The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-04

the ship touched Savannah. When l
 had said good night for the last time
 and turned to go forward, @ skulking figure stole softly from behind the don-
 key engine and made for the forecastle.
 Bill was the first thought that flashed
 through my mind. He had doubtless
 been listening and I felt very uneasy
 about it. At last the furnaces had been
 fixed and I went below to examine
 them. As l stopped to get in the under
 bed I heard a noise proceeding from
 the coal bunl1ers. ] rose. In another | instant Bill came abruptly out of his l hiding place and walked up close to me.
 could see. by, his .heayipg hest and
 blood-shott eyes that he was not only | laboring under great excitement, but
 had also partaken too freely of liquor. l He said nothing, but stood glaring at me with tiger-like ferocity. And thus | we stood, l returning his angry look | calmly; he unable to utter the words at | his tongues end. I quietly put one hand behind me by way of precaution, | to swing on his brutal face at the l slightest sign of hostility on his part. | You d. cur" he hissed "so yer think | yer agOin' to marry that ere gal, do yer? Coin to marry my Mary, eh?. Didn't I warn ye, yer fool? Now yer can take yer deserts" and with cursel still on his lips he aimed vicious blow
 at my head. It was useless to remon-' strate with this giant, infuriated as he
 was with anger and drink. I jumped aside and let the blow go by He was
 between me and the ladder; otherwise.
 l should have scaled it in quick order,
 and gained the deck With terrificl
 right hand swing he jumped at me,
 again, but this time tucked and gave
 him aresounding upper cut that caught.
 him on the chin, staggering him, giant
 as he was. But on he came again, and
 making a feint with his right arm,
 passed swiftly with the left, breaking
 down my guard and knocking me to my
 knees. I was up in a second, before he
 could fall on me. and at him with all
 the science, caution and strength was
 master of. But he took his medicine
 like a man, and each blow of mine
 seemed but to, increase his anger and
 make his attacks more vigorous. | knew that if once he gripped me all was lost. If I could only gain that ladder;
 there lay my salvation; If stayed here it would be only matter of few
 
 brains beaten out by this mad man. determined therefore, to gain that ltad- der or die in the attempt Rushing with all the force could command, swiftly threw my right arm with such strength and swiftness as to break down his guard and hit him full in the facel Now was my chance! He stag geredi I rushed past, seized the lad 1 ,1,,Tt ening thud on my head caused me to lose my hold on the ladder and fall back-unconscious. How long T lay that way I dppot know, only that when | l came to I was flat on my back, lying | in pitch dark place with what seemed | to me to be aaaoepening several feet from where lay, I attempted to rise was bound. 3hand and footI Rolling | over on my side, lost my balance and | fell on my face. Then the true horror | of my sltuationburst upon me, for right under where TJaY was piled paper and | wood, while th6 Strong smell of Kerosene which came to my nostrils confirmed my terrible nnsition. I was in the fur nAoe of the CRhfleston! NYou cannot re- allze the importance of those words "In the furnace of the Charleston" bound hand and foot, with a gag in my mouth, a helpless man awaiting death that would not leave a vestige of It's victim behindk l don't, suppose I had been there more than half,an hour, but the time scented like centuries to me What thoughts 'fashed through my brain it were better not to tell. l was aroused fromsthe semi-lethargtc state into which 4haif fallen by the confused Of hoarse voices, which upon drawing nearer I could distinguish as coming from two stokers who had evidently descended for the purpose of igniting the heap of fuel beneath me. [ could hear them as they drew closer, talking of my supposed assertion, and there lay helpless, bound, gagged, un able to answer l gave one frantic tug at my bonds, but that cursed Bill had done his work well and not a rope would give. I was to die Thenra thought struck me! If could only bend my knees and pull myself along by the leels and in that manner reach heopen- ng. Vain hope! Bill had attended Do hat by winding my legs firmly with stout. coarse rope that would not budge in inch. try as would with all the des- , )eration of frenzied man. As 1 req 
 ized that I must lay there quietly and ,e baked to q crisp the cold perspira1 ion fairly bathed my limbs helpless | nan without even chance to battle for lis life waiting for the match to be ap- ,lied to the inflammables beneath him , waiting to be roasted alive. Then leard the shovels as they struck the ( oal; the door flew open and the black t uel fell around my legs and feet g Thank heaven, I had even few min c ties to live in. What was that? f natch My heart stood still; I closed I ny eyes and sent an inward prayer to ! A roar! They had fired the ther furnace. It grew intensely f warm. I couldn't breathe; I was sti- c ling, smothering Then the door flew r pen with clang and the long poker a vas inserted to level the coal prepara- c ory to firing it. It touched mel 4 What in the name of the devils in s erew grumbled the stolSer, and 1t eemed as though had never heard weeter music in all my life. Would a e discover that there was something e l the furnace that did not belong there, k r would he carelessly fire the mass be- ! tb rTtI,a otbar GtOlxnr al