The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-05-14

w
was dispensing. The nearer blue Of
the ocean carpet spread an ever widen
ing circle until it merged into vivid
green. Then. with startling sudden
ness, the curtain was drawn aside on
panorama at once magnificent and
amazing
Almost without warning the ship
was found to be entering the estuary
of narrow ford. Gaunt headlands
carved on titanic scale out of the solid
rock guarded the entrance and already
shut out the more distant coast line.
Behind these first massive walls. ey-
erywhere unscalable and rising in sep
arate promOntories to attitudes of per-
haps 400 feet, an inner fertilization of
precipitous mountains flung its gla-
cier clad peaks heavenward to i'm
mense eights-heights which in that
region scared far above the snow line.
But if the crests of peak upon peak
were clothed in white their bases wore
a garment of different texture. Save
on the seaward terraces of stark rock,
with their tide marked base of weed
ton known to mankind imposed ev-
erywhere first barrier to human prog
ress far more unconquerable than the
awesome regions beyond Pine for
,sts of extraordinary density cram
med each available yard of space un-
til the tree growth yielded perforce to
harder Alpine moss and lichens. This
hn1f nf
from 500 to 1000 feet in height as
conditions were adverse or favorable,
and waterfalls abounded.
Courtenay, after an astOunded glance
at the magnitude and solemn grandeur
of the spectacle, had eyes for naught
save the conformation of the channel.
The change in the wind was caused, he
the chart house. His long vigil was
ended. Some of the cloud of care lift
ed from his face, and he called cheeri-
ly to joey.
"Come along, pup" he said. Let us
sample DR.. Christobars cookery. You
have shared my watch; now you shall
my breakfast. We have both earned
it."
1t was in his mind to knock loudly
on Elsie's door and awaken ber.
Therefore he was dimly conscious of
a feeling of disappointment when he
saw her in company with Christobal
leaning over the rail of the promenade
deck and evidently discussing the
weird beauty of the scene spread be-
fore her wondering eyes. They heard
Courtenays approaching footsteps al
most as soon as he gained the deck.
Instantly she ran toward him, with
hands outstretched.
LET me be the first to congratulate
your she cried, her cheeks mantling
with a rush of color and her lips quiv-
ering with excitement. How wonder
full of you to bring the ship through
all those awful reefs and things. No;
you must not say you have done moth
ing marvellous. DR.. Christobal has
dence, Captain Courtenay. we owe our
lives to YOU
Courtenay felt it would hurt her
were he to smile at her earnestness.
But he did say:
"Surely it is not so very remarkable
that 1 should do my best to safeguard
the ship and such Of her passengers
and crew as survive last nights Or
deal.'
II shall never understand how l
came to fall asleep" said Elsie. Il
remember feeling very tired. l sat
down for a moment, and that ended it.
The next thing l heard was rapping
on my door and DR.. Christobals voice
bidding me hurry if l would see the
entrance to the harbor."
The two men exchanged glances.
Courtenay laughed so pleasantly that
it was good to hear.
"Yet there was l up aloft maneu-
vering the ship in the firm faith that
DR.. Christobal was busy in the cooks
galley" said he.
"Ah, we have news for your cried
Elsie. lone of the poor fellows who
was knocked on the head during that
terrible fight for the boats was the
master cook himself. He is better
now, and breakfast can be ready in
five minutes. I'll go and tell him."
She ran off, and Joey scampered by
her side, for he knew quite well where
the kitchen lay.
Bromide is useful at times" MUIR
INJURED Christobal, watching Elsie un-
til she had disappeared. Then he turn
ed to Courtenay.
81 suppose you have seen nothing of
the boats"
"No sign whatever. And l could
hardly have missed them if they were
here. They may have escaped, but I
doubt it. The sea ran very high for
a time, and the Kansas scraped past
SO many reefs that it was almost i'm
possible for each of the three boats to
have done the same"
Even if one or more of them reach
ed land there Is small likelihood that
they would turn up in this particular
bayw
'That is true, especially If they used
their sails. The Chileans who got
away in the lifeboats would know suf-
ficient Of the coast to make northerly
course, while my parting instructions
to Malcolm were to keep to the north
all the time"
IT wish now that poor Isobel Barring
and the others had not left uso said