Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1902-11-14
CHAPTER V.

During the night the wind gathered
force and the Queen pitched and rolled
with the waves beating against her
bows. The result to me was inevitable.
/ was as seasick 40 mortal man had
ever been. My illness effectually drove
from Maubikeck's mind and my own
all thoughts of the condolences he had
proposed to unfold to me on that day.
In fact, about the only thing that could
have been said, that would have been
pleasing to me was the promise that
l would speedily die and end it all.
But this the ships physician refused to
give
SO two days and part of the third
passed, and was still unable to leave
my berth.
In the evening OF the third day of
my illness the lion-tamer sat near me,
looking over some papers had
brought from New York Now and
then he would glance at me to see If
I was in need of his attention. The
worst of my illness was. over, but I
was very weak.
"Maubikeck," said, almost smiling
at the weakness of my own voice,
why do you sit in this close state
room? You have been wonderfully
good and kind to me. can never for
get it. But am over the worst of it,
and you need not trouble with me any
more. Go on deck anu get Whit Of
fresh air."
Maubikeck smiled.
~The air to be had on deck" he said,
"is not so invigorating as you think
There is dense fog. We are creeping
along, barely keeping Roadway. Moth
ing can be seen. 1t is damp, chilly
evening. the sea is running high, and
altogether it Is uninviting on deck. l
will sit here awhile and then go to
bed"
He resumed his reading, and lay
still. listening and thinking
Suddenly there was a shock and
crash, a cry of horror, shout of an
ger, and the ship seemed to be driven
by some tremendous force, and shiv-
cred and trembledy like "a frightened
animal.
Maubikeck leaped to his feet.
There has been collision". he
said. Stay where you are, Wilberton.
l will come back"
He rushed from the statereom, and
fell to wondering what the result of
this new horror would be. I was SO
weak that did not fully realize my
own position. It is true, I felt and
knew the danger. But my senses were
SO benumbed by my illness and this
new shock that at first / was almost
Indifferent to my own fate. But the
sounds of excitement had their effect
on me, and was soon cropping for my
clothes and struggling to get them on
before Joining the frantic mob on
deck.
/ succeeded In getting myself clad,
as regards shirt and trousers. At this
point l became panic.stricken, and
feeling that l was surely doomed IL
the ship sank, breathed prayer and
Edith's name at the same time and
sank on the floor.
Just then the door of my stateroom
was flung open and Maubikeck ap-
peared. He picked me up from the
floor, wrapped my overcoat around me,
and taking me in his arms az IL was
q child, he hurried out and up the
companionway onto the deck. Here,
was scene Of almost indescribable
confusion. The lights on the deck
glimmered but dimly through the fog,
and the whole scene was enveloped
In dense blackness. Yeti could dis.
tinguish the forms Of men rushing
madly to and fro. cursing. shouting,
and crying, having no aim except to
save themselves. regardless Of the fate
Of others. NJ 5.a 5sss
Il But how grandly different was the
l Ae'1p'l With me IN his arms. he