The Holly chieftain., 1903-01-30

and you need not trouble with me any
more. Go qutdeck. ana 8et a Whit Of
fresh air."
-Maubikeck smiled.
-The afr to be had on deck he said.
~is not 30 invigoratfnx> as you think.
There is . dense fog. We are creeping
along. barely keeping headway. Moth.
ing can be seen. q It In . damp, chilly
evening. the sea II running high, and
Altogether It .is uninviting on deck /
win sit here awhile and then 60 to
bed" ~
He resumed his reading. and lay
still. listening and thinking.
Suddenly there was shock and
crash. . cry OF horror. shout of an
ger, and the ship seemed to be driven
by some tremendous force, and shiv.
cred and trembled like frightened
animal r
Maubikeck leaped to his feet
There has been q collision" he
said. Stay where you are, Milberton.
will come back"
He rushed from the staterocm. aud
| fell to wondering what the result OF
this new horror would be. was 80
weak that did not fully realize my
own position. 1t is true, l 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 .effec.
on me, and was soon cropping for my
clothes and struggling to get them on
before joining the frantic mob or
deck
I succeeded in getting myself clad,
as regards shirt and trousers. At this
point l became panic-stricken, and
feeling that was surely doomed "
the ship sank, breathed prayer and
Edith's name at the same time and
sank on the floor. ,4
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 as if was
child, he hurried out and up the
companionway onto the deck. Here
was scene OF almost indescrbable
confusion. The lights on the deck
glimmered but dlmly through the fog,
and the whole scene was enveloped
In dense blackness. Yet 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.
But how grandly different was the
iion-tamer: With me In his arms. he
sped over the slippery uphill deck to
q place at the rail where a boat was
being lowered. ,ag'
saw the forms Of women In 1t, and
realized that the Queens oficers, had
insisted upon the rule at sea of saving
the women hrst. Maubikeck was about
to step into the boat.
Stand back there!" sbme one
shouted. There's room for only one
more In here!"
"You go.," said. "Nita needs you"
Keep still" he said sternly, and
as calmly as II nothing stood in the
way Of our safety. Calling to the OH.
Ger in charge of the boat. the lion.
tanner said: Here! II there is room
for one more, take him. This is Mr.
Wilberton of the Lotus Club, New
York. He is i'll. Do your best for
him"
felt myself taken by other hands,
and gasped out word of gratitude to
my preserver. :,
Listen" he said. "1f you are saved
and am not. save Nita from Maligni."
81 will save her at any cost" an.
swered, at the same time thinking that
my promise amounted to little, so
weak was l. and so poor stick In this
emergency.
But there was no time for further
words. The boat that was in plunged
out into the darkness. and all could
see was the great black hull looming
up In the fog, her bows now. almost
under water, and through the thick,
black night came the agonized cries
and shrieks OF those who had been left
behind. And AZ heard them. thought
Of Maubikeck. That noble, stalwart
hero. standing there-I could almost
see him, SO clear was 1t in my mind
peering out into the darkness to watch
II possible the progress of our boat
aad not murmur nor q sound Of fear
over his own probable fate. @
Other boats had been put OF. and
the hope of those in our boat was
tl,at their loved ones might be In one
Of the other boats, and might, there