Frtmiary T, 1004. "
THE ILLUSTRATED BEE.
Idea that there could be an totelMrent te
tentlon In thae words, but then he re
tnembered that the explosive which the
captain had told him about wn stowed
amidships and that Its name was Hum
berlte.
He woodej-ed vaguely if doath was Im
pending; for the old man ,and If, at so many
people doclare la often the case with dying
people, he was thinking of the fact that he
was carrying" It without the knowledge of
the underwriters In violation of his Insur
ance agreement, with possible remorse.
Tarton smiled gravely as he considered
this possibility. Ho wondered If there was
no greater sin than this, and wished that
bis own record were as clean.
He listened Idly to the other babbled
words that followed, not dreaming that
there had come in the condition of the ra
tlent a change which would permit him
to express Intelligent Ideas, no mater how
crudely.
But there was an expression of such an
xiety and a look so much like the old in
telligence of the face there on the coun
tenance of the prostrate man that when he
caught one of the words which followed
Parton started and paled with a sudden
thought Of peril.
The word was "Fire" and It was pro
nounced and repronounced with that
strange monotony of repetition which had
been ono of the characteristics of the cap
tain's mental disease from the first.
If Parton had studied medicine in any
of the modern schools he would have
known that the old man was at this mo
ment showing unmistakable symptoms of
a new and not unfavorable stage of the
disease which had stricken him down. He
would have known that his trouble from
the start had been caused by a lesion, or
bursting of a capillary near the center of
speech and this change from the repeti
tion of the purely meaningless words cf
his queer oath to other words which might
possibly have some meaning might indi
cate that the resulting blood clot was be
ing absorbed by nature and that the power
of expressing ideas intelligently was re
turning to the old man.
He would also have known another
thing which surely would have increased
his pity and sympathy for the sturdy old
mariner a hundred times that very likely
during the entire tlmo he had been lying
there, prostrate and apparently witless,
he might very well have been able to think
and reason as clearly as he ever could,
and been denied only the power of ex
pressing what he thought.
He would have known that those who
have recovered from such attacks and
Buch recoveries are so rare that every one
which has been known has been as care
fully studied by the medical men who have
been fortunate enough to observe it as
ever eclipse was by the astronomers have
often said that during the entire time when
they had lain apparuntly without the
power of consecutive or intelligent thought
their intelligences have, as a matter of
fact, been abnormally acute and their
knowledge of their own Inability to ex
press the thoughts that came to them hus
merely added mental torture to the awful
physical pain which has beset them.
Then Parton noticed a change of ex
pression in the captain's face. It showtd
that ho had some control over tho muscles
for it was caused by a drawing up of the
nose and a succession of definite and un
mistakable sniffs. There was also in the
eyes a look of such pitiful entreaty that
Parton was Impressed by the fact that
there wt-s In the captain's mind an idea
which he was struggling desperately to
communicate.
No words came from the Hps now; but
there were many repetitions of that un
mistakable sniffing action of the nostrils.
Then over and over again a hundred tithes
for each word came the ceaseless repeti
tions of "Humber," "amidships" and
"fire."
These words were again followed by the
trange, sniffing contortions of the face.
An awtul thought flashed Into Parton's
brain. Could it be possible that the old
man really had an Idea and that he was
attempting to convey it? Did the words
and the sniffing mean that he Rmelled fire
In the ship and that he feared that it was
amidships, where it might reach the Hum
berite and blow up the ship? Was the old
man try'ng to warn him?
He bent over the captain and asked:
"What do you mean,' captain? Do you
mean that the ship Is on fire and that if it
reaches the Humberite amidships It might
blow her up? Ia that what you mean?"
He gazed eagerly Into the face of the
sick man and alternately watched the eyes,
which, it seemed to him, showed unques
tionable evidence of Intelligence. But there
came no reply. Indoed, Instead of any
words of whatever kind, now the noises
from the captain's lips became suddenly
wholly formless and quite devoid of any
possibility of meaning. Had It not been
for that look of baffled intelligence and
meaning In the eyes Parton would have
turned away with a sigh of pity and paid
Bo more attention to the vocal vagaries of
the sick man.
