The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-11-08

RANSOM SUCCEEUED IN SlNkING
SHAl
hours the strange voyage continued before
the next word was spoken; then Ackiand
painted out: I'm spent
Pull in your oar and get your wind,
said Ransom, arising and jerking his own
oar into the, socket at the stern With
mighty strokes. which indicated no in
roads OF fatigue. he forced the boat on
ward at nearly the former speed, while
Ackland leaned over his oar.
Got any tobacco asked Ransom.
Here" He drew forth a plug of
navy and handed it down to the man he
sailor with a sailors wants, and like
Ransom. imbued with the ethics of the
orecaste-where tobacco is common prop
erty. He bit off piece and gave it back.
How can we get her OUT he asked.
''We?" said Ransom slowly and scorn-
fully. I'VE will pull the boat to the
wreck. and you will watch the boat while
l get her out. know you too Well TO
expect you to help; also l know that in
yo:.r black heart you've enough feeling
far her TO induce you to stand by with
this beat. Otherwise 1 wouldn't trust
YOU /"
And I suppose. if you do get her out,
you think you'll marry her on account of
it" answered Ackland. maliciously
Ransoms face became. in the starlight,
frightful to see. Got your wind? he
asked in low voice Get TO work, II
you have
He stepped forward to his seat again
and they pulled in silence for a half
hour longer then on the eastern horizon
appeared the first flush of daylight.
In with your oar said Ransom;
we've run the distance.
Silently they waited-Ackland seated
on the thwart, Ransom erect to full
stature, while the light frightened and
the southwark was defined, a sail was
seen-the Claremont, coming up with
wind. Off TO the westward, as the light
/ increased Ransom made out dark
/ spot about half a mile away. 1t was the
keel Of the Walkure, end on.
PUN away there" ne ordered, drop
ping to his thwart. "Pull-bend your
/ back" he shouted at Ackland, as he
| found his greater strength was turning
/ the boat from straight line Ackland
labored silently, beginning TO feel mat
! this adventure held little credit for him.
In short time they were up to the sub
merged hull, barely showing the Keel
s.Way enough, in with your oar,"
shouted Ransom now in a frenzy of ex-
element. He sprang TO the stern win
his oar and guided the boat up 10 Ine
quarter of the wreck. Close to the rud-
der showed dorsal fin. ,,.,..,
'There's a shark exclaimed Ackland
Don't be alarmed, said Ransom, KICK
/ ing off his boots; 'he won't climb IN.
/ quarter" He whirled his oar aloft and
! brought ii down over the doTsai nm, Whicn
disappeared showing an instant later %
feet away. Crowding his KNIFE 1 1
! into its sheath. he tossed his cap. down,
peereG a moment into the blue depths
then drawing in deep breath, diVeu
| overheard. Ackland sat on the thWart
pale with alternating and conIlcuhS
| hopes-the hope that Ransom would re-
! apDear with Jessie, and the nope that
! the shark which had darted PARTNER
away at the instant OF the sp-aSn anu az
was now returning in curylng zig-zags'
would be able to dispose OF Ransom. put
! his desire for justification did not I'M
pei him to emulate this fear.
Ransom. in a few downward strokes,
/ reached the submerged tan-rall, under
which he darted TWO strokes more
brought him TO the companionWay IN the
/ the port corner of the cabin. INTO II ana
1 inward he swan, until his head struck tiie
| cabin floor without his feeling but the
| presslre of water in his nostrils. Forward
tools and chairs. which he pushed ASIDE
and finding by touch, the forward ou4 X
| head of the cabin. Above him now, ne
/ knew, was the hatch leadinE INTO ne
! hold His head seemed ready 10 burst.
and his lungs ached with throbbing pam
as he reached UP for the hateh, whlGh
he had reasoned should be open ne
| felt a smooth surface-the caDih laDle.
( Tannned legs upward, in the hatcn, II
resisted his efforts to dislodge It. PulHhg
| himself around it, he found that one
edge sagged down with his weight, ana
he forced his body between It ara tne
floor. The pain in his lungs was lnde7
serbia HE agony. but he dared not eXpei
the air, to replace 1t Win "tseII " Nh IN
hatch on the back Of his neck-the space
was too small to admit his body Ihen
he drew up his knees, and IN MS eX-
| tremity of physical and mental to5 luz I,
his thoughts, of Jessie, dying this DEAN
mt forth his strength. The legs OF the
table creaked, crashed loose with noise
thot seemed deafening, and the oDstruc-
ton sank down. Catching the edge oil the
hatch above him, he pulled his BODY
through and shot upward. 1t was pul
few feet to the surface, put 10 tns siiI Of
time. before he reached 1t, ana IelI Ia, az
IN rs face and knew that he could
breathe.
He emptied his lungs with a great
esr,(sr Of relief, and drew in a reath
which. though foul with the scent OF the
hiiles contained blessed, Hfe-givine
oxygen. Ciinging to stancmon ne
bTeathed. in and out of his tortured
4 lungs the welcome air, until his blood
thai had nearly ceased moving, and his
heart. that had nearly ceased beating, re-
and brain were still racked with the terri
bic agony. he called, ho2rsely:
A's wajiing scream answered-close &c
him: "Help-help me- Who is It II
was worth that dive TO Ransom-to
ITS me. Jessie: it's Ransom Where
are YOU? Can you come TO me?" "Ned
/ Ned: help me- Save me. Yes, I'll come
i TLere are you?'' He reached out in the
direction of her voice and felt her hair
wet and draggled. she was cHnG-ns -
the next stanchion, and he drew her in to
him. -,
.'Oa. Ned: take me out rye been here
SO long-so long. And it is dark ana Sc
cold. :" She rnoaneG as she chung to him.
YES. Jessie. 1 VIII. Don't talk now
Lei me get my breath" .
She was silent. and after a lite. he
placed her hands on the stanchion and
said gently: hold yourself, Jessie;
must kick the table away from TIE
Don't leave me. Ned. Don't" she
screamed
Just a minute. Jessie" He sank
down. found the hatch clear and returned
to her. With his arm around her he sup
ported the benunbed and exhausted gil
until he thought himself recovered sUf-
ficientlv to make the return. Then he said
to her: when / count three. take a
good, long breath and catch hold of my