Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-10-22
every breath that passed the lips
which moved to curse It

Lower the boafs!"
And the words were the death-knell
of the Dolphin. The order passed
from lip to lip. They FASTENED to
obey. The captain stood at the ships
side and watched them fulfill their
task.
In the general confusion two figures
came up the companionway nnob-
served. The elder woman was muffied
in wraps; the younger had neglected
to protect herself against the night.
She o only the white. trailing wrap
per donned an hour before.
They had no wish to attract atten-
ton. They stood quite close together
Ia the shadow, trembling, but com-
posed. Around them was the kissing
fury of the sea, the lurid glances of the
lightning, the red glow of the fire. And
breaking the sacred silence of the
night was the roar of sea and sky, the
hoarse bowling of human voices, the
cracking of the flames.
Look at that sailor!" Laurie whis-
pered.
Mrs. Grey looked in the direction
indicated, and saw a man, tall, large
limbed, muscular-looking, who worked
with the powerful strength. the fierce
enrgy Of a young giant. His back was
to them. They could not see his face.
Even as they looked they saw him
dash up to where Merrick stood, shout
Ing his orders.
Captain. Q have women on board,
have you net? Give them the first
bc2t-the first chance.
Good Lord. / was forgetting themi"
the old man cried, In startled dismay.
He turned and rushed toward the
cabin.
Here, Capt. Merricki" Laurie cried.
"Bless my soul, child, how cool YOU
are! Core; the first boat"
He hurried them on to the decks
side. A crowd Of unruly sailors were
climbing over the gunwales and drop
ping into the boats below.
Hold, you cowardsi" the captain
shouted. How dare you, You know
there are or board.."
Where is the nse?' the elder wom-
an cried, frantically, and flung up her
hands with a gesture OF despair. ut
is only a choice of the name of
death-by fire OF food"
The sailor who had first approached
the captain now caught him by the
arm.
For Gods SAX, captain" in brusque
impatience, get them into 9 hoat-get
them out of this fhelli There some
thing may happen; a change OF wind
a passing OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
is better than this certain DEATH"
The heat was growing u~nbearable.
IT was scorching and choking them.
The first boat had pulled away. A few
mutinous men were clambering into
the second.
A terrible oath crashed between
Merritt's set teeth. He whipped a re-
volver out of his pocket.
Back. therei Back I say! I'll
shoot the first man who touches the
ropes-I will, SO help me, Godi"
Already the tall young sailor had
lowered Mrs. Grey into the boat be-
low
For q moment the rebels staggered
back-just for a moment. There was
in the sight of the wiite-haired old
man, erect against Q background Of
flame, something of grandeur.
thing which told of an ~unfiinching de-
termination and capability OF putting
his threat into execution, which awed
and dismayed them.
The lightning came less frequently:
the thunder was ~dwindling to a duh
growl. The dense smoke upreared its
black flag like a standard of death.
The fire had driven the remaining
crew to the extreme edge OF the vessel.
On the intense silence that followed
the captains words a voice broke-a
mans thin, sharp, excited voice:
Pull away, men-pull away"
Merrick sprang one step forward,
beside himself with rage.
SOL" he shouted, purple with pas
sion, you are at the bottom Of this
you it is who are making men COW.
ards and murderers of Cuth-
bert Bracken! Oh, you dog--you
dastardl"
A weird scene! Before. a black sea;
behind, a wall of fire. In the shadow
- % - nobtnA 6IduullS, SluUnGu
speeches.. In the lurid fore
ground two igurss-one old, white.
bearded and trembling with honest
anger; the other standing, half-afraid,
half defiant.
One hand still grasped the rope he
had clutched preparatory to lowering
himself to the boat below, when he
/ had issued his ordar q ypoman+ 70
fore The other was thrust behind
him.
He spoke; and his quick, brutal
words-brutal In their i~mport--were
distinctly audible through the crack
ling OF the flames:
Take that!"
There was a quick movement, q
flash Of steel. a report.
The figure of the old man swayed