, 1906-01-10
XVIII.

gave q lurcn Wnlcn tnreW her ACROSS
the threshold into Monty's arms. They
crashed against the wall, and he held
her a moment and forgot the storm.
When she drew away from him she
showed him the open door and free
dom. She could not speak.
where are the others Z" he asked,
bracing himself in the doorway.
"Oh, Monty" she cried, I'VE must
not go to them. They will think me a
traitor"
"Why were you a traitor, PeggyT'he
demanded, turning toward her sudden
ly.
"Oh-oh, because 1t seemed SO cruel
to keep you locked up through the
/ Storm" she answered, blushing.
"And there was no other r%eason?' he
persisted.
Don't, please don't" she cried pite-
ously, and he misunderstood her emo
ton. 1t was clear that she was merely
sorry for him.
Never mind, Peggy, it's all right.
You stood by me, and I'll stand by you.
Come on; we'll face the mob, and I'll
do the fighting"
Together they made their way into
the presence of the mutineers, who
were crowded into the main cabin.
"Well, here's a conspiracy cried
Dan DeMille, but there was no anger
in his voice. "How did you escape? l
was just thinking of unlocking your
1oor, Monty, but the key seemed to be
missing"
Peggy displayed it triumphantly.
"By Jove!" cried Dan. This is rank
treachery. Who was on guard?'
A steward rushing through the cabin
at this moment in answer to frantic
calls from Bragdon furnished an elo-
quent reply to the question.
st was simple" said Monty. 1.-THE
guards deserted their post and left the
key behind"
'Then it is up to me to pay you
$1,000"
mot at ALL" protested Monty, taken
aback. Il did not escape of my own
accord. 1 had help. The money is
yours. And now that l am Free" he
added quietly, "let me say that this
boat does not go to Boston,"
Just what | expected!' cried Van
derpool.
"She's going straight to New York;"
declared Monty. The words were hard
ly uttered when a heavy sea sent hin
s%prawling across the cabin, and he o
cluded, "or to the bottom"
mot so bad as that" said Captain
Perry, whose entrance had been some
what fastened by the lurch of the boat.
But until this blows over | must keep
you below" He laughed, but he saw
they were not deceived. "The seas are
pretty heavy and the decks are being
holystoned for nothing, but l wouldn't
like to have any of you washed over
board by mistake"
The matches were battened down, and
it was a sorry company that tried to
while away the evening in the main
cabin. Monty's chatting about the adj
yantages of the North cape over the
stormy Atlantic was not calculated to
raise the dropping spirits, and it was
very early when he and his shattered
guests turned in. There was little
sleep on board the Filter that night.
Even If it had been easy to forget the
danger, the creaking of the ship and
the incessant roar of the water were
enough for w~akefulness. With each
lurch of the boat it seemed more in
credible that 1t could endure. 1t was
such a mite of a thing to meet so furi-
Gus an attack. Through the night
the fragile little craft fought it's lone
ly way, bravely ignoring its own weak
ness and the infinite strength of its en-
envy. To the captain, dashed to the
bridge, there were hours of grave NIX
iety-hours when he feared each wave
as it approached and wondered what
new damage 1t had done as it receded.
AS the wind increased toward morning
he felt a sickening certainty that the
brave little boat was beaten. Somehow
she seemed to lose courage, to waver
a bit and almost give up the fight. He
watched her miserably as the dismal
dawn came up out of the sea. Yet 1t
was not until 7 o'clock that the crash
came which shook the passengers out
of their berths and filed them with
shivering terror. The whirling of the
broken shaft seemed to consume the
ship. In every cabin 1t spoke with
horrible vividness of disaster. The
clamor of voices and the rush of many
feet which followed meant but one