Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1909-03-20
CHAPTER xv.-foontInued.l

Captain Negey had just stepped into
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.
Ia the instant required to drag the body
to shelter and close the door Of the chart
room, Captain Negley was overpowered
by the blizzard of steam, gas and liyid
stone. When consciousness returned to
him be was lying across the body of Plass,
and the ship was rolling like runaway
buoy.
The skipper regained 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 a 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 horrid tongueless way,
Negley fred the other to act, and stag
gered Into the cabin passageway. Pugh
shrieked up thu hands and set to the fires
and the ships course. Out Of the five
sailors and three officers on deck when
Pelee struck, Neglsy 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
ths midst of falling glass. Macready was
cropping, calling for her. That she was
unhurt seemed such a great matter to
him and entirely Insignificant 10 herself.
Her lover had fallen. Thar starry pa
vilion of the future was In blackness and
ruin 1t would have been better had
Peles found them together.
Macready lifted her to 4 chair. The
ports were gray instead Of black, but
splashed with the big seas.
your friend Il dead, Denny" she said
Asrshly.
whats this you're taikln'7 "Tis no
bit sv a Teyser In dirt pile AZ can tell
him how t 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
elutching 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 Negiey was In the passageway.
and something of the extent of the disas-
ter broke upon the Irishman.
Bring him here !" she commanded. tax
Ing Negley's arm. There, can man
age him Run and get oils and lint r.
He obeyed. The decks were covered
with a 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 fighting fire and carrying their
dead. The thin. shaken voice Of Pugh
came from the bridge. The engines were
throbbing.
Eight miles at seal Eight miles at
seal" Macready repeated. ''Th' long
armed mountain-an' what mustn't the In
hghtin' have been II
In the store-room- he opened Jars Of oil
and cartons of lint and bandages, for the
use Of the men; then rushed back to the
cabin with a portion. Nature finds work
for strong hearts that have lost their
heroes Negley's cracked and twisted
boots had been removed. and the ashes
clcansed from his eyes and ears and
mouth. Another valiant nurse had emery
cd from a broken romance. The woman
who would have tainted yesterday at the
smel of burnt flesh was cutting away the
clothing from the captains shoulder
When the ointments and wrappings hac
been applied to the shippers wounds. sh,
helped Macready carry the unconscious
man to a berth.
"'Tis rainin' evenchooalities out" b,
muttered genially, noting that the worl
was life TO her.
1--WE must be nearly in-shors BY THU
Time" she said slowly.
Denny's effervescence was now corked
Pugh had been putting the Madame GU
to sea since he got control of her. Tn,
freshman felt instinctively that the won
an would want to go ashore, which b,
didn't propose to allow. On the othei
hand, although he had nothing to do with
the running of the ship, he didn't like tn,
idea Of saving the Madame at the pric,
q her owners life.
81 dunno" he answered carefully
~'Tis har-rd Z see fur tn rain"
His soft magic failed.
"But the ship Is moving !" she sxclaim
Cd. denny, open the door u
Mscready gave way. She heard tn,
steady beat Of the engines. and the biz
seas driving past. She rushed out of tn,
passageway, regardless OF the food, anS
peered over the main deck railing. Their,
was no smoke, no familiar shadow O.
hills, but a leaden, tumultuous sky anS
the rollers of the open sea, beaten by
torrential shower. She crossed the char
red planking to the starboard side, drench
ed to the skin In an instant There wa
no Pelee, no Saint Pierre Macread,
tried to draw her to cover. but she turnes
upon him furiously.
you have let them put to sea-you
his friend-while he II held back there
waiting for his shipf"
what could poor Dinny, that bosse
tn galleys. ma'am, do toward runnin' tn
ahip7 Thin byes 'ud say, Git back I
your patty-pans, you wiper But ~
thried, sure, L kape tn lady from harun