Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-08

of my daughters. you and myself for u
few hours longer than the others. BY
, right, If / followed the rules l have
promised to obey. ! alone should live.
That Is impossible. A Spartan might
do it, bat | cannot abandon my girls
and yet retain my senses. / trust you
because ] must lave confederate
If the weather does not break before
tomorrow night we must barricade the
stairs-and iight--if necessary"
His face was drawn and haggard.
his eyes blazing. lie shook as one in
the first throeS of fever. lie seemed to
await his companions verdict with an
overpowerng dread lest any attempt
should he made to question the justice
of his decree.
Yes. figured ii out that way, too
said Tyne. ITS queer, isn't 1t, to be
IN such fix when there's all sorts Of
help within call, so to speak? We
might as well be in mine closed up
by an explosion. And. I'll tell you
what. I'm real sorry for you"
Brand, collapslng under the strain,
sank into a chair.
! 1T is an awful thing" he moaned,
b ito condemn so many men, women and
children to such a death"
a spasm OF pain made Pyne's lips
| tremulous for an instant. He had for
gotten Elsie and Mamie.
/ But his voice was fully under con-
troll when lie spoke again.
You can count on me In the deal In
all but one thing" he said.
The older man looked up fiercely.
/ What condition could be imposed in
the fulnlmcnt OF a duty 50 terrible?
Il am here by chance" went on
I Pyne. Zone Of your daughters may
have told you that Mrs. Nansittart
came from New York to marry my I'M
Gle. Anyhow you would know she was
dear to him by his message today. She
Is sort OF in my charge, and | can't de.
sert her It's hard luck. as l don't care
a cent for her. She's the kind OF WON
an Old mon misunderstanding birdike
creatures when the cage Is gilded.'
Brand sprang to his feet and raced
up TO the trimming stage When his
hands We're on the lamp he felt surer
Of himself 1t gave him strength dur
ing the hurricane, and it would
strengthen him now.
There can be no exceptions he
said harshly. Pyne waited until the
lighthouse keeper rejoined him.
Il ont to have put my proposition
befor y = first and made q speech aft
erward.' he said. Constance and Enid
will Join you here when you say the
hat 7 lo no 9th 40 ~
the barricade."
"Nonsensc.' cried Brand. You have
no right TO thrust away the chance that
is given you. You saved all these peo-
pie once Why should you die use
lesslyy"
what! Suppose it pans out that
way Suppose we live couple Of
weeks and escape. Am l to face the
old man and tell hinl-the truth? No,
Sir. You don't mean it.. You wouldn't
do it yourself. What about that shark
the girls told me of? | can guess just
what happened. He wanted the light
refreshment in the boat. Did you scoot
back when you saw his fin? I'm heap
younger than you, Mr.. Brand, but that
bluff doesn't 60"
Thank heaven, we have twenty-four
hours yeti" murmured Brand.
1t will be all the same when we
have only twenty-four seconds. Let us
fix it that way right now. Don't you
see, it will be easier to deceive the
girls: And there's another reason Bar
ricade and shoot as you like, it will be
a hard thing to keep threescore des-
peratc men boxed up down below.
When they begin to diet on COLA there
will be trouble. A few of us, ready to
take chances. will be helpful. Some Of
them may have to die quick, you
know"
Brand closed his eyes in sheer af-
fright In that way he tried to shut out
vision.
BE it So" lie gasped. May the Lord
help u.s.
1t was the responsibility that master
, ed him. Judges on the bench often
break down when they sentence a
criminal to death, but what judge hui
name, tender hearted and God fearing,
ever pronounced the doom Of seventy
eight people snatched from merciful
death to be stepped in horrors?
At last his iron will predominated
The knowledge that the path Of duty
lay straight before him cheered his tor.
tured soul. No man could say he erred
in trying to save his children. That
! was a trust as solemn as any conferred
by the Elder Brethren Of the Trinity.
He placed a hand on Pyne's shoulder
for this youngster had become dear to
him.
Had l son." he said, II should
wish him to be like you. Let us strive
to forget the evils that threaten us
Brooding Is useless. II need be you
will take charge Of the lower deck
There Is starvation allowance for three
: more days at the worst. but l hate the
I thought Of starting the new scale to
e ! morrow"
c ut may not be necessary"
"Candidly. fear it will. know the
. Cornish coast too well. When bnd
I weather sets In from the southwest a
this season 1t holds for week at thu
i lowest computation"
p as there no other way? Can moth
. ing be done out there|
n able men, the best of sailors. thu
t most experienced Of engineers, have
N %, "A, a.. halo Il.