The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-24
A MARRIAGE AT SEA.
". CLARK RUSSELL,
AUTHOR or 1.-THE WRECK OF THE GRosvE-
HoR." John HoLDswoRrH. MATE"
MARooNED." ETC, ETC.
CHAPTER Iv.-Continued. a,

IL
agine that the yacht is sinking. / know
by the buoyant feel of her movements
that she is safe.
And, thus hurriedly speaking, 1 left
her, satisfied that her shrieks had bean
produced by terror only; nor 5id wish
her TO rise, lest the yacht should again
suddenly heel TO her first extravagantly
dreadful angle, and throw her and break
limb or injure her more cruelty yet.
The companion-hatch was closed. The
idea OF being imprisoned raised such
feeling OF CONSERVATION In me that i
stood i'm the hatch as one paralyzed;
then terror set me pounding on the cover
with my fist till you would have thought
that In few moments i must have re-
duced it to splinters. After little,
during which l hammered with might
and main, roaring out the name of Cau-
del, the cover was cautiously lifted
few inches, letting in very yell of wind,
such schock and blast of IL that l was
forced back off the ladder, as though by
a blow I'm the face, and in a breath the
light went out.
Its all right. Mr.. Barclay" cried
the voice OF Caudel, hoarse and yet shrill
too with the life-and-death cries be had
been already delivering. " A gale of
winds busted down upon us. We've got
the yacht afore IL whilst we clear away
tho wreckage. There's no call TO be
alarmed, sir. On my word and honor as
a man, there's no call, sir. L beg you not
to come on deck yet yell only be in the
way. Trust to me, sir; it's all right, L
say" And the hatch was closed again.
/ now knocked on Grace's door, and
told her TO rise and dress herself and
join me in the cabin.
There's no danger" / shouted; ;
nothing but capful of wind"
sat alone for some ten minutes, dur
ing which the height and volume OF the
sea sensibly increased, though as the
yacht continued flying dead before the
wind her plunges were still too long and
gradual to be distressing Occasionally
a shout would sound on deck, but what
the men were about could not conceive.
The door of the forward berth was
opened, and Grace entered the cabin.
Her face was white as death; her large
eyes, which seemed OF coal blackness
in the lamplight and by contrast with
the hue OF her cheeks sparkled with
alarm. She swept them round the
cabin as though she expected to behold
one knows not what sort of horror. then
came TO my side and linked my arm
tightly in hers.
"Oh, Herbert, tell me the truth. What
has happened2"
Nothing serious, darling. Do you
not feel we are anoat and sailing brave
ly?"
But just now?-Did not the yacht
turn over? Something was broken on
deck, and the men began to shrek"
"And so did you, Grace" said /, trying
to smile"
But If we should be drowned?" she
cried, drawing herself closer TO me and
fastening her sweet, terrified eyes upon
my face.
shook my head, still preserving my
smile, though Heaven knows, had my
countenance taken its expression from
my mood IL must have shown as long as
the yacht herself.
What is that noise OF thunder.
Herbert?'
4" IL is the wind, answered.
Are not the waves getting up? oh
feel this T. she cried as the yacht rose
with velocity and something OF violence
10 the undermining hurl of chasing sea,
OF power that was but too suggestive
OF what we were to expect.
THE Spitfire is a stanch, noble little
craft, said L, built for North Sea
NtulutI. Nut 10 uOb w pt ihuubtu Wy
anything that can happen hereabouts."
but what has happened?" she cried,
irritable with alarm.
Twas about to utter the first reassur-
ing sentence that occurred to my mind,
when the hatch-cover was slid l.ttle
way back, and just caught sight of
pair OF legs ere the cabin lamp was ex-
tingushed by such another yell and blast
OF wind as had before nearly stretched
me. Grace shrieked and threw her arms
around my neck; the cover was closed,
and the interior instantly becalmed
again.
WHO'S that2" / roared.
Me. sir" sounded a voice out OF the
blackness where the oompanion-steps
STOOD Files, sir. The capt'n's asked
me TO step below TO report what's hap
pened He dursn't leave the deck him
self"
released myself from my dariing,s
clinging embrace and lighted the lamp
for the third time.
Now for your report, Files; and bear
a hand in IL, for mercy's sake"
We'll, sir, it's just this; IL had been
breezng up, and we double-reefed the
main-sail, Captain Caudel not liking the
look of the weather, when slap OF wind
carried pretty nlgn nau tne mast over
the side. We reckon-for we cant see
that it's gone some three or four feet
below the crostrees. The sail came down
with run, and there was regular mess
OF il, sir, the vessel being buried. We've
had TO keep her aforc until we could cut
the wreckage clear, and now were ago
ing TO heave her 20, and I'm 10 tell we,
with Capt'n Caudel's compliments, not
to take any notice of the capers she may
cut when she heads the sea"
How does the weather look, FilesW
Very black and noisy. sir
Tell Caudcl to let mo see him whom
ever he can leave the deck" unwilling to
dctain him. lest he should say something
20 add 60 the terror of Grace. whose eyes
were rivcted upon him as though he
were some frightful ghost or hideous
messenger Of death.
took down the lamp and screened IL
whist he opened the cover and crawled
out. No man could imagine that so heavy
a sea was already running until Caudci
hove the yacht TO. The instant the helm
was put down the dance began. As she
rounded 60, whole green sea struck her
full abeam, and fell with n roar like "a
xnlaupfs digpba roo uppu har decks star