Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1890-02-21

employ OF a great English company,
and carried many passengers.
Among these, standing on the prom
enade deck, forward, and looking
out across the broad expanse OF
water before, was n beautiful girl in
the flush of her youth and beauty.
In the wheelhouse stood a young
man, second mate of the ship, look
ing ut Mable Vane. He was young,
with n bold manly face, curling
brown hair and beard and speaking
gray eyes-a man, in grace ofperson,
manly beauty and pure heart-a
man worthy of the name. He was
only sailor, and had risen from his
present rank from cabin boy, and
yet he dared to love the daughter of
the East Indian millionaire, Arthur
Vane.
He loved her and he had no hope
loved her as we worship a star which
is far beyond our reach.- Nothing
was further from his thoughts than
to insult her by telling her that he
loved her; but to be near her, to see
her often, perhaps to 10 some services
which would win q smile from her
that was reward enough for Will
Clay.
She never dreamed of his adora-
ton; and he had heard her say to
her friends that she liked him better
than any other officer on board the
Gray Eagle. She said it in the care
less way of girlhood, and yet he treas
ured it in his heart. Standing there,
watching the course of the ship, and
ready to give n word of warming to
the Uheelman il it were needed, he
never took his eyes from her long.
"Mr. Clay" said the man nj the
wheel, as he gave it a half turn and
rested there, "don't you smell
smoker"
'It comes from the galley"
Perhaps so, but what are they
burning rosin in the galley for?''
'Rosin,' cried viii, raising his head
quickly and snuffing the air He
caught the peculiar smell himselfand
leaped down from the wheel house.
keep steady" he whispered to the
man at the wheel. "There may he
danger, but If there is, for God sake,
keep it quiet"
The man nodded quietly and took
a firmer hold on the wheel. Will Clay
crossed the deck without apparent
haste and yet with terrible fear
Juggling Mt his heart. He caught
sight of the captain coming out OF
the gentlemen's cabin and hurried up
to him.
"There is something wrong, he
whispered. Don't you smell burn
ing rosin, captain?"
The old sea captain suppressed n
cry of horror. With fifty passengers
on board, in the midst of the Indian
ocean, far from land, fire was one
OF. the most horrible things which
could come upon n ship.
go forward and investigate, he
said, in a low tone. "If you find
that it is a fire, you will know what
to do. How are the boats?"
"All right, sir; you may trust to
them"
They had good cause for fear. The
entire iorehold was filed with ros in
in boxes and casks, and ifa fire
started there it might as well be in a
nest OF fat pine. Will ran down to
the lower deck, where he was met by
a crowd of excited firemen and coal
passers, who were rushing madly on
deck. Quick as thought he seized
the foremost and hurled him back.
Get back, you fools!' he cried.
"Where are you running tor"
"Fire!" whispered the man hoarse-
ly. "Fire in the foreholdl"
Suppose there is. Is it your duty
to rush on deck and alarm the pas
sengers, or get buckle rs and try to
put out the fire? Back there all OF
you, for will brain the man who
dares to finch n hair now. Stand
back, say!"
The men cowed before his supe-
rior will and saw that they might yet
do something to save the steamer.
Aguard was placed at the ha tch, SO
that no one could come down, and
the scuttle which led into the fore
hold was opened. No sooner was
this done than dense volume OF
black smoke rolled out, and the
scuttle was closed again, for
Will saw that nothing conld be done
in that way. The men ran forward
with axes, but had scarcely gone a
dozen steps when they felt the deck
tremble under their feet and saw
small jets of flame shooting up
through the planks. moment more
and there was n sort OF an explosion,
and the red flames leaped mp sudden
ly and caught the planks above.
There was no hope of concealing
the danger from the passengers now
for the steamer was full OF smoke,
and wild cries from the deck an.
nounced that the danger was known
They must face the most terrible
danger known to the sea, the dan.
ger of all others the most feared
the danger offirel Women shrieked
and tainted, strong men trembled
and could not move hand or foot
and Others ran wildly about the
decks, rendering no assistance. Ma
bel Vane, utterly bewildered by the
sudden horror, felt strong hand
clutch her arm, and saw viii Clay
blackened by smoke and singed by