, land
don't you go to orderln' me round.
You can do your own murder you
can"
The girl sat upright. She gazed
first upon the two men, who dropped
their eyes at once and quickly looked
away, and then her glance went
around the horizon.
81 beg your pardon" she smiled.
silence followed for several min
utes.
would 1t be q Kindness" she In
qulred, "to-ah---to murder meT
Another silence lasted for minutes.
1t was finally broken by the pasty-
faced who squIrmed and asked: Feel
in better, ma'am2 You've been off
your nut, now an then"
The woman studied him before she
answered. my head aches. can't
remember everything" Her eyes went
to the face Of the other man. "Who
are you two" she asked.
"Blll Thatcher-stoker," said the
redface, sourly.
Henry II. Wiggin-steward, an at
your service" added the pasty-face
and grlnned for no apparent reason.
"Who put me in this boatf"
1--WE found you here after we low.
cred her away"
"Oh! | remember now. was
trampled under the first rush on deck,
and one of the ships officers picked
me up and placed me in a boat. Were
many people" she hesltated
"Reckon nobody was. Ship struck
maxim half speed count the fog"
Thatcher drummed moodlly on a
thwart and scowled. should have
stayed by the ship. Better off. That
cabbagehead yonder with his chatterln
teeth stampeded me. Mel Bill
Thatcher-stokerW
She studied their countenances
again and then remarked: "Pm
thirsty"
Thatcher raised the water bottle,
Here's swig apiece" said he. "YOu
can have yours now If you want It."
an take my share now" the girl de
clded. "YOu scum OF earth and ships"
she flashed. II heard your talk when you
thought was-ah-off my nut You've
another water bottle hidden beneath
the coat under that seat and another
tin Of biscuits"
"We has, chr sneered Virgins.
well, what Of iii?
Nothing But l haven't been off
my nut, as you call 1t, all the time; in
fact, Henry, I've heard some talk Of
murder"
you'll hear more, likely" growled
Thatcher.
Likely, you wlll," added Virgins.
The girl whltened but did not finch.
You rat FACET" she laughed Henry,
you alnuse me-"
Virgins arose, shrllllng, to his feet,
"You--you-qult calm me HenryW
at would be a pleasure" She turned
to the other man. do you mind II I
call you BlllY
"What the devil do | carer
"Thcn perhaps you won't care II
ask you why you stole biscuits from
the extra tin last night while Virgins
was nsleep?"
Thatcher arose to his feet with n
below Its liei" he cried
"Whut do you thinkf the girl asked
Of Virgins
A transformation had taken place
with the steward. He was kneeling
crouched as though to spring. Al
ready one hand held a knife Just a
moment Henry" pursued the girl, ~
have a question to ask Of you, If you
don't mind"
ASK It," commanded Thatcher.
"Why did you drink from the extra
water bottle last night when Bill was
asleep|
"A Hep screamed Virgins "A lie~
rs itT' r0ared Thatcher. rs III
I'm not so sure OF that, you Shiny
dried herrin'w
And now change came over the
stoker. He was crawling aft toward
Virgins, and In one hand was a knife.
The girl scrambled to the bow to
give the combatants room. She took
with her, from under the seat, the tin
Of biscuits, and proceeded TO scatter
them upon the water Then CHE flung
the empty tin toward the two men In
the stern and sat back 10 await de-
velOpmcnts.
II rolled between them as they
tented for an opening for attack
Their knives, ludcrOusly cropped
from their unclenched hands as the
two men leaned forward open-mouthed
to stare into the empty biscuit tin
Virgins spoke first she's done us
in, the wench 70 he screeched. "There
goes our biscuits 1oatin' off astern
An now I does her lnp
Thatcher pulled him back He
grapplea Virgins around the waist
and flung him overheard, and plunged
IN after him.
The steward came 10 the surface,
gasping and nuttering, 81 cont swim
I can't swim" he walled.
"Slnk then an' be id" beloved
Thatcher striking out after the BIS.
cults.
The girl laughed unstcadily and
quickly unshlpped the oars to point
the boat toward the men astern. She
glanced over her Shoulder to observe
how much closer tie distant liner had
drawn during the talf hour since she
had glanccd around the horizon