Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-02-03
lying In my trunk. To hurry to my

and in the dim light which fell from
above recogn zed Albert Sire Her.
Tho diabolical expression OF his face
and the evil look in his treacherous
eyes. revealed his purpose but too
clearly-he had come to murder me.
seized my revolver and prepared to
defend myself. But it was not his in
tention To attack me openly. Before
| could prevent it he had closed the
stateroom door and locked il on the out
side
All the horrors OF my situation flashed
across me in momGet. ! was pris-
oner upon the sinking snip. With n
cry of rage j sprang to the door. Nv
only answer was iiendish laugh and
the words.
"Who Will marry May Brodstone
nowp"
Then he hurried up the stairs and all
was still. shouted for help-the
bowling Of the tempest drowned my
cries | waited. There was n momen-
tarv lull in the storm and | heard the
order given TO push of. In my terri
BILE anxiety / shouted again. but at the
same moment the storm arose with re-
doubled fury. and no one heard my
frant cries All hope had indeed VAN
ished. | was prisoner alone upon
the sinking ship-hOrr bic thought! In
wild despa | beat with all my might
against the door, although / knew too
well that salvation was no longer pos
sible for, us the boats must inevitably
be separated in the darkness of the
night, ! should not be IN ssed before
the ship was entirely wrecked. In
deed. how could cherish any hopeP
During the occasional pauses in the
storm | could hear the fatal water
surging in the hold, could feel that
with each movement the ship was set
Ting lower and lower. Suddenly it
gave n fearful lurch. scething wave
rushed down the gangway. forced its
way under the door and flooded the
stateroom. / cried aloud. for / believ-
ed all was over and must die without
making one effort to save my | fe.
felt that could have looked death
firmly in the face. had | been upon
deck, with G1fs free heaven above
me. but nv hair stood on end ut the
horr BILE thought that | was to drown
shut up thus in cage. Was there.
then, no way of escape? | looked
about me, and, utterng n sudden cry
of jOy. sprang to The door. unmndful
of The fact that the water was rising
higher and higher.
Fool! Idiol!' | cried why have
| not thought of this before? i am
my own murderer
Nv eve had fallen upon my revolver.
With trembling eagerness. | Il scharg-
ed two barrels into the lock. shivcred
it 10 atoms, and moment later was
standing upon the dcck--not second
too soon. for the sll p was sinking rap
idly.
Full Of wild hope, | strained my gaze
to discover the boats. but far and near
only thick blackness shroudcd the wat
ers. However. since heaven had help
eel me thus far. | would not despair.
! d scharged the remaining barrels of
my revolver aud threw myself into the
sea Shing TO be rs far AS poss bic
from the sinking ship.
hoped TO ilnd a piece of the wreck
age, and i'm tn | was not diSappo ntcd.
for | had not been swimming long
when | discovered mast to which
ropes were attached. so that | had only
to lash myself to it as firmly a posi-
ble and let the waves bear me whittier
soevcr they would.
Suddenly. however tremendous
eddy seized me, was thrown violently
back ward. VIII rled round and round rs
if i'm vortex--lhen / knew nothing
more!
When / recovered consc business
was in one of the boats. and May Brod-
Sfopp Vyaa han,lip,y oV.r ma
At daybreak all the boats which had
been separated in the darkness were
called together, and the ! st of the pas
sengers and crew was read hv the cap
tain. As soon rs it WAS discovered
that was missing, they rowcd back to
look for me, but no one was able 10 I'M
derstand why had not taken advan-
tage Of the boats.
BY this me the sea was quite calm
so that nothing interfered with their
search.
Presently they perceived dark
object. and approaching it. discovered
me clnging in desperation To tho
wreck. laughing and shout Nc like
mailman. / remained in this condit on
for some time after hal been drawn
into the boat Gradually, however.
became quieter, although / lay in
delrium for more than twenty four
hours.
AS soon rs my mind was again en-
tirely clear. | related my adventures
VIII ch filled all my hearers, and
especially May Brodstone. W tn horror
Now, understands exclaimed he
captain. THE rascal Our boats lost
each other in the darkness. Ia the
morning, they all came together again
except the one which contained Albert
Slreifer and some OF the worst charact-
ers among the crew. Either he steer
ell the boat in another direction. To
escape the punishment which might
await him, or he must have bribed the
81 lors tn desert us!'
Whether the captains supposiion
was correct / cannot say, for never.
from that day to this. have heard any
thing of Albert Slrcifer.
The very same day we were picked
mp by an English steamer and landed
in England, without further accident
or adventure. Nav and ! proceeded
NJ pnpa IA (,nvtnut.t ,Vharn ,yn ,,.,.,