Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-06-09

E8E;X:,,.X!
Mise Bartng.
that the fierce violence of the gale had
somewhat abated. 1t was not SO in
reality. A steady fall in the barom-
eter foretold even worse weather to
come. Courtenay, assured now that
the main engines were absolutely use
less, thought 1t advisable to get steer
ing way on the ship by rigging tho
foresail, double reefed and trapped.
The result was quickly perceptible.
The Kansas might not be popped
again, but she would travel more rap
Idly into the unknown.
Yet this afforded only another In
stance of the way men reason when
they seek to explain cause from effect
The hoisting Of that strip Of stout cam
vas was one Of the time factors IN tho
story of an eventful night, for 1T was
with gray faced despair that the cap
tain gave the requisite order when
the second engineer reported that his
senior was dead. the crown Of two
furnaces destroyed and the engines
clogged II not irretrievably damaged
by fallen debris. None realized better
than the young commander what dis
astrous fate awaited his ship In tho
gloom Of the flying scud ahead. There
was faint chance Of encountering an
ether steamship which would respond
to his signals. Then he would risk
all by laying the Kansas broadside on
in the effort to take tow rope aboard.
Meanwhile 1t was best to bring her I'M
der some sort Of control, the steam
steering gear, driven by the uninjured
donkey engine. being yet available.
In the salon Elsie had shielded her
face In her hands to hide the tears
which the entreaty of the hymn had
brought to her eyes. Some one whis-
pered to her:
won't you sing something, Miss
MAXWELL
1t was the American. He judged
that the sweet voice which uncon-
sciously led the singing Of the hymn
must be skilled in other music.
She looked up at him, her eyes shin-
ing.
"sing! Do you think 1t possibler
she asked.
Eyes. You can do brave thing, !
guess, and that would be brave"
II will try" she said, and she walk
ed to the plano, which was screwed
athwart the deck in front Of the pol
ished mahogany sheath Of the steel
mainmast. 1t was In her mind to play
some lively excerpts from the light OPP
eras then In vogue, but the secret influ-
ences Of the hour were stronger than
her studied intent, and when her I'm
gers touched the keys they wandered
almost without volition into the subtle
harmonies Of Gounod's ave Maria"
She played the air first; then, gaining
confidence, she sang the words, using
Spanish version which had caught
her fancy. It was good to see the
flashing eyes and impassioned gestures
Of the Chilean stewards when they
found that she was singing In their
own language. These men, owing to
their acquaintance with the sea and
knowledge Of the coast, were now In
state of panic. They would have burst
the bonds of discipline on the least
pretext. So, as 1t CHANGED, the voice
Of the English senorita reached them
as the message Of an angel, and the
spell she cast over them did not lose
it's potency during some hours OF dan
gerous toll.
Excited applause rewarded the song.
Fired by example, the dapper French
count approached the piano and asked
Elsie to play Beranger's ''Roi DIVE
tot"
The F'renchman took the merry mon
arch seriously, but the lifting melody
pleased everybody except Mr.. Wood.
The "Oh-oh's'' and "Ah-ah's" Of the
chorus apparently stirred him to
speech. He strolled from corner Of
the salon to the side OF Gray, the
American engineer. and said, with a
contemptuous nod toward the singer:
What rot!"
"Not bit Of 1t. He's all right.
Won't you give us song nextr
If Gray showed the face Of q sphinx.
so did Mr.. Wood, whose real name
was Tollemache. He bent a little
nearer.
'Seen the rockets?" he asked.
mo. Are we signaling?
every minute; have counted nj
teen"
You don't say. Things are in q
pretty bad shape. then"
Rotten"
"Well, like Brer Rabbit, we must lie
low and say nothing"
This opinion was incontrovertible.
Moreover, Tollemache was not one who
needed urging to keep his mouth shut.
Indeed. this was by far the longest
conversation he had INDUCED ipA since