Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-02-08
CHAPTER II.

Il Il
V heaved up liz the center with
wv mighty crash Of rending
woodwork and iron. Men and women,
too stupened to sob ont prayer, were
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 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. 1t was the
mere impulse of ready helpfulness that
caused him to stretch out his left arm
and clasp the girls waist as she flutter-
ed past. By idle chance they were on
the port side, and the ship. after paus-
ing for one awful second, fell over to
starboard.
The man was not prepared for this
second gyration. Even as the stair
way canted he lost his balance; they
were both thrown violently through
the open hatchway and swept off 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, ahlazement-Ione Of these
could exist. All he knew was that the
lifeless form of woman-for Iris had
happily fainted-must be held until
death itself wrencEed 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 a familiar object rising rigid
and bright close at hard. 1t was the
pinnacle pillar screwed to q portion of
the deck which came away from the
chart house. and was rent from the up
per framework by contact with the
reef. He seized this unlocked for sup
port with his disengaged hand.
A uniformed fgure-he thought it
was the captain-stretchel out an I'M
awaiting arm to clasp the queer raft
which supported the shilor and the
girl. but Jealous wave rose under
the platform with Gevilsh energy and
turned it completely over. hurting the
man with Ills inanimatc burden into
the depths. He rose. fighting madly
for his life. Now surely he was doom
ed. But again, rs II human existence
depended on naught more serious than
the spinning of coin. his knees rested
on the same few stanch timbefs, now
the ceiling of the music room, and he
was given a 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 he kept his senses. The girl,
utterly unconscious. showed by the
convulsive heaving OF her breast that
she was choking. With Il wild effort
from the flying scud with his own
form.
The ting air space thus provided
gave her some relief, and in that in
slant the sailor seemed to recognize
her, He was not remotely capable of q
definite idea. Just as lie vaguely real
lied 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 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 second
time he felt the same firm vet smooth
surface. His dormant faculties awoke.
1t was sand. With frenZied despera-
ton, buoyed now by the inspiring hope
of safety, he fought his way onward
like maniac.
Often he fell. Three times did the
backwash try to drag him to the
swirling death behind, but lie staggered
blindly on, on, until even the tearing
gale ceased to be laden with the suffo-
eating foam. and his faltering feet
sank in deep soft white sand.
Then he fell, not to rise again. With
a last weak flicker of exhausted
strength he drew the girl closely to
him, and the two lay clasped tightly
together, needless now of all things.