The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1875-11-19

HARM" laughed and tried to Danish SO
absured an idea. And certainly it ap-
peared had every right to do so. Save
by 8 casual interchange of few words,
Kiel never troubled us, and we were max
ing capital journey, when, just as we
were within twenty degrees Of the line,
we we're struck by hurricane which the
captain declared w.s alncst cyclone in
violence.
The vessel could not weather it. The
masts crashed overheard, taking several of
could be cut adrift, a portion of the broken
spars, dashing against the ship, had caused
a leak below the water-line, and the cry
was, "We are sinking! Lower the boats
the pumps are useless ~
The captain was marvelously firm and
cool, aud by his example made us all the
same.
The boats were rapidly lowered and
filled, while, thank heaven, the storm
seemed to abate. The women went first,
of course, and all was proceeding well,
when, just as the last boat was being filed,
I remembered that in my hurry had left
my mothers miniature in my chest. There
was plenty of time to fetch it, and in a
second 1 was down in the cabin. Fling
ing the lid open, my hand was already upon
the likeness, when heard a foot upon the
stairs. / turned and by the dim light yet
swinging from the roof, perceived Jacob
Kiel.
Good heavens! The diabolical express
sion on his face, the fiendish malice in his
dark snake-hke eyes, revealed his intention
i'm moment. He had come to do me
some deadly harm. Leaping up, seized
my revolver, to be on my guard but an
attack was not his purpose. Before l
could prevent him, he had quickly closed
the cabin door, and locked it on the out
side.
Like a flash of lightning all the horrors
of my position Instantly flashed before me.
was prisoner in the sinking ship! Ut
tering loud shout of fury, sprang for
ward the cry was echoed by a laugh from
Jacob Kiel. 1 heard him say, "Who will
marry May Brodstone now ?'' and then his
feet went rapidly up The stairs.
| called loudly for help; the uproar Of
the storm drowned my voice. | paused
Just then the wind lulled, and heard the
order to push off the speaker was Jacob
kiel. l again shouted in my agony but
my voice aud the wind rose together-I
was unheard. / continued to shout like a
madman, though l knew all hope was
gone--that 1 was alone, like trapped rat,
in the sinking ship.
Furiously beat the door, all the while
painfully conscious that rescue was i'm
night, and as no doubt the storm would
separate the boats, my absence would not
be discovered uutil the vessel was foun-
dered.
Could I expect aught else, when in the
occasional lull Of the hurricane heard the
, rush OF the deadly waters in the hold
and felt tue ship lurch more heavily each
moment as she plunged into the trough of
the sea? Suddenly she gave terrific keel
over and a wave came rastling down the
companion ladder like thunder, rushed un-
der the door and inundated the cabin.
l shricked in agony, believing that all
was over-that 1 was to die thus, not even
with the chance of battling for life.
felt that could meet death calmly if I
were on deck, with the heavens above me
but my very hair stirred at the horrible
thought of being buried in the sea az 1t
were i'm a box. Was there really no way
Of escapes l looked around and gave a
<,f 1oo,,oA ri
careless now that the water mounted
higher and higher.
| "FooIl idiot r' 1 exclaimed ''why did
you not think of it before? You are your
own murderer -
My eyes had rested upon my revolver.
In a second had fired two of its barrels
into the lock of the door, shivering it To
atoms, and the next minute l was upon
| the deck-only just in time, for the vessel
| was settling fast. 1t would have settled
long before, but the storm had abated.
| With q wild hope looked for the
boats. Near or far; all was alike-dark
ness hid the waters. But, having sue
ceeded SO far, resolved not to despair
One by one I discharged the remaining
barrels of my revolver, and then plunged
into the sea, to swim as far as l could
from the ship before it sank, hoping that
/ should find some pieces of wreck. did
so, before 1 had proceeded far-a mast,
with cordage attached. This helped me
for after lashing myself to the mas. as vel
as could, the waves bore me away. Sud
denly, however, q fearful rush of water
seized me. was drawn rapidly back, and
then down as In . whirlpool--fiung, II
see,nsd, here, there and everywhere-afte,
which 1 remembered no more. When
came to. I was in enc of the boats with
May Brodstone leaning over me.
1t appeared that directly after morning
dawned, the boats we're called together,
and the captain went over the names,