The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-04-07

land. 1t could not be doubted that
these were caused by human agency.
They were not visible when the party
sat down TO breakfast. The appear
ance Of the ship was their obvious ex-
PLANTATION, but not a canoe or q soii-
tary figure could be seen. though Cour-
tenay and others at various times dur
ing the day searched every part Of the
neighboring shore with field glasses
and powerful telescopes.
After an all too brief burst of sun
shine the Land of Storms again justi-
fed its name. Giant clouds came roll
Ing IN from seward; the mountains
were lost in mist; the glaciers became
sullen, rock strewn masses of white
brown ice; the fresh greenery of the
| forests faded into somber belts of
blackness. Though it was high sum-
mer in this desolate region, heavy
showers of hail and sleet alternated
with drenching rain. AT low water.
though the Kansas f1oated securely in
depth of twenty fathoms, a yellow
current sweeping past her starboard
quarter showed how accurately Courte-
nay had read the tokens of the bllct.
Many a swollen torrent and perhaps
one or two fair sized streams at the
head of the bay contributed this flood
of fresh water.
To Elsie and the doctor were in
trusted the daylight watch on deck and
the care of the sick. For the latter
there was not much to be done. The
cook undertook to feed them, and
Frascuelo, the wounded stevedore who
had been discovered in a state Of col
lapse, soon revived and was practical
ly able to look after himself. The
others, under Walkers directions, were
hard at work in the engine room and
stokehold, for there alone lay the
chance of ultimate escape.
The two sentinels conversed but lit
tie. The outer war of the elements
was disturbing, and Christobal, though
unfailingly optimistic in, his speech,
was nevertheless a prey to dark fore
bodings. Elsie, worn out by the strain
Of the preceding twenty-four hours
and notwithstanding her brief sleep
in the morning thoroughly exhausted
for want of rest, was persuaded to re-
tire early to her cabin. She lay down
almost fully dressed. Somehow it was
impossible to think of a state Of I'M
preparedness for any emergency.
She was soon sound asleep She
awoke with start, with all her nerves
a-quiver joey was tearing along the
deck, barking furiously. She heard
two men run past her door with
ominous haste. Then, after a heart
breaking pause, there was some shoot |
ing. Some one-she thought it was
Courtenay-roared down the salon com
panion:
ION deck, all hands, to repel board |
ers!'
With confused rush, men mounted |
the stairs and raced forward. She
knew that nearly all of those not on |
watch were sleeping with the injured |
men in the salon, and now she under |
stood the reason. The ship was being |
attacked by Indians and not altogether |
unexpectedly. The savages had stolen |
alongside in their canoes under the |
cloak of night. Perhaps they were al |
bers. Poor girl, She murmured pray
er while she hurriedly drew on her
boots and ulster
There seemed to be no end to the |
evils which assailed the Kansas. and
she dreaded this new terror more than
the mad fury of the seas But if the
men were fighting for their lives and
hers she must help too. That was
clear. She had weapon, loaded re-
volver, which she had picked up from
beneath boats tarpaulin lying on
the spar deck. She opened her door
and peered out. She could not see
any one, and the rattle of a hailstorm
overhead effectually dulled any other
noise. But several shots fred again
In the fore part Of the ship were audi
bic above the din of the pelting hail.
So she ran that way, with the fine
courage of one who fears, yet goes on,
and her eyes pierced the shadows with
tense despair in them, for what
could SO few men do against the I'M
seen watchers who sent up the thirty
four smoke columns she had counted?
(To be Continued)