Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-16

quickly tor the strict ObeyanCe OF commands, but
returned alone and slipped guilty. into waiting
boat, without reporting to Captain Joe. She knew
how the mate hated Morson- Brown. and it came to
her that here was a treacherous chance of revenge
an enemy,-to leave him bound and helpless
while the yacht was hammered to fragments on the
shoals At the thought her rage fared up,-not as
something more than fury after ALL for she caught
herself sobbing she left the rail and stumbled
through the darkness to the whose life was
She found him wrenching vainly at his cords and.
in spite of his protests, flung herself beside him.
striving to unite the knots with nervous trembling
refused to yield He begged her to leave him and
herself before it late: but his pleadings
passed UNDECIDED Then seeing she was quite de-
termined. he resorted to a quicker method OF re-
lease. Neither possessed a knife: but on the floor
many bits of glass from the shattered tran
SONS. and with one of these he directed Valda to
the bonds his wrists For moment or
two she CROPPED without till flash of light
ming aided her then with jagged piece OF glass
she sawed at his cords while the air was hiled with
awesome noises and the floor was awash with bubbly
brine but at last the wrist cords parted with snap,
and the hands of Morson-Brown were free.
- fingers to his lips Now go-and leave the
rest to mel
He took the bit of glass intending to cut the
heavier cords that held his ankles: but Valda lin
gered importing her life by every instant OF delay.
deaf to his reasoning. till he brought harsher
method into action
Go Instantly he commanded in tone EN-
ployed by Captain Joe when occasion required some
lazy seaman to proceed on the jump If you
don't " he added. by way of ghastly threat. L
swear III stay right here and drown DO you hear
me- Co..
Valda was unaccustomed to this manner of ad-
dress. and in the shock of sudden and abnormal
authority she found herself obeying with the meek
ness of lamb. scrambling away to safety. while
partially rescued scaawag sat up IN his bunk and
slashed at his hempen bonds This task proved not
an easy for the cords tough and presently
the thin glass broke in his eager hand. forcing him
to roll to the floor in search of another piece Much
time was lost in feeling round in half an inch of
water: but he found what he sought at length com
peted his work. and FASTENED to thwart Beaseys
charitable scheme of providing the fish with food.
On reaching the deck he caught glimpse OF
Vada clingng to the rail. her face gone white with
terror while beneath her little boat was tossing
on the rising to the deck line. bow
sucked away into some yawning gulf. as the crew
fought desperately to live.
"Jump!" bawled Captain Joe. the boat shot
upward the hump of mighty wave.
"Dont!" yelled Morson- Brown. who leape1
toward her from out the darkness
And Valda hestated just mite too long. She
flung herself outward to the Captains waiting arms
but the boat beneath seemed ierked into bottom
less pit, and Vada tumbled after it
ITO her it seemed the fall of some hideous dream
endless, horrible-till the sea up again and
struck her with an icy grapevine. dashlng out her
breath. her power to scream. crushing her breast
with the ght of worlds that hummed they
rolled, and sounded in her ears like wheels dis
tant bridge She choked. and the backness grew
less dense for the sea seemed filled with myriads of
whirring sparks Her mother calling.-that
loved one whose memory holy thing.-but
some one would not let her go. His arm was about
her, gripping like belt of brass dragging her up
ward, but always beneath the humming wheels
She was tossed and pitched in crazy circles fighting
with all her might against two powers that fought
each other for possession of girl-herself! She
knew it was herself. because. somehow she could see
herself while and the waters battled tor the
mastery Round and round they went, like people