The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-10-31
CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)

CHAPTER Xv.-(Continued.)
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 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 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 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 overpower the captain when Pugh, the
third officer, untouched by fire, appeared
from below. In 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.
What's this you're talkin'? IT'S no
bit av geyser in a dirt pile as can tell
him how t. come an Co."
The screaming of the native women
reached them from the hold. Macready
opened the door, and 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, 1 can man
age him! Run and get oils and lint !"
He 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 at sea! Eight miles at
sea-" Macready repeated. 9Th 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' evenchooalities out" he
muttered genially, noting that the work
was life to her.
1--WE must be nearly in-shore by this
time," she said slowly.
Denny's efervescence was now corked.
Pugh had been putting the Madame out
to sea since he got control of her. The
1rishman 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.
"'Tis har-rd t. see fur tn rain"
His soft magic failed.
But the ship is moving !" she exclaim-
ed. 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 by a
torrential 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 Macready
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
tn galleys, ma am do toward runnin' the
ship? Thin byes 'ud say, Git back t.