The Red Cloud chief., 1906-08-17
(CONTtNCED.)

But the hour was grudged by fate.
They could plainly hear the hoarsc
blasts Of the steamers fog horn. and
again a rocket spurted its path to the
clouds.
She was barely a mile away and. If
anything, in worse position than be-
fore, as the wind remained fixed in the
cury ed in toward the land ere 1t began
to flow back again to the Atlantic
"Can nothing be done?" screamed
Constance rendered half frantic by the
thought that the steamer would go to
pieces before their eyes
Nothing" was the answer "Pray
for them. They are in the hands of
God"
In grewsome distinctness they watch
ed the vessels approach. The siren
ceased. Had those on board abandon
ed hope? Pitching and rolling in
manner that suggested the possibility
of foundcrlng in deep water, she came
on with fatal directness. Suddenly
dreadful thought came to Brands
mind. The lighthouse stood on the
easterly and most elevated portion OF
the reef, whose bearings ran southwest
by west and north h-northwcst. At low
water some two acres Of Jagged rocks
are exposed. On all sides the sound
inGs fell to sixteen and eighteen faith
oms. What If this helpless leviathan
of 10000 tons or more dead weight
We're to strike the pillar? This was
quite possible with the tide at It's pres
ent level. 1t all depended whether her
bows were raised or lowered at the mo-
ment Of impact. In the one case she
would smash away many feet Of rock
and perhaps damage the foundations
of the lighthouse; in the other, her
sharp prov would stab into the vitals
of the granite and the huge column
might collapse in common ruin with its
colossal assailant.
One Of the girls, he never remember
ed which of them, spoke to him. He
could not answer. For second time
that night he knew what fear meant. He
watched the onward plunging Of the
vessel with stupefied eyes. He saw, as
in a dream, that her officers and crew
We're still making desperate efforts to
weather the reef. But, with the utter
malignity of fate, though they might
have swung her to port, she would not
bulge a yard to starboard, for now
both wind and waves assailed her most
vehemently ON the starboard quarter.
Then when she was little more than
twice her own length distant he was
certain that dim form on the bridge
sgnaled to the chart house. With u
miraculous deftness, on the assumption
that her wheel was put hard over she
fell away from the racing seas. Her
red light disappeared, her green light
curved into full view. The next wave
lifted her bodily, with mad Joy that
1t should be able to use her to batter
Its enemy, the rock.
Then she struck, with sicken!ng
crash that was plainly audible above
the roar of the reef. This was not
enough. Another rush of foaming wa
ter enveloped her and smashed her
again on an inner ledge. There she
lodged, falling inertly over to star
board.
And Brand found his voice once
more, for, as sure as this terrible night
would have its end so surely had the
gallant captain of the steamer refused
TO imperil the lighthouse when all hope
OF saving his ship had vanished
The tears We're in Brands eyes. His
arms encircled the two girls.
There goes fine ship commanded
by n brave man.' he cried.
And that was the beginning of the
captains requiem.