The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-11-11
CHAPTER XI.
Continued.

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formed in those awful few. minutes,
and much Of the finest, self-sacrifcing
devotion was displayed, side by side
with craven terror and despair of the
selfish, abject kind, which is despica-
BILE.
They want more hands there to
help with the buckets" a brawny
working-woman remarked. IF some
one would hold my baby"
"Give him to mel" exclaimed a
young, gentlewoman, stepping for
ward, a delicate looking creature,
only half-dressed. II can't lift a
bucket, I'm ashamed to say, but I can
mind a baby"
well done for you, miss" another
woman exclaimed, fervently. i've
got a broken ARM, more's the pity, OF
I'd go myself. But my mans there.
That's him, that big, fine chap, close
up to the fire." she added, with par
donable pride.
Just then a lady broke from the
group, and rushing up to the captain,
seized his arm. "Ill give you twen-
ty thousand pounds if you'll put me
into a boat" she cried.
We'll find a seat for you in one of
them, if there's room, by and by" the
captain said. But all the money in
the Bank of England wouldn't buy
you a boat just now, madam" and he
put her aside with more force than
feeling.
The men raised a derisive cheer.
The wretched creature sank on the
deck, p%aralyzed with terror, and the
two French sisters, themselves as
calm and unrufled as when they sat
in the cabin, went forward and char
itably lifted her out Of the way.
STEADY, my men! Quick there
with the water!" the captain shouted.
"Ay, ay, sir!" was the cheerful re-
spouse.
Hold on there! You're too near!"
a warning voice exclaimed.
"Ah, he's down, poor fellow"
Drag him out of that; he'll be
burned"
"He is burned"
"No, only scorched and suffocated.
Lend a hand to drag him abaft the
capstan."
Its my man! All knowed he'd do
his best!" the woman with a broken
arm declared, tr%iumphantly.
"Eh, ma'am, he has indeed" an
other woman commented. EFF ne
never does a hands turn again, you'll
have your comfort"
The had brought the poor
fellow aft by this time.
Hes only tainted" Mrs. Redmond
said. She was the gentle little elder
ly lady whom Gertrude had helped
to dress. He'll presently"
"Or know no more about it," her
son observed, in the cheerfullest way.
Gertrude was standing beside him;
and just at that moment an elderly
female, quite mad with terror
now, apparently, her eyes 1aring, her
gray hair streaming, sprang up
among them, shrieking, Fire! fire."
and before any one could prevent her,
or even guess her intention, sprang
to the gap in the bulwark where the
men stood drawing up water, and
plunged headlong into the sea.
That's the first" Arthur Redmond
remarked to Gertrude, in his curious
ly cheerful way.
"Oh, can't she be saved?" the latter
cried, horror-stricken, as she vainly
peered over the vessels side into the
darkness.
"Impossible." was the answer.
There's too many of you for that.
You cheaper yourselves by being so
plentiful. Here, madam" he said to
a lady, who was beginning to show
symptoms Of Mysteries. Here's yes
terday's paper, and there's plenty Of
light. Just make yourself agreeable
by reading it aloud to us. 1t will help
to beguile the time" Then, turning
to Gertrude, he observed, a%dmiringly,
you don't seem to be much in a way.
about yourself. You're a right one.
you are!"
II can't return the compliment"
she retorted. severely. II think you
ought to be helping, a great fellow
like you. Why, I believe you're en-
joying it."
so I am" he said, $50 I I'm; and I
am not idle, either" he proceeded, in
a %leisurely way. Look at our hyster-
ical friend with the newspaper. She
isn't reading it, but she's as good as
gold now. I'll put you in the Times
tomorrow" he told her encouraging
ly. Disastrous fire on board a pas
senger steamer! Heroic conduct Of a
lady!'"
The other women laughed at this,
and the young fellow strayed off
again in an apparently purposeless
manner, but Gertrude noticed that he
lent a hand here and there by the
way, and whenever he spoke the flag
ging spirits of the men revived, and
wherever he went he left some sign
of his genial influence.
He's always like that" his mother
said, fondly-"always doing some
thing for somebody, and, my dear, the
best and kindest son alive"
"A wise son maketh a glad mother"
an elderly working-woman responded,
and the familiar cookbook phrase
sounded strangely pathetic, as did
also the many touching little conf
dences they made to each other from
time to time. Gertrude spoke of her
1899 bobx- bov ond IF tho 1rpo6fnl