The Wreck of the Titan

t blast on the whistle and turned a lever; the tugs gathered in their lines and drew off; down in the bowels of the ship three small engines were started, opening

nd out of the plunging, twisting, glistening steel, with oil-cans and waste, overseen by the watchful staff on duty, who listened with strained bearing for a false note in the confused jumble of sound — a clicking of steel out of tune, which would indicate a loosened key or nut. On deck, sailors set the triangular sails on the two masts, to add their propulsion to the momentum of the record-breaker,

steamship sailors put in so much of their time. Headed by a six-foot boatswain, a gang came aft

ck a little. Rowland, climb down out o’ that — you’ll be overboard. Take a ventilator — no, you’ll spill pa

h his bucket. As he reached the group of ladies to whom the boatswain had spoken, his gaze rested on one — a sunny-haired young woman with the blue of the sea in her eyes — who had arisen at his approach. He sta

her eyes can stop the blood in my veins — can bring back all the heart-hunger and helplessness, that leads a man to insanity

t acknowledging his half-salute, she had caught up a little child from the deck behind her, and turning into the saloon door, hurried to the library, where she

ohn Rowland is here — Lieutenant Rowland. I’ve just s

ver met him, you know, and you haven’t told

essed in old clothes — all dirty. And such a dissipated face,

n has it in him he’ll go to the dogs anyhow. How is his sense of injur

he said something about an immutable law of chance, and a governing balance of events — that I couldn’t understand, only where he said that for all the suffering we inflict on others, we receive an equal amount ourselves. Then he went away — in such a passion. I’ve imagined ever since

he husband, with a smile; “didn’t

ng care of Jesus; but he only ridiculed all I hold sacred, and said, that much as he valued my good opinion, he would not be a hypocrite to gain it, and that he would be honest with himself and others, and express his

to the door and the young woman peered out. “He is the last man down ther

navy, is it! Well, this is a tumble. Wasn’t he broken for conduct unbecoming an of

ion and was terribly disg

you needn’t meet him on this broad deck. If he hasn’t lost all sensibility, he’s