The Marshall republican., 1908-10-02

row channel between The island above
the bridge, and the left bank, before
the slowly opening draw.
. This Patterson knew and counted
on in his plan for revenge, and now
he blessed these same draw-inen as
he had often cursed them, down in
the bowels of the steamer, and waited
all too impaticntly in the dolirim
of his black hate for the time to come
when he should know by the signals
; that they were approaching the
bridge. What did it matter to him
, that with the guilty the innocent
might be murdered?
In the pilot-house all was dark but
for the shaded pinnacle light. Bolton
stood at the wheel. At his right hand
was the mate. at his left, one of the
quartcrmastprs. Far down the river.
. the lights on the drawbridge twinkled
red and green and white in the dark
, night. and the pilot breathcd a sigh
4; Of relief, for the river widened below
This, and it had been a wild trip
through the storm, with the flashes
of lightning flooding the river IL
brilliant light one moment and leav-
ing it in darkness so intense the next
that he could see the forward deck
below him.
But now the rain had ceased, and
the thunder rumblcd in the distance.
The river lay black velvet through
which the steamer softly crowded hcl
way. Yet the banks were d,sLin-
, guiShab!c nov, for the channel had
narrowed between the island, in The
center Of the stream at this place,
and The left bank OF the river.
The lights on the bridge grew, and
out of thc light its huge framework
took form like some Titan net spread
TO catch the steamer. They were but
a hundred yards from it now. "Give
her the whistle" ordered the pilot,
and the quartermaster pulled the
cord and sent Il hoar.c blast out over
the river, which sounded like the bel
low of some huge leviathan, and died
away in many echoes among the hill,
on other side Of the stream.
But the lights on the bridge did
not change. A bar of light from thu
steamers searchlight threw the drip
ping structure into sudden daylight,
and played along the draw, search.
ing each nick and corner with it:
brilliant rays and sending 4 path OF
light down the dark river beyond.
Then and only then the men an the
draw tardily started to swing it.
The mate swors Volubly, fer tbs
current ran strong here aud even Al
h%alf-spccd the steamer was sweeping
down on the draw at the rate Of some
tea knots.
"Stop her sad back her!" he or
dercd abruptly. Bolton gave the sig
mails, and all three waited ~expectant'
ly, anriousIy. The vibration of tho
engines ceased, and for a moment thu
big rivcrboat glidea on in stated,
silence,
And then, with the structure Of
the bridge towering but the steam.
cr's length before il, came the vibra
i. tons again, and the Sayville seemed
fairly to leap forward, with her en-.
gineS running at full speed ahead.
For a moment the men in tn,
I pilot-house were startled out O.
speech and action and then, with al
i~narticulate cry, the mate snatchet
the bell-cord from the pilots hanC
and pulled it furiously. But still
the engines pounded ahead at full
speed. The steamers forward decl
swept under the draw, which hos
swung but a few feet, and the tower
ing mass of the bridge doomed hsfor
the pilot-house, ''Hdl!" cried u,
mate and, his courage DESERVING him
he flung the pilot-house door opel
and sprang out, the quartermasts
close on his heels.
Bolton, alone, stood at his post
Whatever else his faults, he had Ii
courage which makes heroes. II
knew now. 1t came to him all in
moment--Patterson's treachery an
its cause. In a way, he told himsA,
he was responsible for the lives Of ii
passengers, of the officers and crew .
this boat, for had it not been "a