The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1906-06-22

Her voice was like that of the dying.
Then Jimmy answered her slowly
and quietly. His words came deep and
low like the smothered roar of the
lsurf on the shore. Man, 1t was like
the great sea rolling over an outlying
reef, bursting, gathering again and
then rushing with that mighty power
to the end. When he stopped she was
choking, gasping for breath. Man, it
seemed like her heart would break. l
couldn't help listening, hearing her
pay for what she'd done. But Jimmy
never blamed her, no, not he.
Jimmy stood there waiting for his
| answer.
"'Go-go! Go and forget She was
choking, but it came plain and dis
tinct. There was long silence, and
looked hard into the gloom. She had
gone nnmy was standing there sway
ing in the night like an unstayed mast
and led him forrads, his head hang
ing down and sagging like he was
asleep.
"The next day 1t came on heavy
from the northwest. Jimmy was sent
aloft to put an extra gasket around
the bunt of the cro' jack where it had
been blown out by the gale. Some
thing went wrong with the foot-rope.
Looked like clear case Of cutting,
Tor it was all right when we furled the
sail few hours before.
/ Jimmy fell with the dull wallop
that generally means death, and he
landed right across the cabin skylight.
1t was long fall and he was still.
Morrell was watching his ship and
saw the fall. He started for Jimmy.
Just then the woman below rushed on
deck and flung herself upon the poor
fellow. I reached his head and start
ed to raise him. The woman was sob.
bling and calling for him - speak just
once more to her; and. san, it was
terrible to hear her what sac said.
"Morrell stood looking on. and then
| burst into laugh.
So that's him, is it? Ho! 40! hoi
So that's the fellow?' And he went to
the dying man.
"She was upon him before he knew
1t, striking him blow that sent him
Keeling. Then he went mad and had
his pistol out firing and cursing like q
maniac. It was all over in minute"
Here Chips stopped awhile and cut
some fresh plug for his pipe.
Before the morning watch I had
talked Heligoland over, and he talked
to Dutchman named Langter. An
derson finally joined, but Jacques was
| afraid to go without his watch behind
him. There were just four of us start
ed aft out of that crew of 20 men.
"Heligoland took the star5oard side
and l took the port, both getting into
the mizzen channels when the watch
was called. The rest Were to rush
when they heard firing.
+ The second mate baWled for his
watch to clew up the mizzen lower
| topsail, as it was now snoring away
worse than ever and the short seas
were coming aboard us. This was our
signal.
I'VE crawled along the deck strake
| outside the rail, holding on like death
with our finger tips. Morrell was near
est to me. When we were near enough
to get behind our men, Heligoland
gave cry and jumped over. l fol-
lowed. The next second 1 had broken
my knife short off in the b,ackest-
hearted captain that ever cursed a
ships deck. He jumped back and ran
forward, l after him, trying to close
before he could get out his pistol. He
| lodged about the mizzen and fired as
| he swung. The shot hit me there on
the arm and split it to the elbow Then
| something flung out of the darkness tn
leeward and there was a dull smash.
I That was all. Heligoland stood leaning
upon his handspike while I picked up
| the pistol.
The day dawned upon storm-torn
ocean, all grey-white, and a hove-to
ship staggering off to the southwark
with her lower topsails streaming in
ribbons from her jackstays. AS the
blow wore down toward evening we
could hear the piteous cries of dying
woman calling for her husband"
Chips waited for few minutes and
pulled hard at his pipe. Then he went
on in low voice could hardly hear:
1--WE buried Jimmy and his wife the
next day. Old Jacobs sewed them up
together and weighted them. All
hands uncovered as they went to lee
ward. | didn't know any service, and
there wasn't any such thing as Bible
aboard. 'Good-by, Jimmy l said-and
! let him co."
There was long silence Gantline
stood up and then sat down again. He
seemed to want to ask question, but
would not. Chips watched him.
"Yes," he went on, I'VE got five
years apiece for that Five long years
behind the bars. where the memory
of the blue water and the hope l
would get out again kept me from go
ing mad. Is it likely I'd forget the
Morning Light?"