Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-03-26

and you know it. The occasion is good
If you are not a coward We will prof
, by it.
"How?"
!, "Let one Of US follow Pere Ian
dure."
"Which?''
Let's leave that to Fate. to the frs
sea shipped. If its starboard, it's you
If it is to larboard, it's me-" VIII tina
work.
''It will.''
The two men were silent. A minut,
elapsed-as long as century. Tht
tempest seemed to have abated a trife
The waves came less swiftly. AT last
one Of them swept the deck.
''Larboard!" cried Jean. sits me'
she stood nailed to his place, silent
Then he resumed: ''You are in luck
Besides the sea is growing calm. You
are likely TO see Marie again!" He
paused once more for an instant. YOu
have too much lucki" cried he at last
In choking voice. Suddenly he stood
erect and walked toward the hatchway.
"Where are yon going?" demanded
Pierre.
"Where please" replied Jean In a
tone of brutal rage. "You will give
me FIVE minutes grace, l hope"
He opened the hatchway and went
down. Pierre remained above in the
darkness, his visage scourged by the
foam.
When five minutes had elapsed Jean
returned TO the deck. He placed his
back to the mast and seemed to be
waiting for something.
Pierre said to him: "Jean, you are
mad. You are surely not going to
cast yourself into the sea;"
"Why nOt?" answered Jean. "Have
l not lost?"
81 release you. Remain on board,"
At that moment Pierre listened.
"What is going on below?" resumed
he. ''Is the smack on fire?"
''Y You had too much luck, my boy"
said Jean, with sullen sneer. Il have
fired the vessel"
Coward" cried Pierre.
81 am no coward" replied Jean.
"The proof of it is that am going to
Pnf NY uOola hhu SlcdiluS luc JUL
warks at a bound he vanished.
Pierre rushed to the hatchway and
went down three steps. He came up
chOked. Biting smoke filled his throat.
The wretched Jean had made good use
of his five minntes' grace. lie had
emptied the keg Of brandy upon heap
of tarred rope and already the entire
hold was in flames. How was Pierre
to quench the fire? Five men would
not have sufficed for that,
Then Pierre set down on the bench
at the stern and mechanically seized
the tiller, clinging instinctively to the
life he was about to quit. Almost at
once the wind had fallen. The sea was
yet disturbed. but its fury had yisibly
Pierre remained upon the bench as If
hearing the plank partitions
crack beneath hin as the fire gnawed
them, Suddenly jet of red flame es-
capped through the open hatchway. The
deck was burning.
From minute to minute the fire in
Shortly before the sea sweep
ing over the smack would have extin-
yulshed it, or at least, fought it. Now,
having doubtless escaped from the fu-
rious hurricane, the vessel no longer |
Ihipped water. 1t went along inert,
tossed from wave to wave. plunging
md coming up again, sending forth,
IS each succeeding biilow lifted it,
olinding plume of fire.
The remainder of the wind that was
blowing coming FROM behind, it was
% the fore Of the smack that the flames
made headway. For the half hour his
Igony had lasted Pierre had remained
staring around him at the
bloody light with which the blazing
mack empurpled the waves. Now,
feeling the approaching
ire, he threw himself upon his knees,
made the sign of the cross and fell fiat
IN the deck, his face against the burn
ig planks.
How long did he lie there in the tor
'or of his mute resignation? A few
minutes, perhaps. Suddenly shouts
'urst upon his ear. He raised his head:
here, very near him, boat manned by
our sailors was coming on as rapidly
S oars could bring it, Enthusiastically IL
animated by the wild glare of the fire. /
''Ho, thereI" cried a voice.
Pierre opened his lips to reply. But,
nst at that moment, he felt the smack
ink under him and a flood of salt wa
er roughly filled his mouth and ears.
Pere Landure's vessel plunged
ownward, bow first.
When he came to himself, lying upon
is back in the lifeboat, Pierre saw a
uge bearded face bending over him. As
e opened his eyes the face spoke.
at was lucky for you, my boy, that
our smack caught iirel Had it not
cen for that We should never have
zen you amid the thick darknessln
When Pierre, year later, married
iarie, he told her the story ofthat TEL
lble night.
HE was a bad fellow, that Jean,"
aid he; don't you think SO, my love?
till it is because he tried to kill me
hat l am alive to-day!"
''f you think proper, my own
'ieue," said Marie. Eve VII burn a
AK candle for his poor soull''