But there was unquestionable Intelligence
In the eyes, and there was on the face ns
a whole an expression ef strain and anxiety
which had not been there before since he
bad been stricken.
And all the time Uie nostrils dilated and
contracted, dilated and contracted as do
those of a man who detects some unpleas
ant odor in the air.
Patron, noticing this, almost Involuntarily
mimicked the facial movement. He himself
sniffed the air of the cabin, and he saw, or
thought he saw, a slight expression of re
lief pass over the captain's face as he did
so. The old man's eyes were fixed on him
with an Intensity of rase which seemed to
be almost painful. But Parton could smell
nothing except the usual odors of the ship's
cabin.
For a moment he turned hla face away
from the captain and gaaed helplessly about
the cabin. The thought of Are on that
explosive-laden ship was a terrible one.
When he looked back at tho captain the
old man seemed to search his face for some
sign that he had accomplished something
by his survey of the cabin.
"I can smell nothing," said Patron, al
most ridiculing himself for the idea that
the old man. who was Incapable of speech,
could understand what others said.
Again the captain sniffed, sniffed, sniffed,
and as he did so winked. The power of
that movement had never been taken from
him. From the first he had had apparently
some control over the movements of his
eyelids and eyeballs. An idea occurred to
Parton. Perhaps there was a possibility
of communicating with the old man through
this very ability of his about the only con
trollable power of movement which bad
not been taken from him. Parton acted on
the idea without hesitation.
"Captain," he said slowly and very dis
tinctly, "I can't understand you; but per
haps. I can suggest a plan by which we
may be able to communicate with each
other. See If you can understand me."
He looked In the face of the sick man,
and he believed, although, he was not
sure, that there was a flash of intelligence
In the anxious eyes there.
"Now, try to understand me, captain,"
said Tarton very slowly and distinctly. "I
shall speak very slowly and If I am right
In what I say you are to tell me so by
closing your eyes once. If I am wrong
you are to let me know that by closing
your eyes twice. Once for yes and twice
for no. Do you understand?"
And the captain winked once.
In hnlf a dozen ways Parton, who was
by no means sure of tho usefulness of
his plan, tried to prove to himself that
the captain did not understand him, but
that his winking was mere haphazard,
muscular movement. But every test that
he could think cf proved otherwlne, and
finally he was convinced.
Then he realized for the first time the
terrible ngonles which the old man must
havo suffered as he lay there. It flashed
upon him that during all that time he may
have been wholly conscious, but unable to
express himself. He wondered If tho.)
two cries had been Intelligent efforts anil
not mere meaningless shrieks of physical
agony.
He wondered if. In the first place, tho
captain had tried to call him, and In the
second Instance had tried to call others
to his assistance. He wasted no moro
time, however, in wondering ubout what
was past. He started to work on his new
experiment.
"Now, captain," he said, very slowly and
.with very careful enunciation, "do you
understand me? You are to wink once if
I am right In what I guess at your mean
ing. You are to wink twice if I am
wrong. Do you understand?"
The captain winked once.
"I am not wrong in thinking that you
undorstaid?"
Tl)e captain winked twice,
"A few moments ago you said three
words, 'fire,' 'Humber' and 'amidships.'
Dhl you mean by these words and by the
action of your nostrils that you smelled
fire on board and that It might reach the
Humberite which Is stored amidships?"
The captain winked once, and there was
an expression of relief on his face which
could not be mistaken.
"I cannot smell any fire," said Parton,
now leaning forward with an Intensity
which the old man evidently recognized
and was pleased by. "Are you certain
that you do?"
The captain winked once.
"Shall I call the mater
Tho captain winked twice.
"You don't want me to call the mate; is
that right?"
The captain winked once.
"Shall I call someone else?"
The captain winked once.
"Whom shall I call? I will name the
men over and when I come to the right
name let me know by winking once at
me. Do you understand?"
The captain winked once.
Then Parton named the crew over as
well as he could. Long as he had been on
tho ship he was not familiar with ull of
their names, but most of them he knew.
The man who had come to him and told
him that the men would stand by him If
the mate tried to put him in irons or other,
wive harm him after the fight, was named
Wilson. Parton rctnemttered that.
