Evening star., 1907-11-12
CHAPTER VII-Continued.

So the new hand, satisfied that the
gauge was correct and the furnace lively
lit his pipe, sat down. and began to jot
in a notebook the contents o. his coat
pockets The Spaniards letters he could
not read. though he gathered that one OF
them was from wife in Vallodolid, who
would travel overland early in January
to meet her husband. But the English
mans correspondence was terribly eX-
pliCit A heart broken mother wrote
from Liverpool that Jack had been shot
during one of the many coldweather cam
paigns on the Indian frontier. Il have
no news simply a telegram from the war
office But of what avail to know how
my darling died? My tears are binding
me. You and l alone are left. and you
are thousands of miles away. May the
Lord be merciful to me. wloow. and
bring you home to comfort me. Yet the
knife which killed him must have gone
very near that letter.
Tcremache tried to grip his pipe In his
teeth He failed. 1t fell on the iron floor.
"Oh. this is rotten!" he growled why
couldn't he have been spared? NO one
would have missed me. ! aon suppose
Jennie would care tuppence.
The Kansas rolled heavily. He waited
few seconds for the expected shock, but
she swung back to an even keel Inen
he stopped to pick up his pipe. and his
mouth hardened.
Spared by gad." he said. What
rot!" That roll of the ship was caused
by an experimental twist Of the wheel.
Courtenay, peering into the darkness
through the open window of the chart
house, saw that the weather was clearing
He had evolved theory, and, for want
of a better he was determined to pursue
IL to a finish. The Kansas was being
swiftly carried along in a strong and deep
tidal current. Happily the wind followed
the set of the sea. else there would be no
chance Of success for his daring plan. His
expedient was the desperate one of keep
ing the vessel in the line of the current.
and If day broke before he reached the
coast, he would steer for any opening
which presented itself in the fringe o:
reefs which must assuredly guard the
mainland.
| With his hands grasping the taut and.
| in one sense. irresponsive mechanism of a
steering wheel governed by steam, sailor
can feel the movement of his ship, a
seaworthy vessel being living thing
| obedient as a docile horse to the least
| touch of the rein. But, in the unlikely
event of fortune favoring Courtenay to
the extent of giving him an opportunity to
see the coming danger 1t was essential
that the ship should have certain radius
| of action apart from the direction and
| force of the ocean stream. The two sails
we're helpful and it was to assure himself
OF their efficiency that he put the ilelm to
starboard. The Kansas obeyed with ar
answering roll to port, showing clearly
that she was travelling a little faster thar
the inrushing tide would take her unaided
He brought her head back to nor'east
again. and glanced over his shoulder al
the ships chronometer. 1t was a quarter
to one. Two hours must pass before he
would discern the first faint streaks OF
| light. At any rate, if he were spared tc
greet the dawn. 1t would be right ahead
and, a few seconds might then be OF
| utmost value, that was a small point in
| his favor. Yet, two hours. Could he dare
| to hope for so long respite? How couIc