THE VOYAGE
"As to the law, Captain Wilson," said Eddring, to the master of the
_Opelousas Queen_ the following morning, as he sat in the cabin;
"I'm a lawyer myself, and I want to tell you, the law is a strange
thing. It will, and it won't. It can, and it can't. It does, and it
doesn't. It's blind, crosseyed and clear-sighted all at the same
time. It offers a precedent for everything, right or wrong. Now, as
you say, it is unlawful for us to stop the delivery of these mails. I
know it--big penalty for non-delivery. But let's talk it over a
little."
The _Opelousas Queen_ was now plowing steadily up-stream, far
above Baton Rouge, meeting the crest of the greatest flood she had
ever known in all her days upon the turbid waterway. Her master now,
surly but none the less interested, out of sheer curiosity in this
strange visitor, sat looking at him without present speech.
"Are you a married man, Captain Wilson?" said Eddring. "Have a cigar
with me, won't you?"
"What difference is it to you?" said Wilson, waving aside the
courtesy.
"Yes; but _are_ you?"
"Wife died six years ago," said Wilson, gruffly. The muscles ridged
up along his jaw as he closed his lips tightly.
"Any children?" said Eddring.
"Daughter, eighteen years old; and a beauty, if I do say it."
"I reckon you love her some, don't you, Captain? Thought a heap of
your wife, too, maybe, didn't you?"
Wilson half-rose, one hand upon his chair back, as he pounded on the
table in front of him with the other. "Now look here, Mister Who-
ever-you-are, I've stood a lot of foolishness from you already," said
he, "but those are my matters, and not yours. Get on out of here."
Yet Eddring only looked at him smiling, and into his eyes there came
a flash of pleasure.
"I'm mighty glad to hear you say those very words, Captain," said he;
"because now I know you'd do anything in the world to help a good
girl out of trouble, or to keep her out of it. Now, about the law.
I'm sure, Captain, you believe in the higher law--the supreme law--
the chivalry of the southern man, don't you?" Wilson waved him away
again, but still gazed at him curiously. "Now listen, Captain,"
Eddring persisted.
"I am listening," blurted out Wilson. "Say, man, if I had your nerve,
and what I know about poker on this river, I'd own the country."
"But listen--"
"No. I just want to set here and admire you a few minutes before I
tell the deck-hands to throw you into the river."
"Captain," said Eddring, pulling up his chair, "after I'm done with
what I have on hand, you may throw me into the river, if you like. I
don't think it will make much difference. But now, don't you think
you're running this boat. The real commander of this boat, Captain
Wilson, is the supreme law of this land--that law under which the
gentlemen of the South are bound at any time and all times to give
courtesy and comfort to a woman when she needs them." Wilson looked
at him mutely, the muscles on his jaw straining up again. He jerked
his head toward the aft state-rooms with a gesture of query. Eddring
nodded.
"She's a beauty, too," said Wilson, sighing. "Reminds me of my own
wife, the way she used to look--the way my own girl looks now.
You're a lucky man."
"Captain Wilson, I don't figure in this thing personally at all. But
now I'll tell you the whole story, and let you decide for yourself."
He went on speaking slowly, evenly, gently, impersonally, telling
what had been the case of Miss Lady upon the very night preceding;
telling how great was the stress of events at the head of the Delta,
very far away, and impossible now of access. He made no offer of
pecuniary reward, but stated his case simply and asked his auditor to
put himself in his own position.
As he spoke, the chair of Captain Wilson began to edge toward his
own. In the eyes of the old steamboat man there came a glisten
strange to them. His hand unconsciously reached out. "Stop!" he
roared. "Give me your hand. The boat is yours! Of _course_ she is."
Eddring was silent, for there came a lump in his own throat, as he
felt Wilson's assuring hand clap him on the shoulder.
"You're what _I_ call a thoroughbred," said the latter. "Man, can you
play poker? You certainly can make a pair of deuces look like a full
house. Get up an' shake hands. You're right. The boat's yours. Uncle
Sam can wait--the whole damned North American continent can wait--"
Eddring rose and took him by the hand.
"Well, that's my case, Captain," said he. "We've both one errand, and
that's to protect the white people of the Delta; and to get hold of
the truth which will put this girl where she belongs. Public
necessity is the greatest of all laws; unless it be the unwritten and
general law which I know you've respected all your life."
"Well, man--" Wilson broke into an uproarious laugh, "you certainly
are the yellow flower of the forest. It's mighty seldom I've laid
down to a line of talk, but I ain't ashamed to do it now. Here's the
boat, and we'll run her express, as soon as we can get rid of the
mail and passengers up above. Any river-man knows what levee-cutting
means, and what it means if the niggers get out of hand. I'll take
you in--why, I know Cal Blount myself--and I couldn't look my own
daughter in the face again if I didn't do just what you say."