Wild Norene by Johnston McCulley

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Wild Norene by Johnston McCulley Page 6

by Monte Herridge


  “She came to find her husband, the

  mate is the man who thrashed Riney—Jack

  man who deserted her,” the captain said.

  Connor.”

  “Riney was the man.”

  “Oh!” There was surprise in her

  “Then I’m doubly glad I smashed

  voice at this last statement of the captain’s.

  him! But you missed him—you are here,

  Then realization of her position and he has remained behind.”

  came to her.

  “She played stowaway to get at

  “So he has escaped me, too!” she

  him,” the captain said. “Two of the men

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

  22

  found her among the lumber piles forward.

  promptly to thrash Riney, and without

  There’s nerve for you. We’ll take care of

  asking questions as to why he should be

  her, Connor, and if Riney follows on that

  thrashed. She had thought he was fighting

  fool gunboat we’ll see that she meets him

  for her—and he had been fighting for this

  face to face and makes him uncomfortable.

  woman!

  Take her below and see that she has

  Wild Norene said nothing more to

  something hot to eat.”

  her uncle, but turned and went forward to

  “Thank you, sir,” Connor replied.

  stand near the rail and look ahead at the

  Sally Wood staggered as she started

  tossing sea.

  forward, and Connor threw an arm about

  Captain Bill Adams chuckled. Let

  her and helped her across the deck.

  Jack Connor win Norene now, if he could!

  Wild Norene came from below just

  in time to see them. She stood to one side

  as they passed. Connor gave her no

  CHAPTER V.

  attention; he was bending over Sally Wood

  The Mate’s Order.

  and talking to her in a low tone.

  Wild Norene’s face flushed and she

  hurried across to her uncle.

  THE North Pacific kicks up its heels at

  “Who is that woman?” she asked.

  times like a wilful youngster overriding

  “What is she doing here?”

  parental authority. For the remainder of

  The

  captain

  laughed.

  that day and that night and the day

  “She’s a stowaway, niece. The men

  following there was work for Jack Connor

  found her behind a lumber pile. She crept

  to do.

  aboard at Astoria just before we sailed.”

  Captain Bill Adams, on deck with

  “But—”

  his mate, watching the crew as they carried

  “She was afraid I’d not take her as a

  out Connor’s orders, listening to the mate’s

  passenger, and she was determined to sail

  hoarse voice as he bellowed his commands,

  on the Amingo. That’s why she stowed

  found himself regretting that he had

  away. Interested in the mate.”

  planned to punish the man; he began

  “Interested in the mate,” Norene wishing he could have Connor for his mate repeated, looking in the direction Connor

  permanently.

  and Sally Wood had taken. “What sort of a

  There is danger in a blow when the

  woman—”

  seas run high for a vessel that carries a

  “She’s a musician. She played the

  cargo of lumber lashed to her decks.

  piano in the place where Riney and Connor

  Time and time again giant seas

  had the fight last night.

  boarded the Amingo and threatened to tear

  “Oh!” There was deep scorn in away lashings and make every stick of the Norene’s voice.

  cargo a peril to the crew and a matter of

  “Both interested in this girl, I loss to underwriters.

  imagine. Perhaps that’s why they fought;

  An afternoon, a night, and a day

  the fight seemed to start over nothing at

  without sleep, Connor held himself to his

  all.”

  work, refusing politely to turn in when the

  “Oh!” she gasped again.

  skipper told him he could do so.

  It flashed over her mind that here

  Connor relished the work because,

  was the reason Jack Connor had agreed so

  for the time being, it took his mind away

  Wild Norene

  23

  from other matters.

  “You have graver things to fear. You

  Senor Guerrero, brave enough, haven’t won Wild Norene’s love yet, I take perhaps, on the field of battle when it?”

  engaged in leading ragged revolutionists

  “I haven’t spoken to your niece

  against their organized government, was an

  since you blackened me to her.”

  abject coward now. Seasickness had made

  “You lost time because of the

  of the hero a craven.

  storm, lad, but that’s the fortune of war.

  He remained below, moaning, The days are slipping. We’re getting down longing for the death that did not come.

  the coast a bit. The voyage will not last for

  Sally Wood, too, remained in the

  always.”

  small cabin Captain Adams had assigned

  “It is my affair,” Connor said. “You

  her, for Sally was not used to the sea. The

  gave me until we made port. Let it rest at

  Chinese cook offered her food and drink,

  that.”

  which she refused, and played steward in

  Captain Bill was watching the

  an attempt to relieve her suffering.

  gunboat through his glass.

  In those two days Connor knew

  “She’s kicking up a real lot of

  why Wild Norene was so named.

  water,” he said, “but that’s all she dare do. I

  She was on deck when the blow

  scarcely think she’ll put a shot across our

  began, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks bows when Old Glory is flying from our flushed. She clung to the rail and watched

  stern.”

  the tumbling sea, glorying in the rushing

  “She can make as good time as the

  wind, the dashing spray, running away now

  Amingo, sir. You’ll not dare go in Mexican

  and then to escape a wetting. She stood on

  waters.”

  the deck and watched the man put extra

  The skipper laughed loudly.

  lashings on the lumber, laughed and

  “You don’t think I’m going to stay

  shrieked like a wild sister of the wind that

  on the high seas forever, do you? I’ve a bit

  was raging.

  of cargo to deliver, and it’ll be delivered. A

  Jack Connor, watching her from measly little gunboat with a Mexican in afar, felt his admiration grow. She had not

  command can be dodged by the Amingo

  spoken to him since the scene that first

  with a Yankee sailing her, and don’t you

  morning: she had not spoken to Sally forget it. I’ll turn in now, I guess.”

  Wood at all.

  The

  Amingo was making good time

  The second night came and the and was on the right course; there was little storm fell. Jack Connor turned in, stiff and

  for Connor to do. Morgan was with others
<
br />   sore, to sleep the clock around.

  of the crew in the forecastle getting sorely

  He emerged from the cabin in the

  needed sleep after the battle with the gale.

  middle of the next morning, to find the sea

  Senor Guerrero came on deck for a

  dancing in the sunshine. The coast could be

  time, pale and weak, spoke a few words,

  seen in the distance.

  and retired again. Connor imagined he did

  Behind, smoke pouring from her it to see for himself whether the Amingo stacks, followed the Mexican gunboat like

  still was afloat.

  a hound on the trail.

  And then Norene appeared.

  Captain Adams laughed as he saw

  She walked forward, playing with

  Connor regarding the pursuing vessel.

  the ship’s dog mascot. Presently she turned

  “Needn’t fear her, lad,” he said. and made for the bridge.

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

  24

  Connor watched her from the lip.

  corners of his eyes. She did not go aft; she

  But Connor was not smiling at her

  stopped, started up.

  nor sneering at her, was not sarcastic, not

  Connor swung his glass up and angry, not attempting a pleasantry. He was looked hard to starboard at nothing. When

  only the courteous, firm officer in

  he lowered the glass she was within six feet

  temporary charge of a vessel on the high

  of him and with a glass of her own was

  seas.

  looking back at the Mexican gunboat. She

  “Pardon me for mentioning it.” he

  did not appear to recognize his presence.

  continued. “Perhaps you did not understand

  Connor smiled as he turned his about it.”

  back upon her and again regarded a spot he

  “Not

  understand—”

  imagined to be on the horizon. When he

  She bit her lip and flushed again.

  looked back she had dropped the glass to

  Not understand? Wild Norene Adams, who

  her side and was watching the antics of the

  had spent ten years aboard a vessel with

  dog playing with one of the men over the

  Captain Bill, not to understand the simple

  piles of lumber.

  rules of the sea?

  Connor wondered whether she had

  Hot anger flamed within her; her

  come there to explain by her actions that

  eyes flashed danger signals.

  she did not consider he existed on earth. If

  “It is permissible, with the captain’s

  she would not recognize his presence, he

  permission, to visit the bridge with himself

  would recognize hers, he told himself.

  or another officer, but it is not permitted

  He was puzzled how to begin.

  you to be alone on the bridge with the

  A plea for justice would not avail

  officer in charge.”

  with such a girl as Norene; he had made

  “Are you trying to be impertinent?”

  that before and it had failed. To start an

  “Also, it is forbidden to speak to the

  ordinary conversation would mean to be

  bridge officer, madam.”

  snubbed. He must find some way to startle

  He turned away from her and again

  her, some way to make her answer, to get

  contemplated the horizon, trying hard to

  her to talk.

  keep from smiling.

