Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-09-07
CHAPTER NI-Continued.

And the pity Of 1t! The wind was
dropping In another hour the weather
might moderate appreciably, the tide
would sweep her away from the horri-
BILE reef and help would be forthcom-
ing. Indeed, even then a powerful
steam trawler was preparing to fight
her way out Of Penzance harbor, with
brave men on board ready to take any
risk to save ship In distress.
But the hour was grudged by fate.
They could plainly hear the hoarse
blasts Of the steamers fog horn, and
again rocket spurted its path to the
clouds.
anything. in a worse position than be-
fore. as the wind remained fixed In the
southwest. and the tide Mt this stage
curved In toward the land ere 1t began
to flow back again to the Atlantic.
"Can nothing be doneY' 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
I'd the vessels approach. The siren
ceased. Had those on board abandon
ed hope7 Pitching and rolling In a
manner that suggested the possibility
Of laundering in deep water. she came
on with fatal directness. Suddenly a
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-northwest At low
water some two acres Of Jagged rocks
are exposed. On all sides the sound
lngs fell to sixteen and eighteen faith
oms. What II this helpless leviathan
Of 10000 tons or more dead weight
were to strike the pillar2 This was
quite possible with the tide at its 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; tn 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 a second time
that night he knew what fear meant. He
watched the onward plunging Of the
vessel with stupe1ed eyes. He saw, as
In q dream, that her officers and crew
were 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
signaled to the chart house. With
miraculous dizziness, on the assumption
that her wheel was put hard over, she
fell away from the racing seas. Her
red light disappeared, her green light
lifted her bodily. with a mad Joy that
It should be able to use her to batter
Its enemy, the rock.
Then she struck. with a sickening
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 were in Brands eyes. His
arms encircled the two girls.
There goes a fine ship commanded
by a brave man, he cried.
And that was the beginning Of the
captains requiem.