Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-05-14

LII w VI DtI lhNts Nv GldCS WAS 81
blurred that Courtcnay could not see
that she was crying.
Better wait" he muttcred and turn
I'd his gaze seward again. Yes. there
rould I've no doubt that the almost I'M.
broken swell within half a cables
lesgth of the ship promised a posi-
bility of escape. There was no tell
ing what dangers lay beyond. TO lis
reckoning, the nearest land was TWEEN
tv miles distant. but the shoal water
might extend all the way, and, with a
falling wind, waves once disintegrat-
ed would not regain any considerable
size. 1t was a throw of the dice for
life, but it must be taken. He indulg-
ed in a %momentary thought as to his
W course. Would he leave the ship
In the last boat? Yes, if every wound
ed man on board were taken off first,
and how could he entertain even Il
shred of hope that his cowardly crew
would preserve such discipline to the
end as to permit of that being done?
The answer to his mute question
came sooner than he expected. He
bhh Dtti Ehill'lIll- AIltlt dIpiIt hIVAii
five minutes, intcntly watching the set
OF the sea. so as to determine the best
time for lowering a boat. when. amid
the sustained Shrek Of the wind and
the lashing of the spray, he heard
sounds which told him that the for
ward port iilchoat was being swung
outward on the dayits. The hurricane
G1a,i. X+uS "a r11se Of nnn fTrg,s1 ftrrfIrCS
The two boats TO starl,oard, a lifcboat
and the Jolly boat. had been carried
across the deck in readiness to take the
places Of the port l|ifeboats. A lands
man might think tlat medley reigned
supreme, but it was not SO. Sailor
like work was proceeding with tie ut
most speed and system when an acct
dent happened. For some reason ncv-
er asccrtained, though it was believed
that the mcn in the leading boat were
too anxious to clear the falls and fail
ed to take the proper precautions. the
heavy craft pitched stcrnforemost in.
90 the sea. She sank like a stone. and
with her went n number of ChilCanS.
Their deSpairing wells, coming up from
the churning froth, seemed to be Il
signal for the dcmOniac passions latent
In the crew TO burst forth again. this
time in n consuming blaze that would
not he stayed. Each man fought blind
" for himself. hoedless now Of all re
}trictions.
The knowledge of this latest disaster
iprcad with amazing rapiditY. Up
F.,,,, +l,n (, allan, 40, ~, 81 rush nf stow
1rdS and others. OVcrborne in the pan
L. stricken flight, Gray. Tollcmachc,
Ihr.>tohal. the Trench count and the
head steward. not knowing what new
catastrophe threatCued brought Mr..
Eomervillc and the almost inanimatc
women with them. leaving To their
Tate those who. like Boyle, were una
Die to move. Some of the mob rushed
mp the bridge companion; others made
FOR tic after ladders used only by sail
prs; others again swung themselves TO
the spar deck by the rails and awning
btanlaris. Even before Courteuay
eould Ncach the scene both the second
nod third otfiS ers cere stabbed. this
lime mortally. He saw one Of the in
furiated mutineers heave the third Of
fcer's body overheard. a final quit
lance for some injury previously re-
reived.
He cmptied his revolver into the
tumbiing mass OF men, but he was
swept aside by the fresh gang from
the salon and perhaps owed his
escape from instant death by falling
IN the slippery deck. He was up again
shouting, entreatinG. striking right ant
left. bat he felt bitterly that his eff
forts now were Of nc avail, and he be
Thought him that th"rc WAS only one
resource left. These frcnZicd wretclIe:
would destroy themselves and all 9th
ers, so if he would save even a few
of the lives "intruStcl to his care a
least one of the boats must he pro
tected. The struggle was ~fiercest fo
The possession of the two iifehoatS. T.,
a Getcrmined effort the Jolly boat nigh
be secured.
SO he ran 10 obtain help from tn,
yew he could trust, from the tiny com
pany Of white men he had left in til
salon. He met them. Il for!orn process
Sion. coming mp to tho bridge. The al
powerful instinct OF self preservation
aided, no doubt, by the Singing
d%renching showers of spray, had gon
FAR toward terminating lSOhcl and he
maid, while Mrs. Somcrvillc, a woma
advanced in years. was able to wall
though benumbeI with the suddc
Coid. COurtenay unlocked the door q
his cabin. Elsie, her face pale and tea
stained, but outWardly composed. wa
yet standing near the table, and tn
dog sprang from her arms the momcr
his master appeared.
Thank Cod she said, all of Il flu
ter now that the solitary waiting for
death which came not was ended. -
feared | should mover see you agail
Is the ship lost:'
The wild s%ouching Of the wind rci
nercd her words indistinct, anu IL
raptain had no time for explanations.
IN here lie shouted to Gray, VIII
had helped lsobel to enter the cha
room, the frs refuge available on tn
exposed deck.
sharp with it, he Numbered whe
lsoDel was unwilling to face the storl
again. The men took their cue froi
his imperative tone. Gray clasped Isl
bel in his arms and lifted her bodil