, 1909-06-17

arose, low. yet distinct, trembling to
the accent Of reverent prayer. I know
not what she said; merely the simple
breathing upward of a petition to the
Almighty Father for pardon and guild
ance; yet never before did faith lay
such mighty hold upon me. 1t was
short, only a few faltering sentences.
but h honesty of 1t, the faith so
clearly evidenced in both words n
face, impressed the ~ruushest there.
she paused, her head slid lowered; /
heard some one say Amen olernnlv.
and raised my hand in signal. Noise
lessly the ends OF the planks we're up
tilted, and the two sheeted figures slid
downward into the gray water. In
stantly they disappeared beneath the
u~nfathomable depths. So silently and
expeditiously was this accomplished
that she even failed TO note the action,
lifting her eyes wonderlingly to the
bare planks, and with a choking sob
burying her face in her hands. With
out venturing a word I led her gently
to b companion. Five minutes later
l stood again upon the bridge, the
deck beneath %throbbing to the pulse
of the released engine, as the Sea
Queen raced recklessly forward
through the ice-girded waters in des.
perate effort to attain her goal.
1t was not a dark night, for the stars
were out-such cold. dead stars they
seemed-and a little later | knew the
moon would come stealing up above
the waste of waters, yet there was a
maze lowering all about us, as though
the entire surrounding atmosphere was
thick with frost. | crouched down
behind the slight protection of the
%iarpaulins, sweeping the horizon with
my glasses. but discovering nothing
TO awaken alarm. l saw nothing o.
the watch, except as / called for them
Then they came, clawing their way
out of the snug holes where they hid
from wind and water. However, there
was little enough for any of us to do;
we could simply hold on. trusting in
the strength of the keel under us. and
sheering TO eastward of the ice-pack.
1t was a wild. mad night, the wind
freezing to the marrow. and every
wave dashing its icy spray hurtling
against the front of the wheelhouse.
Al eight bells | went below again.
every muscle of my body aching, and
my face tingllng as though pierced by
a thousand needles. I sat down before
The red-hot STOW in the cabin. think
ing ] should never get the cold thawcd
out OF me. Yet inside of ten minutes,
with head resting on the c%hair-back,
and legs extended to keep my balance,
was sound asleep.
Whether a sudden leap of the yes
sci or some unusual noise aroused me
| cannot say Dazed. confused, sat
upright. staring about me. for the mo
ment scarcely realizing where | was.
I could hear the fierce pounding of tho
sea without, the shrieking of wins
through the cordaga, and the rattl,
aud g%rOaning of the woodwork as III
struggling vessel Owed into the he.
lows and fought her way bach 10 ~,
crests. a shower of hail Ia he'd o..
windows. rafting like shot against T.
shutters. As I glanced backwa
across my shoulder, / heard. abosr
an that hellish upraar, a hollow.
unearthly groan. l was upon my feet
il an instant, graspiue at The edge OF
the table, striving vainly TO place tht
sound. For some cause | could not
keep my eyes OF TuttIe's door, every
nerve pulsing with agony. Was IL
imagination, Illusion? BY all the gods.
| beheld a white visionary form glide
noiselessly forth and disappear "A
though dissolved in mist. 1t was Ger
tainly there, yet. in another instant.
had vanished, l knew not how. |
stared about into the dim corners thea
leaped toward the door, seeking to
open it, 1t was locked; of course it
a for the key was in my w
pocket.
Many times l have known fear, but
moi such fear as this which nov smote
me. Here was something intangible.
something could not reach and throt-
tie. a dim, frightful shade, coming
from God alone knew whence. |
pressed my hands to my head, and en-
deavored to laugh, to WOO back my
courage. Great heavens, was | also
losing my mind? Was | to be haunted
and pursued by evil fancies? Had the
curse of his ship now descended upon
me? | staggered to my feet, holding
on desperately to the table, seized the
decanter from off the swinging shelf
n drank deeply. Lord, what grim
fancies a man may have when the
physical organism is %unstrung! l
glanced at my watch, discovering |
still had two hours below, and crossed
i've to my stateroom. nerving myself
to play the man, yet glancing about
fearfully into the dancing shadows. |
laughed as | closed the door. but shot
the bolt hard, and lay there for an
hour listening, every nerve a-tingle,
before fatigue finally closed my eyes.