Evening star., 1907-11-05
CHAPTER I-Continued.

face in her hands to hide the tears which
the entreaty of the hymn had brought to
her eyes. Some one whispered to her:
won't you sing something, Miss Max
well?''
1t was the American. He judged that
the sweet voice which unconscious!y led
the singing of the hymn must be skilled
in other music.
She looked up at him, her eyes shining.
Sing, Do you think it possible?' she
asked.
Yes. You can do n brave thing. l
guess and that would be brave"
will try she said, and she walked
| TO the piano, which screw atnwart
the deck in front of the polished ma
hogany sheath Of the steel malnmast. 1t
was in her mind to play some lively ex-
cerpts from the light operas then In
| vogue but the secret influences OF the
hour We're stronger than her studied in
tent. and. when her fingers touched the
keys, they wandered. almost without v1li-
ton, into the subtle harmonies OF Gou-
mods ave Maria" She played the air
first then. gaining confidence she sang
the words. using Spanish version which
| had caught her fancy. 1t was good to
| see the flashing eyes and impas 'ioned
| they found that she was singing in their
| own language. These men, owing to their
| acquaintance with the sea anf knowledge
| of the coast. were now in state of
| panic: they would have burst the bonds
| of discipline on the least pretext. So. as
| It CHANGED, the voice of the English
| sen)rita reached them as the message of
! an angel and the spell she cast over
| them did not lose its potency during some
| hours of dangerous toll. Here, again, was
| found one of the comparatively trivial in
| cidents which contributed materially to
! the working out of a stranga drama. be-
cause anything in the nature of a mutin-
Gus orgy breaking out IN the first part OF
| that soul-destroying night must have in
Stantly converted the ship into a blood
b@Spattered inferno.
Excited applause rewarded the song.
Fired by example, the dapper French
count approached the piano and asked
Elsie if she could pay Beranger's "Roi
d'Yvetot." She repressed a smile at his
choice, but the chance that presented it
self of initiating concert on the spur OF
the moment was too good to be lost
NJ. de Poincilit in a nice light tenor, told
how
ii etait un roi d'Yvetot
Peu dams rhistoire,
Sc levant tard, Sc couchant tot.
Dormant fort bien gloire.
The Frenchman took the merry mon
arch seriously, but the lifting melody
pleased everybody except "Mr. Wood
The "Oh. obs" and "Ah abs" of the
chorus apparently stirred him to speech.
to the side of Gray, the American en-
gineer. and said, with a contenptuous nod
toward the singer:
What rot,''
Not bit of it. He's all right. Won't
you give us a song neXt?'
If Gray showed the face of a sphinx,
so did Mr.. Wood" who's real name was
Tollemache. He bent a little nearer.
Seen the rockets?' he asked.
mo. Are we signaling?'
cd
You don't say. Things are in a pretty
bad shape, then?'
"ROtten.'
We'll. like Brer Rabbit. we must lie
low and say nothing
This opinion was incontrovertible More
over, Tollemache was not one who needed
urging to keep his mouth shut. Indeed,
this was by far the longest conversation
he had INDUCED in since he came aboard;
nor was he finished with it.
ship will strike Soon he said.
Cray turned on him sharply "Oh, non
sense he exclaimed. What has put
that absurd notion into your head?"
Know this coast
But we are far out at sea-
Fifty miles from danger line two hours
ago. Thirty now"
Are you sure?'
"Certain."
do you mean to tell me that in three
hours. or less the ship may be a -wreck?''
will be-" said Tollemache. Have a
cigar" and he passed u well-filed case
to his companion.
The American was beginning to take
the silent ones mea .ure. He bit off the
end of a cigar and lit it.
What's at the back of your head?' he
asked coolly. The other looked toward
the Chileans.
Those chaps are rotters." he said.
You think they will cut up rough?
What can they do? We must all sink or
swim together"
Yes, but there are the women, you
know. They must be looked after. You
can count on me. Tell the chief steward
and the padri.
Gray felt that here was man after his
own heart. the native born Am arican hav
Ing rough and ready way of classifying
nationalities when the last test of man
hood is applied by a shipwreck or fire.
Got gum" he inquired.
Cabin. Coin for II first opportunity"
Same here. But the captain will give
US some sort of warning?"
Perhaps not. Die quick. die happy"
Then Gray smiled, and he could not help
saying: Tell you what. cousin, If you
shoot as straight as you talk these stew
ards will come to heel, no matter what
| happens
Fair shot" admitted Tollemache. and
| he stalked off to his stataroom, while the
count was vociferatirg. fer the last time: