Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-11-16
Chapter NIV-Continued.


III. rope around his waist was held
from the tug The instant he made his
leap the men with him were to back
water. the crew at the drag to haul for
all they were worth and consequently
pull the boat clear Of the next wave
ere 1t broke. That is why he selected
q handy craft In place Of the lifeboat
offered to him as soon as his resolve
was whispered ashore. 1t was on ra-
pidity, quick judgment, the utilization
OF seconds, that he depended. The un-
wieldly bulk Of the lifeboat not only
detracted from these oil important con-
eiderations, but made it more than
probable that she would be capsized or
touch the reef.
For the same reason he timed his ap-
proach on the rising tide. He could
venture nearer to the lighthouse itself,
and the boat could be rowed and drag
ged more speedily into safety. With
him, too, were men who knew every
inch Of the Gulf Rock. He knew he
could trust them to the end.
Although he had mapped out his pro
gramme to the last detail, Brands in
SEPARATION in using the oil created a
fresh and utterly unforeseen set Of con-
ditions.
Mountainous ridges Still danced fam
tastically up and down the smooth
granite slopes. but they no longer
broke, and 1t is broken water, not tu-
multuously heaving seas, that an open
boat must fear.
With the intuition of a born sailor,
ready to seize any advantage given by
human enemy or angry ocean, Stan
hope decided in the very jaws of op-
portunity to abandon his original de-
sign totally and shout to the men he
saw standing In the entrance to heave
him a rope. He would have preferred
the danger Of the jump. He almost
longed to endure the fierce struggle
which might ensue before he reached
those waiting hands. He thought he
would have his reward in the tense Joy
Of the fight, In bringing salvation to
Enid and those with her, in seeing her
sweet face again after these days and
nights Of vigil.
But the paramount need was to sue
coed. The extraordinary and, to him,
quite inexplicable change In conditions
which he had studied during tortured
hours passed on the bridge Of the Fall
con or the Trinity tender made 1t DOS
sible to remain longer in the vicinity
Of the rock than he had dared to hope.
Therefore he knew it was advisable to
adopt the certain means Of communi-
cation Of the thrown rope In preference
to the uncertainty Of his own power to
reach and climb the ladder.
Flinging out bis right arm he mo-
toned to the men In the lighthouse to
be ready to heave coil. The wind
was the chief trouble now, but he must
chance that.
"'Vast pulling" he yelled over his
shoulder as q mOnstrous wave pranced
over the reef and enveloped the col
umn.
AYE. aye" sang out his crew.
Up went the boat on the crest and q
fearsome cavern spread before his
eyes. revealing the seaweed that chung
to the lowest tier Of masonry. In the
same instant he caught q feeting
glimpse Of lofty billow rearing back
from the rocks on the north.
Down sank the boat until the door of
the lighthouse seemed to be an awful
distance away. She rose again, and
6tanhope stood upright his knees
wedged against the wooden ribs. One
piercing glance In front and another to
the right showed that the antagonism
Of the two volumes Of water gave the
expected lull.
'Pullv
The boat shot onward. Once, twice,
three times the oars dipped with pre-
cisi0n. These rOwers, who went with
their backs turned to what might be
instant death, were brave and stanch
as he who looked it unflinchingly in the
face.
"Heave" roared Stanhope to tho
white visaged second officer standing
In the doorway far above him.
The rope whirred through the air. the
boat rose still higher to meet 1t, and
the coil struck Stanhope in the face,
iashing him savagely in the final spite
of the baffied gale which puny man
had conquered.
Never was blow taken with such
Christian charity.
Back" he cried, and the oarsmen,
not knowing what had happened, bent
against the tough blades. The tugs
sailors at the drag, though the engines
grinding at half speed were keeping
them grandly against the race not
more than $50 yards In the rear, failed
Tor an instant 70 understand what was
going on. But their captain had seen
the cast and read its Significance.