He had spoken several of the men's
names before he came to Wilson's, and the
captain had made no sign, but vtn he
came to Wilson's the old man's eyes t-lcstd
tightly once. Again and again Parton
tried the experiment, until at last he was
thoroughly satisfied that the old man
wished to have him call Wilson.
He lost no time In hurrying to the deck
asd a backward glance at the captain
seemed to show an expression of satisfac
tion on hla face.
A sailor was busy roiling rope not far
from the entrance to the eompanionway.
Most of the watch which were at the
time on duty were busy near him. Tho
mate was standing by them, watching
them surlily. lie glanced nt Parton In
some surprise and a gleam of hatred shot
across his face. Parton saw him, of course,
but he paid no attention to him whatever.
He spoke to tho sailor nearest to him.
"Co and tell Wilson," said Parton
quickly, "to com aft at once. Txiok sharp."
"Stay where you are," said the mate,
taking a step forward.
The man, who had Jumped to his feet
and was evidently about to start, hesi
tated for an Instant. Parton looked first
at the mato and then at the mun. Tho
position was a difficult one.
"Do ns I tell you," he said finally to
the sailor. "Do as I tell you and look
sharp about it. The captain of this ship
wishes to see Wilson In the cabin. Go
tell him to come aft. The captain is in
command again. Do as I tell you."
It was Instantly evident that the mate
did not intend to permit the man to go and
Parton saw chances of new difficulties. The
situation, however, admitted of no delay.
Tarton made a quick Btep toward the
mate, who Involuntarily retreated a few
feet.
Tho man rose and went forward after
Wilson. The mate ond Parton remained
almost absolutely quiet during his ub
Dcenro. In a moment he returned, fol
lowed by the wondering Wilson.
"Go down Into the cabin, Wilson." said
Parton, still keeping his eyes on the mato.
Wilson, wonderingly, did as he was told.
He had almost disappeared into iho com
panlonway when Tarton started after him.
The mate made a movement as If to follow.
"You are not to oome down," Raid Tar
ton, calmly. "That Is another order from
tho captain of the ship."
The mate still followed him as he took
another step or two toward tho eompanlan
wny. Tarton feared that his presenco
would nnnoy and confuse the captain, who
was already under a great strain. He
made up his mind quickly. Stopping short
where he was, he mode an appaal to the
four or five men who were watching the
Bcene curiously.
"Men," he said, calmly, but very slowly
and distinctly, "the captain does not wish
to have the mate come below at present.
I am sorry that this Is so, but It Is. Now,
If he mike any attempt to follow me Into
the cabin '.he captains wants you to pre
vent him from doing bo. Do you under
stand?" There could bo no mistake alwiut the fact
that Wilson had been right when he had
said that the men were ready to mutiny
against tho mate. Three of them Instantly
Ftepped before the companlonway door.
When Parton approached they separated
and let him pass. The mate stopped, swore
at them viciously and walked away. Tho
tables were turned.
Once inside the cabin, Tarton explained
to M llson as quickly as he could the sit
uation. Tho man heard tho extraordinary
story with open-moulhcd attention.
During this short prefatory statement the
captain (they were standing closo at the
' side of his berth) watched them Intently.
Once or twice Tarton asked questions of
him which he answered by winking ns be
fore. The Bailor was greatly impressed by
this. Tarton saw that he was trying him
self to see If he could detect the odor of
burning which Tarton believed that the
acute nostrils of the sick man had found
or which tho captain thought that they had
found. The sailor suddenly put his head
under the cabin table.- The deck there was
covered by a heavy, cheap rug. The sailor
pulled It away.
"I ran smell It myself, sir," he said ex
citedly. "The smell's coming up through
this hatch."
Parton had net even known that there
was a hatchway concealed by the rug. The
captain showed by his face that lie was
satisfied with the way things were going
on.
"If I could heave her off, sir," Wilson
went on, "I could soon tell what's the mat
ter; but I can't do It alone. I'd have to
have another man."
Instantly Parton went to the companion
way and ran to the deck. ITe said noth
ing, but berkoned to the first man he saw
to come below.
