Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-25

every surge was hurled many feet
above her head. At last she stood on
the lowest floor Beneath her feet was
naught but granite and iron bars. Here
was soldity. How grateful TO know
of this firm base, rooted in the very
world. Her heart leaped to her mouth,
but not with fear. She was proud Of
the lighthouse, strong in the knowledge
Of its majestic strength.
Nevertheless in this place, the source
of her own sense Of security, she found
uneasiness among the men. They were
all sailors In this lowest habta bic
regbAn. Their preconceived ideas had
been rudely reversed. The ship, tho
noble structure which defed the storm
by yielding to its utmost fury, had for
them no terrors. But the stark pillar
which 1lnched from no assault be.
wildered them. 1t was impossible to
believe that it could withstand the
strain. Fla. Listen to that. The bat
| tering ram of ocean applied to q thin
shaft Of stone. Surely it must be
pounded into fragments.
Said one with indefinite below amid
The black turmoil: 81 can't stand this,
mates"
up aloft for mc!' cried another.
Lets die with our eyes open, any.
how" chmed in third.
But a light flashed In the rolling orbs
of the man who was already on the
stairs. Astounded, he drew back.
Constance stood in their midst. mere
girl, radiant, smilngly unconcerned
addressing them in calm words broken
only by the fitful noises.
Sorry your quarters-so very un
pleasant. Only last a-couple of hours,
Twenty-Five years-far worse gales
| Want any more cocoa"
THANK you kindly, miss, we're quit,
| comforta BILE" This from the man vii,
wished to die with his eyes open.
Please, miss, may we smoker" said
he who couldn't stand it.
Constance hesitated. Blithely uncon
scous that Whit OF mutlny had
swept through the storm tossed fold
she pondered the problem. She saw No
harm in It,
Yes" she said. Smoke by all
means. I will ask my father, and If il
should be dangerous 1 will come ba ok
and let you know. In a few hours il
will be daylight and II the sea falls he
will come and open the door"
BY sheer inspiration she had uttered
the formula destined TO annihllate the
nccromantic buster Of the hammering
waves. Open the door! SO this pom
Il bat 1n1 tri r1-
a bogy, which each passing minute
would expose more thoroughly.
"All right, miss, an Gawd bless yer7
growled one who had not spoken hith'
erto. There was a chorus Of approval
Constance gave little gulp. The cul
tured and delicate lady lying in the
bunk above had not spoken so.
Indeed she gasped, God has
blessed some OF US this night"
Then she fed further utterance fail
ing her.
Nearer the sky Brand tended The
lamp and discussed matters with Chief
Olticer Emmett. The sailor, with the
terse directness of his class. told how
the Chinook had made an excellent
; voyage from New York until she rar
into bad weather about 400 miles ives
of the Lizard.
ut seems to me-" he said, "as IL we
dropped on to the track Of that hurri-
cane after it had curved away to tbs
norrard and that the blamed thing
swooped down on us again when we
were abreast Of the Bishop light
Brand nodded This surnise agreed
with his own theory Of the storm as
indicated by the sea.
Mr.. Emmett held out a clinched ifs
i with thumb jerked toward the reef.
II wouldn't breathe a word If he
wasn't gone" he said, but the old mar
was drivin her too hard. l knew it
and the chief knew THE meant the
chief engineer-"but he wouldn't lister
; to either Mac or me. Fact is, he wa;
fair crazy to set up new record fol
. the boat. She's been crossin the AT
lantic forty times year for upward
Of twenty years, and the recent alter
atoms, although they added fifty fee
to her length, only Increased her en-
CINE power In proportion"
You surprise me-" broke in Brand
you speak as If the Chinook were
nearly as old as this lighthouse, yet
; have never even heard her name be
fore"
You know her well enough all the
, same" said the other ruefully. This
: Is her maiden voyage since she was al
tered, an they rechristened her, too
always an unlucky thing to do, l say
Bless your heart, man, she Is the ole
: Princess Royal. Eth? What's thatT'
= He gufrawed mournfully at Brand!
| Involuntary exclamation.
:. Certain! Well. surely I ought Il
!. know. l have passed most Of my serv
ice with the company in her, and wheI
| l took crow to Cramps to navigate
= her to New York after she was smart
r ened up l little imagined l would SCI
I her laid by forever the next time w
saw the lights of old England. NJ,
: goodness, even what was left Of the olt
|. girl ought to know her way better'I
that"
but what did really happen"
"Drivin her, l tell you-drivin' hel
full pelt to land the mails at South
ampton twelve hours ahead Of seized
ule. With that awful sea liftin' he
and a shaft twenty feet longer, wha
could you expect? Poor Perkins. !