Gunnison news-champion., 1906-04-20
CssEased Nexs Week

~ - - - - ~ - ~'"A|A- -NAs faaA Nstt tf
~ssen . -ssr& AID dIs asr know what
waves can h< when they raise their
erss-s~ against vessel
suddenly spos toe DAN -urs.ee Of she
cssssd a4year.d a Hhiss fcck A. II
Aarl44 vaif- r~sstsa ane ar..s q ..at. gere
asRE aiagoaslly scr.-- IL. A. sho MAJ
gard - tsis aprarstion ii hrg.n 10
saoSe rapidly toward the x.nish The
great c.ssssa sprsns up higher I adrr
tes- cNaepy white streak ~A~ traced
upon the water. From altar came .
Whisper. thea . moan ahes the great
voice Of the tempest crying cut along
the sea. Beware bcwarsf- Instantly
the ar x@s allied with sire spray which
blotscd cut the light. the ship reeled
nndcr 9 great stroke from the right arm
of the tempcst, and then sd before the
gale. whose fury mssuicnsssril 5 Increased.
When the storm struck the jank the
captain passed rape around the body
cf the girl aud bsde her bold ON by IL
and by the rail 10 ~hich IA wa fast
ensd. She did 50 with = uervoas en-
erey which seemed double her ordinary
strength. and though half blinded by
the fying spray and d.afcued by the
roar Of the wind. she felt an sxhilara
ticn IN this wondrous scene. thls great
display Of natares forces.
Onward the ship plunged through the
night The waves rose ever higher b>
hind her. aud there was a white CLEAN
on their crests like the teeth of a han
CRY animal vhon bis lips are drawn
back. The captain made his Way TO her
SIDE and, putting his lips 10 her ear.
asked II She were afraid. She strove 10
reply, but her voice was lost in the
wind.
III we escape the cliffs Of Pom Low
she heard the captain say, but the re-
mainder OF his words were lost In the
bowling of the wind. 1t seemed 10 sho
Mai that the ship was driven thus for
many hours and She wondered Why the
morning did not come. In reality IL
Was little past midnight, when looking
ahead she saw great black dome shoot
up and tower 70 gigantic height before
the ship. The sight was overpowering
IN It's horror-this enormous monster
rearing its heed in their path and the
ave that came upon the girl made the
second of time which passed seem like
whole lifetime OF fear. A greet veil Of
serrOs burst from the throats of The seiI-
ers; thea these wss fearful crssA, snA
she 0G was tAs0wA violently b the
ASck. Bes heei struck = fragmeAt sf
the beokea ssil sad she passed ints M
consciousness.
When her eyes opened next she be-
held the face Of the captain close to
hers. Around her she could hear the
boiling OF the waters. Looking about
her she perceived that she had been
borne up into the rigging, and that
several of the crew had sought the same
refuge. Below her was the vessels deck.
over which the waves broke every mo-
ment. Before her was the great and
terrible dome which had so suddenly
risen out of the storm.
THE cliffs of Pom Loy.~ shouted the
captain in her ear. Before us is the
mouth of the great cave. We have
struck upon a sunken ledge. but the
waves will soon drive US over it, and
may cast us into the cave itself. W.
shall all PERISH
Then let us die bravely," said She
Mai. .ss becomes innocent men,"
Her words, which in reality were due
less to courage than 10 the strange per
sistence OF the character which She had
assumed during the past few days,
reached the captains ears. He groaned
"lnnocent men" he cried. Il tell YOU.
hoy, that this storm is the voice Of the
angry gods of the temple we despoiled,
whose sacred vessels and treasures OF
golA we're the stolen freight which we
60 ,r,I bas =.
must pay the forfeit, but your inno-
renee may save you"
And may your repentance save you,-
saiA Sho Mai
1T 10 too late" he said, ard az the
~ords . great wave lifted the vessel
ovsr the ledge and hurled her forward.
I'VE shall be carried into the haunted
save" shrieked the sailors. and one by
me they loosed their hands from the
totsering spar and cast themselves head
long into the see, which instantly swal-
lowed them up. Only the captain re-
named, holding the trembling form of
sho Mai in an arm that was like a rope
u steel Clinging thus to the mast they
saw themselves borne towards the great
black mass in whose face now appeared
the water. Straight on ward toward this
fearful chasm they drove, and not until
IL towering roof was about to close over
their heads did the crash of rended tim
eers tell them that the junk had been
cast upon the rocks. The great mast
bent forward slowly, as it seemed to
Sho Mai, and in its sweep carried them
within the gateway OF the cavern.
MAY the Gods preserve your ife.-
murmured the captain
His words were drowned in q rush OF
waters as the descending mast plunged
both into deep black pool within the
cave Down. and ever down. sank sho
Mai, and in her ears the runbling dwin-
died to soft, singing rnurmur, as if the
eternal stiffness of death were preluded
BY strange. moaning music. She felt
tAe arm that had held her loosen it's
hold- and give her great impulse up