The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-10-02

ginning, it was difficult to believe that
we had emerged SO safely from our awk-
ward scrape.
During the meal / could hardly eat
for looking at Allie and thinking Of all
the events which had occurred since
first sat at that table with her. She
must have been thinking something Of
the same kind, for at the end of dinner,
just as we were about to go on deck, she
babe the steward charge our glasses and
proposed this toast:
81 drink to the Lone Star and those
who have saved us today
We drank the toast with enthusiasm
and set our glasses down again. But
just as we did SO there was loud crash,
a trembling If the entire vessel, Curl
GUS pause and then another awful crash.
"We have struck something" I cried,
springing to my feet. Then, as if by in
stinot, said, "Run to your cabins and
get your shawls. .
They did SO, and by the time they
emerged again the hubbub was deafen-
ing. The sound Of rending and tearing
could only be described as awful. Then
there was sudden and complete silence
which was almost worse than the noise.
We ran on deck and made our way as
fast as we could to the bridge
"What has happened" ! cried to
Patterson, who was issuing orders as
fast as his tongue could utter them.
"We have struck rock that is not
on my chart" he said, ''and have re-
versed the engines to pull her off,"
could see that we were going astern,
but even child could have told by the
way the schooner moved that it was
hopeless case with her.
Even while he was speaking she was
sinking perceptibly.
''There is no hope" he said at last.
1--WE must leave her. I"
All the hands by this time were at
their stations, and the boats were low
cred with exquisite care and precision.
Fortunately they had been that very
day uncovered and equipped in case of
accident, SO that there was no possible
cause for delay.
Keeping Allie and Janet by my side, I
descended to the boat allotted to us, and
we took our seats in the stern. By the
time we had pulled to distance Of
about 100 yards the deck Of the yacht
was level with the water. Five minutes
later the gallant but i'll fated Lone Star
tipped up on end. gave sullen plunge
and disappeared beneath the waves to
be no more seen by mortal man. slip
ped my arm around Allies waist and
drew her closer to my side. She was
trembling violently.
"Be brave, dear love, I" Whispered.
For all our sakes, be brave.
She turned her head in the direction
where the poor yacht had disappeared
and said almost under her breath:
"Goodby, Lone Star, goodby.''
Then she stopped forward and buried
her face in her hands.
To divert her thoughts turned to
the boat nearest us, which was COM
manded by Patterson, and asked what
he thought we had better do.
Sail up the coast as fast as we can, ;"
he answered. "My boat will take the
lead. The rest had better follow in sin
gle file. If this wind holds, we shall
fetch the settlement or be somewhere
thereabout by day break.
The wind did hold, and we did make
the settlement by the time he specified.
Then passing behind the great doors
which, as have said before, concealed
the entrance to the canal SO cleverly
that even from the close distance Of a
mile I had not been able to detect where
the imitation began and the real cliff
ended, we pulled inside. Then, to cheer
us, standing before them all, uncovered
my head and cried, perhaps trifle the
atrically:
Gentlemen, the queen has come back
to her own again.
AS the cheers that greeted my an.
nouncement died away we left the canal
and entered the little landlocked harbor.