The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1901-02-07

cry animal whom his lips are drawn
luck. The captain made His way to her
g. de and, putting his lips to her ear,
asked II she were afraid She strove to
reply, but her voice was lost in the
wind.
III we escape the cliffs of Pom 10y"
she heard the captain say, but the re-
mainder of his words were lost In the
bowling OF the wind. 1t seemed to Sho
Mai that the ship was driven thus for
many hours and she wondered why the
morning did not come. In reality it
was little past midnight, when looking
ahead she saw great black dome shoot
up and tower to gigantic height before
the ship. The sight was overpowering
in its horror-this enormous, monster
rearing its head In their path-and the
awe that came upon the girl made the
second Of time which passed seem like
whole lifetime of fear. A great wall Of
terror burst from the throats OF the sail
ors; then there was a fearful crash, and
Sho Mai was thrown violently to the
deck. Her head struck fragment OF
the broken rail and she passed into un.
consciousness.
When her eyes opened next she be-
held the face of the captain close to
hers. Around her she could hear the
boiling OF the waters. Looking about
her she perceived that she had been
borne up into the rigging, and that
several of the crew had sought the same
refuge. Below her was the vessels deck,
over which the waves broke every mo-
ment Before her was the great and
terrible dome which had so suddenly
risen out of the storm.
1.-The cliffs OF Pom 10y" shouted the
captain in her ear. Before US is the
mouth of the great cave. We have
struck upon a sunken ledge, but the
waves will soon drive US over 1t, and
may cast us into the cave itself. We
shall all perish"
Then let us die bravely," said Sho
Mai, 'as becomes Innocent men"
Her words, which in reality we're due
less to courage than to the strange per
sistence of the character which she had
assumed during the past few days,
reached the captains ears. He groaned-
Innocent men" he cried. 81 tell you,
boy, that this storm is the voice Of the
angry gods of the temple we despoiled,
whose sacred vessels and treasures Of
gold were the stolen freight which we
SO feared that you had seen. Our lives
must pay the forfeit, but your inno-
cence may save you"
And may your repentance save you,
said Sho Mai.
at is too late," he said. and at the
words great wave lifted the vessel
over the ledge and hurled her forward
I'VE shall be carried into the haunted
{ cave" shrieked the sailors, and one by
one they loosed their hands from the
tottering spar and cast themselves head
long into the sea- which instantly swal
lowed them up. Only the captain re-
NAMED, holding the trembling form o.
Sho Mai in an arm that was like a rope
of steel Clinging thus to the mast they
saw themselves borne towards the grea
l black mass in whose face now appeared
q mighty rift extending downward K
l the water. Straight onward toward Thu
( fearful chasm they drove, and not unit
its towering roof was about to close owe
: their heads did the crash of rended tim
r bers tell them that the junk had beer
l cast upon the rocks. The great mas
r bent forward slowly, as it seemed t.
Q Sho Mai, and in it's sweep carried then
}, within the gateway OF the cavern
d May the Gods preserve your life
d murmured the captain
|. His words were drowned In rush O
e waters as the descending mast plunge
n both into deep black pool within tn
n cave. Down. and ever down, sank Sh
c Mai, and in her ears the rumbling dwin
i died to soft, singing murmur, as II tn
e eternal stiffness Of death were prelude
t. by strange, moaning music. She fel
the arm that had held her loosen it
II hold. and give her a great impulse W