The sailor went below with Parton. The
latter made no expla nation to him. He
could smell the smoke himself by this tlmo,
he thought. He hurriedly explained to the
man what was in the air, and bade him
help Wilson In removing the hatch.
"By Ood?" said the sailor. "That's whnt
makes tho deck hot amidships. The cargo's
smoldcrln'. I said that deck was hotter'n
I'd ever known a deck to be before, an' tho
mute he told me to go to hell. Bald I'd
find things hotter yet down there."
The labor of pushing the table out of the
way and lifting the heavy hatch took not
more than ten minutes, but It seenind like
a long time to Tarton. They had not raised
one edge of It more than a fraction of an
Inch before their fears were confirmed. A
thin stream of smoke curled through the
opening. Simultaneously they dropped (beta
hold of it.
"Better leave It down, sir," said Wilson.
"It'll burn ten times as fast If the air gets
to It. I was on a ship on fire at sea once
before. Hotter keep everything as tight as
possible."
Tarton glanced at the captain. Tho old
man's face was drawn Into lines of anxiety,
lie met Parton's gane with a slow, single
wttik.
"What do you mean, captain?" asked
Tarton. "is the man right? Is It better
to leave the hatch down?"
Tho captain winked once.
"What shall we do?" usked Tarton.
"Shall I tell tho mate and have the hold
pumHd full?"
Tho captain's eyes said "No."
"You don't mean to abandon the ship,
do you?" asked Tarton In surprise.
The captain's ryes unmistakably said
"Yes," and Tarton knew the reason for It.
He was thinking of the danger that the fire
would reach the Humberite and blow them
up.
"Shall I tell tho mate to havo the boats
manned und abandon tho ship?" asked
Tarton.
There could be no doubt about the mean
lug of the captain's follow ( movement of
the eyelid. Tarton understood. Tho ex
plosive, which would burn harmlessly when
uuconllued was first sealed In cans and then
confined in the ship's hold and mcked
tightly round about with cargo, its ex
plosion would mean certain destruction.
Tarton turned to tho two men. It would
not do to let them know the danger which
they were reully In. He said nothing about
tho Humberite and Its dreadful possibilities.
ills work was cut for him and there was
plenty of It. He must notify tho mute of
tho dreadful situation, rush below and get
his diamonds If he could, tell these men
bore to get some clothes on the sick man
and do it himself If they were too badly
frightened to, and then see to it that the
vessel was abandoned ns quickly as pos
sible. Tho fact that tho men knew nothing
about the presence of the explosive In the)
cargo saved them from being panic-struck.
Also Tarton's entirely calm manner had Its
effect on them, and they acquiesced when
ho told them to do what they could to
clothe tho raplaln without causing him toe)
much pain, while he went to notify the
mate of tho fact of the fire.
Tarton hurried up the eompanionway,
and even as his feet touched the level of
tho deck he heard a shout which meant
that his notification would bo unnecessary.
There were thin curls of smoke coming
from the 'midships hatch and these had
been discovered by the men.
A great cry of "Fire!" was raised and
taken up by every man on dork. The mate,
at first Incredulous, then quickly convinced
as the small curling spirals of smoke were
pointed out to him, gave orders quickly.
Ho paid no attention to Tnrton, who was
hurrying forward toward the hatch by
which he must reach the portion of the
hold In which his diamonds were hidden.
But even as he hastened, while the mat
was giving rapid orders and the men wore
In A frenzy of haste In preparing the boat
for lowering, tho smoke amidships was
pierced by small tongues of flame.
These ran up the tarred tackle which'
hting about the base of the mainmast, and
springing upward with almost Inconceivable)
rapidity, caught the canvas. Tinder could
not have been more eager to offer Itself In
sacrifice to fire than were the canvas and
cordage of the I.ydla Skolfeld. In less
tlmo than it would have taken Parton to
have reached the forward hatch had he not
paused In fascinated terror at the sight of
the leaping flames on the mainmast th
way was closed to him. A roaring muss of
flame shut him off from the possibility of
reaching the hold In which bis treasures
were concealed.
(To be Continued.)
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DON'T READ THIS.
Franca. L. Lou k. th. only paybla wutuUr living,
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FRANCES l LOUCKS,
M WAHBBH ST. STONEBAH. HASH
