West Wind Drift

sullen, determined men and women from the steerage. Night had not yet fallen; the shadow of the hills,

rself among the rocks, a panic ensued among the ignorant people of the steerage. They scrambled to their feet and made a rush for the boat

re haranguing them in good maritime English he could see plainly enough that they were not to be so easily subdued. The first panic was over, but they were crazed by the fear that had gripped

ortuous days out on the deep where he was the shepherd and they the flock. But now,-now they could well af

ned the Captain, steadying himself against the ra

m, and a firm, decisive

be officious, sir, and I'm not even hinting that you can't bring 'em to their senses. I know how to handle 'em and you don't, that's all. They're not sailors, you see. And

cival,-if you

bare,-swollen, red and ugly; his eyes were as cold as steel, his voice as shar

He called over his shoulder in English to the young commander of the gun's crew. "Get some of your men up there and train that gun so as to blow these boats to smithereens. Quick!" In a half-whisper to the Captain: "It's all right. I know what I'm talking about." Then to the crowd: "We don't want you on board this ship a minute longer than we can help. We've got no room for dogs here among decent white men and women. Do you understand that? We don't want to have anything more to do with you, either here or on shore. I'm going to wipe you out, every damned one of you,-men women and children. You're not fit to live. You're going

e so darned eager to go a little while ago, what's the matter with you now? No one's trying to stop you. Here are the boats. Put up your guns and knives, and pile in. You're absolutely free to go, you swine. We'll be damned good and

in a huddled mass along the deck. Then a woman cried out for mercy. The c

on't do you a bit of good to whine and pray and s

ged forward, some of

ing to save our lives?" called out one

t to talk to

as anybody else," shouted another. "We paid

ou ten minutes to cl

what will you do if we refuse to le

impering women. "We cannot hear

do, if you don't obey me inside

protested another, looking over the rail timid

d Percival. In an undertone he tol

f they once put off in the boats. Start in now, Captain, and argue with me. Plead for them. They know who I am. They know I come from the hills and they think I'm a bloodthirsty devil. They're like a lot of ca

t one. Finally Percival threw up his ha

n. Perhaps you are right. I s

ish. These edged forward eagerly, hopefully. They

, Mr. Percival," said the Captai

rd went among the others that they were to be spared. There were cr

once more. Silence

re safe here. We are stuck fast on the bottom, and nothing can happen to us at present. Tomorrow we will see what is best to be done. Every man and woman here is to return t

ew toward the bow of the ship, breaking up into

d his hand on the y

u saved a very ticklish situation. I take off my hat to you, and I say, with a full heart, that I shall never

ns from upper cabins. Overwhelmed and dismayed by the rush of the yelling mob, the elect had f

venture beyond the protecting corner of the deck building. They stood side by side, bracing themselves against the downward slope of the deck. Half-way forward were Trigger and the armed gunners, and beyond them the dense, irr

see there is likely to be shooting? Don't stand there like a cou

bandages," cried Ruth,

stood every word he uttered to the Portuguese. Her eyes glistened with pride when he stepped forward to tackle the mob single-hand

dreadful creatures may tear him to pieces. He i

o you call it?-bluff? What a magnificent bluff he is doing! It is beautiful. See,-they whisper among t

fearless. Look at the odds against hi

ot he! He would turn and run as fast as he could. He is no fool, my dear. He is

me to accuse him of cowardice, Ma

used him of

you call it. You say

rage. It is confidence. That is his strength. He would be a fool to stand in front of them empty-handed if they were to charg

staken, Madame Obosky, I have known Mr. Per

saying to them now." A little later she turned to the American girl and laid her hand on her arm. "For

eplied the other, sur

least twice the age of her companion. "See! They are disper

ted the American girl, resisting the hand on her arm.

him catch us here," urg

hy not

rely you heard him tell us to go back to the other

to be hurried incontinently arou

ey were dogs. When he had finished, he turned his back upon them and walked away. They might have filled him with bullets,-but they did not fire a shot. At the corner he entered his carriage and disappeared. And then what did he do? He fainted, that Grand Duke, he did. Fainted like a stupid, silly young girl. But while

istening to the fervent prayers; while they ate, drank and were merry, their thoughts were not of the day but of the morrow. What of the morrow? In the eyes of every one who laughed and sang dwelt the unchanging shadow of anxiety; on every face was stamped an expression that spoke more plainly than words the doubts and misgivings that constituted the background of their jubilation. They had escaped the s

. They were far from the travelled lanes, they were out of the worth-while world. Hope rested solely on the possibility that the hills

ine, having recovered his astuteness and his courage simultaneously, was already working at the preliminary details of the most "stupendous" picture ever conceived by man. His deepest lament now was that he had neglected to bring a good camera man down from New York, so that on the day of the explosion he could have "got" the people actually jumping overboard, and drowning in plain sight-(although he did not see them because of the trouble he was having to

e corner. Why, it's perfectly plain to anybody with a grain of intelligence that he's the leader of that gang of anarchists. All he had to do was to speak to them,-in

but a very irritating Christian gen

sary to utter the 'hi-ho-hum!' quite so vociferously as I do,-in fact, it might even be better to omit it altogether,-if possible,-when some one else is speaking. There are, I grant you, other ways of expressing one's complete mastery of the art of yawning, such as a prolonged but audible sigh, or a sort of muffled ho

vely venomous emphasis on the name of the Dei

take. I thought you were trying to change

said the banker, as Fitts stro

d Mr. Nicklestick persuasively. "Of course,

nk you. I'll take a match, howe

stily thrust upon

e matches are lately, Mr. La

n't fool me. I've handled too many men in my time. I sized him up right from the start. But the devil of it is, he's got all the officers on this boat hypnotized. And most of the women too. I made it a point to speak to Mrs. Spofford and her niece abo

tainly," said M

been very gratefu

re. Nerves all shot to pieces, you understand. Everything distorted,-er-shot to pieces, as I say. I dare sa

," said Mr.

ything when she's upset,"

icklestick, giving his moustache a slight twist. "I shou

armly. "One of the oldest families in New

Nicklestick. "I don't know when I've met

ad met her," observe

re in the same lifeboat, Mr. Landover, you