Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1909-03-27
CHAPTER xv.-(Continusd-)

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 tho 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 Plasa,
and the ship was rolling like q runaway
buoy.
The skipper reEained 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 q 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 a 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.
Whats this you're talking IT'S no
oft ay a geyser in dirt pile as can tell
him how { come an CO."
The screaming Of the native women
reached them from the hold. Macready
opened the door, and a 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 freshman.
Bring him here r. she commanded. tax
ing. Hegeys arm. There, / can man
age him Run and get oils and lint /"
He obeyed. The decks We're covered
with 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 lighting fire and carrying their
dead The thin, shaken voice Of Pugh
came from the bridge. The engines were
throbbing.
Eight miles al sea Eight miles at
sea !" Macready repeated. '-rh' long
armod m0untain-an' what mustn't the In
dghtin' have been !"
III the st0re-r0om, be opened Jars Of Oh
and cartons Of int and bandages, for the
use OF the men then rushed back 10 the
cabin with portion. Nature hnds work
for strong hearts that have lost their
heroes Negley's cracked and twisted
boots lad been removed, and tho ashes
cleansed from bis eyes and ears and
mouth. Another valiant nurse had emery.
"a from broken Romance The woman
who would have tainted yesterday Az ne
smell " burnt hesh Has cutting Away tho
clothing from the captains shoulder
When the olntmeptp and WTappings had
been applied 10 me skipper wounds, shs
helped Aaoreedy carry the unconscious
men % berth
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