The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-09-04
m Tho other hand tho lind was about

shut the for'ard bulkheads, MI.
Jones'"
The mate ran forward, and with the
help Of the carpenter tore off part
of the hatch covering and sprang to
the ladder. AS he climbed down
Young Malcom peered aimlessly over
the hatch.
Bring down lantern" cried the
mate. and Malcolm, galvanized into
activity by fear, seized 4 lantern from
the alleyways and clambered down
into the hold.
The mate ran toward the iron door
IN the bulkhead. which had been left
open, and pushed it to.
"The light here-quick"
And the boy brought it.
BLAST them-oh, blast them''
roared the mate. They've put the
bolts on the wrong side. In five
minutes We'll all be in kingdom
come"
He stumbled for the ladder, and
Malcolm followed, wild with terror.
Yes. every one would be drowned,
and he, too, with the cruel, cold water
sucking him down. He dropped the
lantern and began to pull himself up
the ladder.
Suddenly he stopped. An idea had
been born in his brain; hideous, ua-
thinkable thought-the door could be
closed from the other side. He hung
Imply on the ladder, and in his mlnd
ragged a tornado Of conflict.
Oh, to be out of this awful ship,
safe once again at home: But the
mate had said that all were lost. That
meant him, too. And if only that door
were shut, all could be saved. Great
beads of sweat broke out on his fore
head. He groaned and writhed about
like one on the rack. Then he began
to descend slowly. He stopped again
on the last rung. He clung to the
ladder as a drowning man to a rope.
He could never let 60. Why was he
not going up the ladder? There were
boats left. He had seen that. He
could fight for a place, and be saved.
He was so young; not old, like the
mate and captain. They must give
him q place.
All at once he loosened his hold and
ran blindly for the door. On the way
he tripped and fell heavily on his
hands and face, cutting and bruising
them. He lay half stunned for q min
ute, moaning from the pain, then
raised himself and crawled the rest Of
the way. He passed through the door,
and with feverish haste shot the great
iron bolts. The boy was alone in
his tomb. He leaned against the
bulkhead, sick, sick to death. why
had he done this? He did not know.
They would be saved now, but he
O! God, no more light or life for him!
His poor dry lips moved convulsiveiy,
and his hands beat aimlessly on the
iron wall. He would go back. Hope
returned with a rush. He wouldt die
in the open-with others around him.
It would be good to die thus, not In
this hell or darkness and desolateness.
He unshot one bolt and fumbled for
the other. Then, with a low moan
be cast himself from it, driving his
teeth into his lips in his agony.
It was not to be. He was too great
q coward to live. He could only die.
He would pray. But he could think
of nothing-nothing but the This
night when l lie down to sleep" he
had learned at his mothers knee.
To sleep-oh, he would sleep long!
There was to be no waking this time.
How the water was creeping up!
Long shuddering fits shook his fame
as he felt the icy fingers Of death
rising inch by inch. He screamed ana
rayed, dashing his head against the
iron. that death might come quickly.
He plunged beneath the water, only
to come up again, fighting madly 1or
life. Then there was long ora"n
sob, and then silence.
The Captain stood on the prluSe'
figure of stony despair. The lanu
could never be reached with water
mourning like q torrent into the for
ward hold. He cursed his negligence
in overlooking such q fright1ul plun'
der. 1t was going to cost TWO nun'
dred lives, and he must not be among
the saved. The Pride of Asia was
getting low in the water, but ne couiu
not understand why she was not SILK
inr more by the bow. She was VI
brating from the engines, pushed 10
their highest pressure, for the hremen
stuck gallantly to their posts. Five
minutes went, and ten, and then, VIII
q sudden shock, she took ground, ana
all were safe.
Next morning, young Malcolm was
missing, and the sorrowful news was
cont to his father. 1t was thouShI
ba had fallen overheard when the
shin grounded, and he could hoe
swim.
A week afterward, the divers en-
tered the forward hold, and 1ounu'
10 their astonishment, that the ouih,
head door, which they had eApec'eu
to find open, was closed.
They forced it open' ana against II
was floating the body of boy.
Old Captain Malcolm comes o1ten
70 the little graveyard by the sea. IN
II stands a cross, on wnlch are III
scribed the words:
..xx,n1n LIES HERQ-O