Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-08-30
] CHAPTER XIV, :


They drew back from the open
door. gazing with new horror into the
blackness Of the interior; but my own
courage was rapidly returning, as |
realized that must lead and control.
Well, lads, It startled me, all right,
but We cannot afford to give up this
ship to dead men. De Nova, take |
Kelly with you, and, try to discover
something on board with which to
make dare. There ought to be plenty
OF dry stuff in the galley. Not word |
to the women about what found aft"
The rest Of us hacked away, while
they were gone, at the ice concealing
the front window shutters, and partly
uncovered one But we could get no
purchase upon It from the outside and
no one volunteered to venture within.
] kept them all busy, however, the
hard work and sense Of command
combining to restore my own nerves
to normal condition. The mate de.
spairing Of doing better, finally
brought back table-leg of pitch pine
which we contrived to ignite after
several unsuccessful experiments, the
yellowish-red flames circling the heavy
end like SO many coiling serpents, and
sending forth a weird reflection
through spirals Of black smoke. 1t
was poor glim enough, yet it would
serve; and bore 1t inside, holding the
torch well before me. the men clus.
tering about the door.
The mottled fare cast mingled light
and shadow, over the horrors thus
dimly revealed, rendering the CHASTITY
sight one to chill the blood of any
man. The cabin was long Gre ex-
tending aft clear to the stern. the
immense butt Of the mizzen-mast al
most separating it into two apart.
ments. About this was arranged a
great arm-rack completely filed with
2 variety Of weapons, many of them
flashing back the glittering rays Of the
torch. At one time that had been
. rare sea-parlor, but now it was
wreck, the, walls and ceiling dingy
with smoke, the gilt defaced and bat.
! tered. Oysstuun6d furniture vase every.
where; piles Of clothing. and perfect
riffrah Of articles strewed the deck
floor: a violin lay almost at my feet,
all but one string snapped; and some
sort Of an odd music-box rested.
against the bench over which I had
fallen. A great square box-stove
stood Just before the mast-butt, huge
pile Of ashes all about. An immense
lantern. as strange a looking contriv-
ance as ever saw, swung solemnly
from q deck-beam, and just beyond,
suspended by wires, was gorgeously
colored picture of the Madonna and
Child"
behald all these details at glance;
although at the time scarcely realized
any Of them, my entire Mortified atten-
ton being riveted upon the scene Of
death revealed. The table, which I
had previously touched, extending
crossways Of the cabin, was uncovered
but contained plates, cups, a large
bottle half-flled, and some scraps Of
frozen food. The bodies of two men,
one with q cloak over his shoulders.
occupied the bench within three feet
Of me. The one nearest had fallen
sideways, and hung there, his arm
hooked across the back of the bench,
his long, black hair dangling over his
face; the other sat with head bowed
on the table. his features hidden by
his arms, but the gold rings in his
ears plainly showing. Directly oppo-
site these two. sitting bolt upright in
q chair, eyes wide open, staring
straight at me, was third. Ny God!
It was De Nova! The same eyes, the
same dark curly hair, the same little
black nustache, the same smile
curling the thin lips. I could have
sworn It was the mate, endeavoring to
Z frighten and mock me. even
wheeled about. angrily, flashing the
light Of my torch over that cluster of
faces IN the doorway. No! by heavens,
the creole stood behind, and this, this
counterpart, was dead man-dead
I for q hundred years. No words can
ever retell the struggle made to con-
troll myself, the smoking torch sha,
king IN my hand and casting it's mis-
cradle flicker over that charnel house,
avery limb trembling like aspens, my
eyes staring into the silaiuws. NY NY
z very violence Of fear angered me;
what had I to be afraid Of? How
could these poor frozen bodies injure
Sme? Nerved to the endeavor stepped
forward around the end of the table
throwing the faint glare Of the torch
into the after space concealed by the
{ huge fuast-butt. A tall, thin man sat
on the deck, braced against the wall
his long; gray beard almost concealins
his face: on q wide divan, nearly op.
Il posite, lay woman. her dark hair
b 1oosened, . large diamond glitterina
{ on the hand which hung rigid over the
edge Of the couch. Just below her
{ fingers. as II dropped there in final
weakness. lay q baby's well.worn
4 shoe.
scarcely comprehend how ever
conQuered the sickly horror that smote
s me Is I gazed about upon this scene
of DEATH rendered even more terrible
~ tho silence and the dickering
smoking torch that furnished the only
hight. Nothing except the sense OF
command, the remembrance of those
I women waiting outside In the cooks
q hliey, ever afforded me strength ane
sossage - remain. The task mus