The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-25

wind was growing stronger every instant.
Very likely" said he, and settled down
I TO his book again, but his eyes were for
ever darling little suspicious chances up
at the window. l watched it also, but all
was quiet outside.
And then suddenly our thoughts were
turned into new direction by the BURST
ing of the storm. binding flash was
followed by clap which shook the build
ing. Again and again came the vivid
white glare with the thunder at the same
instant, like the flash and roar of a mon
strous piece of artillery. And then down
came the tropical rain, crushing and rat
ting ON the corrugated iron roofing of the
cooperage. The big hollow room doomed
like a drum. From the darkness arose a
strange mixture of noises, a gurgling,
splashing, linking, bubbling. washing
dripping every liquid sound that nature
can produce from the thrashing and swish
ing of the rain to the deep steady boom of
the river. Hour after hour the uproar
grew louder and more sustained"
my word" said Several, I'VE are going
to have the father of all the floods this
time. Well, here's the dawn coming at
I last. and that is a blessing. We've about
exploded che third night superstition any,
how"
A grey light was stealing through the
room, and there was the day upon us is
an instant The rain has eased off, but the
coffee-colored river was roaring past like
a waterfall. Its power made me fear for
the anchor of the Gamecock.
81 must get aboard" said l. eff she
drags she'll never be able to beat up the
river again."
| the doctor answered. 81 can give you a
cup of coffee If you will come up to the
| house."
was chilled and miserable, so the sug-
gestion was a welcome one. We left the
u-omened cooperage with it's mystery
still unsolved, and we splashed our way
up to the house.
There's the spirit lamp" said Several.
IF you will just put light to 1t, I will
see how Walker feels this morning"
He left me, but was back in an instant
with dreadful face.
He's goner' he cried hoarsely.
The words sent thrill of horror through
me. I stood with the lamp in my hand.
| glaring at him.
Yes, he's goneP' he repeated. Come
and look!'
| followed him without a word and the
| first thing that saw as l entered the bed
room was Walker himself lying huddled
on his bed in the grey flannel sleeping
| suit in which I had helped to dress him
on the night before.
mot dead, sureEy!'' gasped
The doctor was terribly agitated. His
hands were shaking like leaves In the
| wind.
Hes been dead some hours"
WAS Ii fever?'
''Feveri Look at his footi"
glanced down and cry of horror burst
| from my lips. One feet was not merely dis
| located but was turned completely round
In a most grotesque contortion.
| Good God!' l cried. what can have
done this?"
] n 1, Iaf5 II
mans chest.
Feel here" he whispered.
placed my hand at the same spot There
was no resistance. The body was absolutely
soft and limp. 1t was like pressing saw
| dust doll.
1.-THE breast-bone is gone,r said Several
in the same awed whisper. "He's broken
| to bits. Thank God that-he had the Fauda-
mum. You can see by his face that he died
| in his sleep"
but who can have done this?"
/ 1--WE had about as much as 1 can stand"
said the doctor, wiping his forehead. 'I
| don't know that I'm greater coward than
my neighbors, but this gets beyond me- If
you're going out to the Gamecock-'
Come on!' said I, and off we started If
we did not run it was because each of us
| wished to keep up the last shadow of his
| self-respect before the other. 1t was dan
| gerous in a light canoe on that swollen
/
matter a thought. He bailing and l pad
ding we kept her above water, and gain
| ed the deck of the yacht. There, with two
! hundred yards of water between us and
this cursed island, we felt that we were
| our own men once more.
wen go back In an hour or So" said
/ he. but we need a little time to steady
ourselves. 1 wouldn't have had the niggers
see me as l was just now for years SAL
ary."
'Tve told the steward to prepare break
| fast Then, we shall go back said l. ''But
| in Gods name, Doctor Several, what do
/ you make Of it all?''
1T beats me-beats me clean. I've heard
| of Voodoo devilry, and I've laughed at II
with the others But that poor old Walk
er, a decent, God-fearing, nineteenth CEN
fury, Primrose League Englishman should
go under like this without a whole bone in
his body--it's given me shake, 1 won't
deny 1t. But look there, Medium, is that
hand of yours mad or drunk. or what is
it?"
Old Patterson, the Oldest man of my
crew, and as steady as the Pyramids, had
been stationed in the bows with a boat
hook to fend off the drifting logs which
came sweeping down with the current Now
he stood with crooked knees, glaring out
in front of him, and one forefinger stab
bling furiously at the air.
Look at it," he yelled. Look at itl''
And at the same instant we saw 1t.
A huge black tree trunk was coming
down the river its broad glistening back
just tapped by the water. And In front of
it-about three feet in front-arching up
wards like the figure-head of a ship, there
hung dreadful face, swaying slowly from
side to side 1t was flattened, malignant as
large as a small beer-barrel, of a faded
fungoid color, but the neck which support
ed it was niottled with a duh yellow and