Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-09-01

But Bentley raised his hand ana kept
the wheel steady. Too late, sir, for
that" he cried, I'VE are in the pass.
God help us now. sir. Mr.. seymour.
look to the ship. sir; look TO the ship
The young officer sprang back on the
horse block. his soul filed with horror.
So fate had decided for him AT last,
and duty, not love, had won the mighty
game. A third broadside passed harm
lessly over the ship, doing little dam
age, the rough weather making aim
ing uncertain. Again the fieldpiece re-
Piled Seymour never turned his head
In the direction of the frigate. He
could not look upon the catastrophe;
besides, the exigency of the situation
demanded that he give his whole mind
TO coming the ship through the mar
row pass. Bentley himself, assisted by
a young sailor, kept the helm; the old
est seaman had charge of the braces.
The wreck of the mizzen ~topgallant
mast was allowed to hang for the pres
ent.
The white water dashed about the
SLID Ill slttAS VI iOulu. A my WV NNA
In the breakers now, and the most ig-
norant eye could see the danger. One
false movement meant disaster for the
ship for whose safety Seymour had
sacrificed so much. He did not make
II. To his disordered fancy Katharlne's
white face looked up at him from
every breaking wave. He steeled his
heart and gave his orders with as
much ease and precision as If ii had
been a practice cruise. To the day OF
his death he could not account for his
ability TO do so. He made a splendid
figure standing on the horse block, his
hair flowing out In the wind, his face
deadly pale, calm, cool, steady, his
voice clear and even, but heard in
every part of the ship. The heart Of
the old sailor at the helm yearned
toward him and the seamen looked at
him as If he had been a demigod. He
never nee looked back, but from the
cries Of the men he could follow every
motion of the frigate behind him. The
frigate, the unsuspicious frigate, had
followed the course Of the transport
exactly and was coming down to the
deadly rocks like a hurricane.
Talbot. his quarrel forgotten for the
moment, ceased firing and stood, with
all of the men who could be spared
from their stations, looking aft at the
tremendous drama being played.
"The frigate! Look at the frigate!
She's going TO strike, sir" cried one of
the seamen excitedly-old Thompson,
who had sailed upon her. "See, they
see the breakers. Now there 90 the
head yards. 1t won't do. It's too late.
My God, she strikes, she strikes! I'll
goes!' he shrieked, taking hasty aim
over the loaded fieldpiece and touch
Ing the printing. AYE, and hit too.
Hurrah! Hurrah! To Tophet with We.
where We belong, ye"-
"Silence aft" shouted Seymour. in a
voice of thunder. keep fast that
gun, and another cheer like that and
l put you in irons, Thompson"
The water in the front of the Mellish
suddenly became darker, the breakers
dlSdDDCAlN VI lht snip was III wv
water again: she had the open sea be
Nre her and was through the channel.
1--WE are through the pass, sir" said
Bentley.
Il know it." answered Seymour at
last. II suppose there is no use beat.
ing back around the shoal, Bentley p
he said tentatively.
"No, use; no use, and, besides. in this
wind we could not do 1t. and. sir, you
know nothing will live in such a sea.
Look at the Englishman now, sir"
The captain turned at last. The
frigate was a hopeless wreck. All
three of her masts had gone by the
board; she had run full on the rocky
ledge of the shoal at the mouth of the
channel. The wind had risen until il
blew Il heavy gale; no boat, no human
being, could live in such a sea. The
waters rushed over her at every sweep,
and she was fast breaking up before
them. Night had fallen. and darkness
at last e%nshrouded her as she faded out
of view. A drop of snow fell lightly
upon the cold cheek of the young sail
or, and the men gazed into the night
In silence, appalled, by the awful catas-
trophe. Bentley, understanding it all,
laid his hand lightly on Seymour's arm
saying softly:
Better clear the wreck and get the
mizzen topsail and the fore and main
sail in, sir. and rect the fore and main
topsails. The spars are buckling fear
fully. She can't stand much more"
"Oh, Bentley" he said with a sob,
and then, mastering himself, he gave
the necessary orders TO clear away the
wreck and take in the other sails and
close reef the topsails, in order 10 put
the ship in proper trim for the rising
storm: after which, the wind now per
hitting, the ship was headed for Phila,
delphia.
AS Seymour turned 10 90 below be
came face to face with Talbot. The
two men stood gazing at each other In
silence.
"We still have an account to settle
Mr.. Talbot" he said sternly.
"My Cod" said Talbot hesitatingly
wasn't it awfulf How small, Sey.
mour. are our %Ouarrels in the face oil