Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-03-26

hat the fierce violence Of the gale had
somewhat abated. 1t was not SO in
reality. A steady fall In the barom-
eter foretold even worse weather to
come Courtenay, assured now that
the main engines were absolutely use
less, thought it advisable to get steer
ing way OH the ship by rigging the
foresail double reefed and trapped.
The result was quickly perceptible
The Kansas might not be popped
again. hut she would travel more rap
idly into the unknown.
Yet this afforded only another In
stance of the way men reason when
they seek to explain cause from effect.
The hosting of that strip of stout cam
vas was one of the time factors in the
story of an eventful night, for it was
with gray faced despair that the cap
tain gave the requisite order when
the second engineer reported that his
senior was dead, the crown of two
furnaces destroyed and the engines
clogged if not irretrievably damaged
by fallen debris. None realized better
than the young commander what dis
astrous fate awaited his ship In the
gloom Of the flying scud ahead. There
was faint chance of encountering an
other steamship which would respond
to his signals. Then he would risk
all by laying the Kansas broadside on
in the effort to take tow rope aboard.
Meanwhile it was best to bring her I'M
der some sort of control, the steam
steering gear, driven by the uninjured
donkey engine. being yet available.
In the salon Elsie had shielded her
face in her hands to hide the tears
which the entreaty of the hymn had
brought to her eyes. Some one whis-
pered to her:
won't you sing something, Miss
MAXWELL"
1t was the American. He judged
that the sweet voice which uncon-
sciously led the singing of the hymn
must be skilled in other music.
She looked up at him, her eyes shin
ing.
"singl Do you think it possiblea"
she asked.
Eyes You can do a brave thing, l
guess, and that would be brave
81 will try" she said, and she walk
ed to the piano, which was screwed
athwart the deck In front of the pol
ished mahogany sheath of the steel
mainmast. : 1t was in her mind to play
some lively excerpts from the light OPP
eras then in vogue, but the secret intiu-
ences of the hour were stronger than
her studied intent, and when her fin
gers touched the keys they wandered
almost without volition into the subtle
harmonies of Gounod's 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 impassioned gestures
Of the Chilean stewards when they
own language. These men, owing to
their acquaintance with the sea and
knowledge of the coast, were now in a
state of panic They would have burst
the bonds of discipline on the least
pretext So, as it CHANGED. the voice
of the English senorita reached them
as the message of an angel, and the
spell she cast over them did not lose
It's potency during some hours Of dan
gerous toll.
Excited applause rewarded the song.
Fired by example, the dapper French
count approached the piano and asked
Elsie to play Beranger's "Roi d'Yye-
tot
The Frenchman took the merry mon
arch seriously, but the lifting melody
pleased everybody except Mr.. Wood
The "Oh-oh's'' and "Ah-ah's" of the
chorus apparently stirred him tc
speech. He strolled from corner of
the salon to the side of Gray, the
American engineer, and said. with a
contemptuous nod toward the singer:
'sWhat rot"
mot bit of it. He's all right.
Won't you give US song next?"
If Gray showed the face Of sphinx.
SO did Mr.. Wood, whose real name
was Tollemache. He bent a little
nearer.
"Seen the rocketsy' he asked.
"No. Are we signaling?"
every minute; have counted ff-
teen"
"You don't say. Things are in a
pretty bad shape. then?"
Rotten
well, like Brer Rabbit. we must lie
low and say nothing"
This opinion was incontroyertible
Moreover, Toliemache 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.
Gray turned on him sharply. "Oh.
nonsensep' he exclaimed. What has
put that absurd notion into your
head?"