Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-22

CHAPTER I-Continued.

With wild swoop all the plates, glasses
and cutlery of the saloon tables crashed 10
starboard Were It not for the restraint OF
the fiddes everything must have been
swept to the floor. There were one or two
minor accidents. A steward, taken I'M
awares, was thrown headlong on top of his
laden tray. Others were compelled to clutch
the backs of chairs and cling to pillars. One
man involuntarily seized the hair of a lady
who devoted an hour before each meal to
her couture. The Sirdar, with frenzied
bound, tried to turn a somersault
"A change of course" observed the doc
tor. They generally try to avoid 1t when
people are in the saloon. but typhoon
admits of no labored politeness. AS its
center is now right ahead we are going on
the starboard tack to get behind II.
Il must hurry up and go on deck said
Miss Deane.
You will not be able to go on deck until
the morning.
She turned on him impetuously. Indeed
/ will. Captain Ross promised me-that is,
/ asked him"
The doctor smiled. She was so charming
ly insistent. ut is simply impossible he
said. THE companion doors are bolted.
The promenade deck is swept by heavy
seas every minute. A boat has been car
ried away and several stanchions snapped
off like carrots. For the first time in your
NE, MISS Dedne, you are patterned uONH-
The girls face must have paled some
what. He added hastily, There is no dan
ger, you know but these precautions are
necessary. You would not like to see sew
eraI tons of water rushing down the saloon
stairs: now, would your
Decidedly not" Then. after a pause,
at is not pleasant to be fastened up in
great iron box, doctor. 1t reminds one of
huge coffin"
Not bit The Sirdar is the safest ship
afioat. Your father has always pursued
splendid policy in that respect. The Lon
don and Hong Kong Company may not
possess fast vessels, but they are sea-
worthy and well found in every respect.
Are there many people i'll on board?"
No; just the usual number of disturbed
livers. We had nasty accident shortly be-
fore dinner
Good gracious. What happened?"
Some Lascars were caught by sea for
ward. One man had his leg broken
Anything else?
The doctor hesitated. He became inter
ested in the color of some Burgundy. Il
hardly know the exact details yet" he re-
piled. Tomorrow after breakfast l will
tell you all about it
An English quartermaster and four Las
cars had been licked from off the fore
castle by the greedy tongue OF a huge wave.
The succeeding surge flung the five men
back against the quarter. One OF the black
sailors was pitched aboard, with a frac-
tured leg and other injuries. The others
were smashed against the iron hull and dis
appeared.
For one tremulous moment the engines
slowed. The ship commenced to veer off
into the path of the cyclone Captain Ross
set his teeth. and the telegraph bell jan
gled Full speed ahead
Poor Jackson he murmured. "One OF
my best men. l remember seeing his wife,
coming to meet him last homeward trip.
They will be there again. Good God! That
Lascar who was saved has some one to
await him in a Bombay village. 1 suppose
The gale sang a mad requiem to its
victims The very surface was torn from
the sea The ship drove relentlessly
through sheets of spray that caused the
officers high up on the bridge TO gasp for
breath. They held on by main force,
though protected by strong canvas sheets
bound to the rails. The main deck was
quite impossible. The promenade deck,
even the lofty spar deck, was scourged
with the broken crests of waves that
tried with demoniac energy to smash in
the starboard bow, for the Sirdar was
cutting into the heart of the cyclone.
The captain fought his way to the chart
house. He wiped the salt water from his
eyes and looked anxiously at the barome
ter.
still falling" he muttered IT will
keep on until ! o'clock and then bear
three points to the southwark. By mid
night we should be behind it,"
He struggled back into the outside fury.
BY comparison the sturdy citadel he quit
ted was Paradise on the edge of an in
ferno.
Down in the saloon the harder passen-
gers We're striving to subdue the ennui of
an interval before they sought their cab
ms. Some talked. One hardened repro
bate strummed the piano. Others played
cards, chess, draughts, anything that
would distract attention.
The stately apartment offered strange con-
trast to the warning elements without
Bright lights, costly upholstery, soft car
pets, carved panels and gilded cornices
with uniformed attendants passing to and
fro carrying coffee and glasses-these sur
roundings suggested a floating palace in
which the raging seas were defied. Yet
forty miles away. somewhere in the furious
depths. four coTpSes swirled about with
horrible uncertainty, lurching through bat
ting currents and perchance conveyed by
fighting sharks.
The surgeon had been called away. Iris
the only lady left in the saloon. She
watched a set OF whist players for time
and then essayed the perilous passage to
her state room. She found her maid and
stewardess there. Both women were weep
ing.
What is the matter" she inquired.
The stewardess tried TO speak. She choked
with grief and hastily went out The maid
pluboered an explanation
"A friend OF hers married, miss, to
the man who is drowned"
Drowned! What man?'
Haven't you heard, miss? j suppose
they are keeping it quiet. An English
sailor and some natives were swept off the
ship by a sea. One native was saved, but
he is all smashed up. The others were
never again"
Iris by degrees learnt the sad chronicles
of the Jackson family. She was moved to
tears. She remembered the doctors hest
fancy and her own idle phrase-"a huge
coffin
Outside the roaring waves pounded upon
the iron walls.
Were they not satiated? This tragedy
had taken all the grandeur out of the
storm. Ii was no longer a majestic phase
OF natures power, but an implacable de-
men. believing for sacrifice. And that
poor woman. with her two children hope
fully scanning the shipping lists for news
OF the great steamer, news which, to her,
meant only the safety of her husband.
oh, II was pitiful,
Iris would not be undressed. The maid
snveed request TO be allowed to remain
with her mistress. She would lie a
couch until morning.
Two state rooms had been converted ints
one TO provide Miss Deane with ample ac-
commodation. There were hunks, but
a coy bed was screwed to the deck. She
lay down and strove to read. 1t a
difficult task. Her eyes wandered from
the printed page TO mark the absurd an
tics of her garments swinging on their
hnokS tiDleq the shin rolled far