Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-07-30
CHAPTER Xy-fContinued !

was felled at the door of the chart room.
In the instant required to drag the body
to shelter and close the door of the chart
room, Captain Negley was overpowered
by the blizzard of steam. gas and livid
stone. When consciousness returned TO
him he was lying across the body Of Plass,
and the ship was rolling like a runaway
buoy
The skipper regained his feet In spite
Of terrible burns, he felt little pain. His
limbs below the knees, were like wood.
His left hand was yellow and inflated.
Fire brands still screamed into the sea
outside, but the day was returning. The
indomitable NegIey was first to reach the
deck. the woodwork of which was burn
ing in several places. He tried to shout,
but his throat was closed by the hot dust.
The body Of a man was hanging over the
railing Of the bridge. 1t was Laird, with
his face burned away.
The shock of his burns was beginning
to overpower the captain when Pugh, the
third officer, untouched by fire, appeared
from below. In a horrid tongueless way,
Negiey fired the other to act, and stag
gered into the cabin passageway. Pugh
shrleked up the hands and set to the fires
and the ships course. Out of the five
sailors and three officers on deck when
Pelee struck, Negley alone had retained
the thinking faculty.
Miss Stansbury was hurled from her
chair. Appalled, by the dread fact of dis
solution, she lay in the primal darkness in
the midst of falling glass. Macready was
cropping, calling for her. That she was
unhurt seemed such a great matter to
him and entirely Insignificant to herself
Her lover had fallen. Their starry pa
vilion of the future was in blackness and
ruin 1t would have been better had
Pelee found them together. +
hacready lifted her to a chair. The
ports were gray instead of black, but
splashed with the big seas.
Your friend is dead, Denny" she said
harshly.
What's this you're talkin'? IT'S no
bit av geyser in dirt pile as can tell
him how t come an 60"
The screaming of the native women
reached them from the hold. Macready
opened the door, and a blast of terrible
heat entered the cabin. The woman was
clutching the arms of the chair and star
ing at him with the most pitiful eyes ever
seen in child or woman. The swaying
form of Negley was in the passageway,
and something of the extent of the disas-
ter broke upon the freshman
Bring him here y she commanded, TAX
ing Negley's arm. There. | can man
age him! Run and get oils and lint I
lie obeyed. The decks were covered
with a paste that burned through his
shoes. Black clouds were rolling out to
sea. Deep thunder of a righteous source
answered Pelee's lamentations. The sail
ors were fighting fire and carrying their
dead. The thin, shaken voice Of Pugh
came from the bridge. The engines were
throbbing.
Eight miles az sea! Eight miles at
sea ~ Macready repeated. 9Th long
armed mountain-an' what mustn't the in
6ghtin have been ~
In the store-room, he opened jars of oil
and cartons of lint and bandages, for the
use of the men; then rushed back to the
cabin with a portion. Nature finds work
for strong hearts that have lost their
heroes. Negleys cracked and twisted
boots had been removed, and the ashes
cleansed from his eyes and ears and
mouth. Another valiant nurse had emerg-
ed from broken romance. The woman
who would have tainted yesterday at the
smell of burnt flesh was cutting away the
clothing from the captains shoulder
When the ointments and wrappings had
oeen applied to the shippers wounds, she
helped Macready carry the unconscious
man to a berth
IT'S rainin' evenchooalities out" he
muttered genially, noting that the work
was life to her.
I'VE must be nearly in-shore by this
time" she said slowly.
Denny's effervescence vas now corked.
Pugh had been putting the Madame out
to sea since he got control of her. The
Irshman felt instinctively that the wom-
an would want to go ashore, which he
didn't propose to allow. On the other
hand, although he had nothing to do with
the running of the ship, he didn't like the
idea of saving the Madame at the price
of her owners life.
Il dunno" he answered carefully.
TITS hard t see fur tn rain"
His soft magic failed.
but the ship is moving :" she exclaim-
cd. Denny, open the door ~
Macready gave way. She heard the
steady beat of the engines. and the big
seas driving past. She rushed out of the
passageway, regardless of the flood. and
peered over the main deck railing. There
was no smoke, no familiar shadow of
hills, but leaden, tumultuous sky and
the rollers of the open sea, beaten hy a
torrental shower. She crossed the char
red planking TO the starboard side, drench-
ed to the skin In an instant. There was
no Pelee, no Saint PIERRE Macreadv
tried to draw her to cover, but she turned
upon him furiouSly.
You have let them put to sea--you,
his friend-while he is held back there,
waiting for his ship?"
What could poor Dinny, that bosses
n galleys, ma am, do toward runnin' the
ship? Thin byes nd say, Git back t
your patty-pans. you wiper But I've
thried sure, t kape tn lady from harum
Ibis day. You know Captain Negley-"
Where's the first officer?"
Dead ma'am"
And the second oficer?"
"Th' same"
"Who is putting out to sea?"
Third Officer Pugh, in the name av his
dirthy sowl.''
rs that Pugh on the bridge?"
'Ut is"
A moment later the officer in oil skins
turned to face an apparition, wind-swept
and drenched as if risen from the sea,
who pulled at his coat and called above
the deluge:
Turn back to the city! Didn't they
tell you that Mr.. Constable is there and
eeds his ship?''
Go below, miss. I'm trying to save
his ship for him."
In a stunned way she stared at the
officer. Don't you know he was TO be
back in two hours?''
Pugh whirled around to Macready, who
was standing behind the woman. You
don't seem able to manage one passenger,
he said in an ugly tone. I'm shorthand
ed but I'll get help for your
The Irishman was too wise to reply.
But you must turn back - the woman
cried hopelessly "Csptain Negley would