The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1908-12-03
CHAPrER xy.-(contlnued. J

W CHATTER AV--(Continueo.
Captain Negley had just stepped into
the chart room. Laird was on the bridge.
Plass, the second officer on his way to
! the bridge to relieve or assist Laird,
was felied 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,
4 and the ship was rolling like 4 runaway
| buoy.
The skipper regained his feet. In spits
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 Negley 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 oyerpower the captain when Pugh, the
| third officer, untouched by fire, appeared
from below. In a horrid tongueless way.
Negley fired the other to act, and stag
gered into the cabin passageway. Pugh
shrieked 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.
Macready 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.
whats this you're talkin'? IT'S no
bit ay geyser in a 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 Irishman.
Bring him here ~ she commanded. TAX
ing Negley's arm. There, l can man.
age him! Run and get oils and lint -
He obeyed. The decks were covered
with a paste that burned through his
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
'hrobbing.
Eight miles at sea Eight miles at
sea " Macready repeated. '-Th' long
armed mountain-an' what mustn't the in
fghtin' 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 portion. Nature finds work |
for strong hearts that have lost their
heroes. Negley's cracked and twisted |
boots had been removed, and the ashes
cleansed from his eyes and ears and |
mouth. Another valiant nurse had emery |
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 |
been applied to the shippers wounds, she
helped Macready carry the unconscious
nan to a berth.
.'Tis- rainin' eYenchooalities out" he
nuttered genially, noting that the work
vas life to her.
I'VE must be nearly in-shore by this
.ime," she said slowly.
Denny's effervescence was now corked.
2ugh had been putting the Madame out
@ sea since he got control of her. The
-rishman felt instinctively that the wom-
in would want to go ashore, which he
lidn't propose to allow. On the other
land, although he had nothing to do with
he running of the ship, he didn't like the
dea of saving the Madame at the price
# her owners life.
81 Dunno" he answered carefully.
'Tis hard t see fur tn rain"
His soft magic failed.
But the ship is moyingr' she exclaim-
d. Denny, open the door :"
Macready gave way. She heard the
teady beat of the engines, and the big
cas- driving past. She rushed out of the
regardless of the food, and
eered over the main deck railing. There
,as no smoke, no familiar shadow of
ills. but a leaden, tumultuous sky and
he rollers of the open sea, beaten by
oriental shower. She crossed the char {
ID planking to the starboard side drench-
4 to the skin in an instant. There was
o Pelee. no Saint Pierre Macready
ried to draw her to cover, but she turned
pom him furiously. {
You have let them put to sea-you,
is friend-while he is held back there, I
-aiting for his ship?'
What could poor Dinny, that bosses
l. ealleys, ma am, do toward runnin the
lip? Thin byes I'D say, Git back t
our patty-pans, you wipe? But I've S
lried. sure, t kape tn lady from harum
lis day. You know Captain Negley-" y
where's the first oficer?' s