Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-24
CHAPTER IL


 pitched headlong into chaos. Iris. torn from the terrified grasp of her maid, fell through corridor and would have gone down with the ship had not a sailor, clinging to a companion ladder. caught her as she whirled along the steep slope of the deck.
 He did not know what had happen ed. With the instinct of self preserva ton he seized the nearest support when the vessel struck. It was the mere impulse of ready helpfulness that caused him to stretch out his left arm and clasp the girls waist as she futter- cd past By idle chance they were on the port side, and the ship, after paus- ing for one awful second, fell over to starboard.
 second gyraion. Even as the stair way canted he lost his balance: they were both thrown violently through the open hatchway and swept of into the boiling surf Under such condi- tons thought itself was impossible. A series of impressions. number of fan tastic pictures. were received by the be- numbed faculties and afterward pain fully sorted out by the memory. Fear. anguish, amazement-none of these could exist. All he knew was that the lifeless form of a womaa-for Iris had happily fainted-must be held until death itself wrenched her from him. Then there came the headlong plunge into the swirling sea, followed by an indefinite period of gasping oblivion. Something that felt like moving rock rose up beneath his feet. He was driv- en clear out of the water and seemed to recognize familiar object rising rigid and bright close at hand. It was the pinnacle pillar. screwed to portion of the deck which came away from the chart house. and was rent from the up- Der framework by contact with the reef. He seized this unlocked for SUD- port with his disengaged hand.
 A uniformed figure-he thought it was the captain-stretched out an un- availing arm to clasp the queer raft which supported the sailor and the girl. but a jealous wave rose under the platform with devilish energy and turned it completely over. hurling the man with his inanimate burden into the depths. He rose. fighting madly for his life. Now surely he was doom cd. But again. as if human existence depended on naught more serious than the spinning of a coin. his knees rested on the same few stanch timbers. now the ceiling of the music room. and he was given q brief respite His great est difficulty was to get his breath. so dense was the spray through which he was driven. Even in that terrible moment be kept his senses. The girl. utterly unconscious. showed by the convulsive heaving of her breast that she was choking. With a wild effort he swung her head round to shield her from the flying scud with his own form.
 The tiny air space thus provided gave her some relief. and in that in- etant the sailor seemed to recognize her. He was not remotely capable of definite idea. Just ss he vaguely real fled the identity of the woman in his arms the unsteady support on which he rested toppled over. Again he re newed the unequal contest. A strong. resolute man and a typhoon sea wres- tied for supremacy.
 This time his feet plunged against something gratefully solid. He was dashed forward. still battling with the raging turmoil of water. and 2 second lime be felt the same firm yet smooth surface. His dormant faculties avoke. II was sand With frenzied despers ton. buoyed now by the inspiring hope of safety, he fought his way onward like nsrisc
 Often be fell. Three times did the backrash try to drag him 10 the swirhng death behind. but he staggered sfindly or. on. until even the tearing gale ceased 10 be laden with the suffo- eating foam. and his falte-ing feet sank in deep soft white sand.
 =heu he fell. not 10 rise again With . last weak flicker Q, exhausted strength he drew the girl closely t3 him. and the two lay clasped tightly t~zether. heedless now of all things
 HoE long the man remained pros tste he could only guess subsequently,. ghe Sirdar st-1cE soon after day --esk. and the sailor svoks 10 hay couseiousness Of his surroundings 70 find shaft of sunshine fhke-i1z through the clouds banked up in the east Tbs gale was already passing away Although me wind stiil vhis- tied with shrlil violence. r was more clustering than thrsstsnlnE Ire sea. tco. though running ve-T high. had re treated many yards from The spo- where hs had finally d-o7psd- and It's srfsce was 10 longer s.9u-zed with ee1o0o1s spray
 Sloziy and painfully ts rsissi him sci 10 Q sitting posture. for hs -zs truisa5 and stir W5rh his first u9Te- us1- Es becsue vI5leEtly EL He had euaIIozed uuch ssl1 water. and l. vxs ng- uzril tze spzs1 9f sickEess had pesSsi that he tb1sghT ot ths gil
 Shs oz1ng- be dead bs kesrselE zuruued feehiy t-izz 10 If bs-- --SureIy Pror deuce -o1id HB deSe-T her aftsr saeh an eSzpe What q weak tsE-zr must te Q Eive ia st the Izs- moment zu sure she Vss Erf-r rhez ve Egt sshs-s What o1 ez--b rz7 I d te revive beT