  An idea came to him, an idea so

  “It happens,” she said in scorn,

  bold that for a moment it held him aghast,

  “that I have the run of the ship. I own one-

  then forced him to smile in spite of himself.

  fifth interest in her, if you desire to know it.

  He would startle Wild Norene as she never

  I think I may stand on the bridge a

  had been startled before, he decided.

  moment.”

  He took a step nearer her.

  He turned toward her again, his face

  “I beg your pardon,” he said.

  grave.

  She turned her back on him and

  “It would be the same, madam, if

  made no reply. Raising the glass again, she

  you owned all of her,” he said. “An officer

  contemplated the distant shore.

  in charge of a vessel has responsibilities

  “Pardon me, but passengers are not

  and certain rights. He can order an owner

  allowed on the bridge!”

  in irons if that owner makes an attempt to

  “Passengers!”

  interfere with navigation of the ship.”

  She whirled toward him as she

  Her eyes flamed again.

  spoke, then, realizing she had been

  “You’d put me in irons, I suppose?”

  betrayed into speaking, flushed and bit her

  she asked.

  Wild Norene

  25

  He did smile now.

  “Aye, aye, sir!”

  “I scarcely think it will be The

  Amingo continued on her way

  necessary,” he said. “Now that I have through the wallowing sea. Connor did not explained, I am sure you’ll descend to the

  look at her again, could not trust himself to

  deck and observe my orders.”

  do so.

  “Your orders!” she exclaimed.

  She remained sitting on the rail,

  “You—You dare to speak to me like this?

  trying to keep from laughing. He would

  You— you—dare order me from the bridge

  speak to her again soon, she supposed, and

  of the Amingo as you would a meddlesome

  again she would ignore him and make no

  tourist on a Japanese liner? You—”

  answer.

  “Ordinary rules of seafaring, my

  Morgan, rubbing his sleepy eyes,

  dear madam, that I cannot see fit to came from the forecastle and made his way disobey,” he reminded her. “Pardon me for

  aft, another man at his heels. They mounted

  not accompanying you to the deck; I cannot

  to the bridge and stood before the mate.

  leave the bridge.”

  “You wanted us, Mr. Connor?”

  She gasped at him again, then sat

  “Yes. This young lady refuses to

  on the rail, crooking her feet around a post,

  leave the bridge after being ordered to do

  folded her hands in her lap, and regarded

  so. Conduct her to her cabin and lock her

  him, her head held high, the danger signals

  in. If she resists, put her in irons!”

  still in her eyes.”

  Norene’s eyes bulged in amazement

  She knew he was laughing at her—

  and she got down from the rail, staring at

  that he was attempting to make her talk to

  him, not believing what she had heard, not

  him. She had come up on the bridge to

  dreaming he would dare think of going so

  punish him by acting as if unaware of his

  far.

  presence, and now she could not retreat and

  “I—I beg pardon, sir?” asked

  leave to him the victory.

  Morgan, looking from one to the other.

  She would remain, and she would

  “You heard my orders? Do as I told

  ignore him.

  you!”
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  He regarded the pursuing gunboat

  “But—”

  again, looked long at the shore, then turned

  “As I told you!” Connor advanced

  toward her and pretended surprise.

  toward him threateningly.

  “I believe I suggested that you

  “Aye, aye, sir!”

  descend to the deck, madam,” he said.

  Morgan turned toward her, the

  She looked away from him; made

  other seaman stepping beside him.

  no answer.

  “Mate’s orders, you go below,

  “You refuse to obey my order?” he

  miss,” Morgan said.

  asked.

  “I’m very comfortable here, thank

  No answer. She was biting at the

  you.”

  corner of her lip to keep from laughing.

  Morgan was bewildered.

  What could he do now, she wondered.

  Conducting the captain’s niece below was

  He turned away from her again.

  something out of the ordinary. He wasn’t

  “Forward!” he cried. “Pass the sure what he should do. But the discipline word to Morgan; tell him to come to the

  of the sea is strong—and he had received

  bridge immediately with one of the other

  his orders.

  men!”

  But—

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

 

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