Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1909-07-22
rnar nad gone before.


be brought her about handsom.a,ua e
little way beyond the bris.sag
course and hung in the eve
wind, the leach tapping and ~, =, "
ing with reports like rife sha.s n'ea.
the water sloshing about his ~ and
battling dish now altogether 80.
mind-while he watched the ono NY Of
vessel. his eyes glistening with lung
patton. antlct
She was footing It smartly ~.
antine. lying down to 1t and surg ue'
into the wind. Beneath her .ns
waves broke in snow white sbos s'en
whittier than the canvas of her h',,'s'
jib-broke and. crashing their ,aa. s'as
impotent fury. swirled and eda,.s
down her sleek dark tanks. Rohh,a eo
courtesying, she plunged onwaus
shortening the interval with m,.a1
leaping bounds. On her bows NV,
each instant the golden letters =, I =.
name grew larger and more laa, WI
until-Alethea-he could read n n,.
beyond dispute. f''u
Joy welled in his heart. He for,..
all that he had undergone in tho NV
pect Of what he proposed still to d. =
the name Of the only woman the wo,,s
held for him. Unquestioning he h.s
come thus far in her service: unonas
tioning, by her side, he was prena,as
to go still further. though all bnmon
ity should single her out with Aeon.
ing fingers.
They were watching him aboard IN.
brigantine. He could see a lina !,
heads above her windward rail pa,
haps she was Of their number, 4.
waved an audacious hand. Some ON.
replied. great shout shattering itsolt
unintelligibly against the gale. He mol
Their understood nor attempted to rep,
His every faculty was concentrated an
the supreme moment now at hand.
Calculating the instant to a nicely
he paid off the sheet and pulled up thu
tiller. The catboat pivoted on her heel
With crack her sail tapped full and
rigid; then, with the untemperA
might Of the wind behind her, she shot
like an arrow under the brigantine.
bows. so close that the bowsprit Of the
latter first threatened to impale the
sail: next. the bows plunging, crashed
down bare two feet behind the cat
boats stern.
Working in frenzy Of haste, Kirk.
wood jammed the tiller hard alec,
bringing the cat about. and, trimming
the mainsheet as best he might. found
himself racing under the brigantine's
leeward quarter. water pouring In gen
erously over the cats.
Luffing, he edged nearer. handling
his craft as though intending to ran
the larger vessel. foot by foot short.
ening the little interval. When II wa
four feet he would risk the jump. Hs
crawled out on the overhang, crouch
ing on his toes, one hand light upon
the tiller, the other touching the deck,
ready-ready.
Abruptly the Alethea shut off the
wind; the sail flattened and the cat
dropped back. In second the dis
lance had doubled. In anguish Kirk
wood uttered an exceeding bitter cry
Already he was falling far off her
counter.
A shout reached him. He was dimly
conscious of dark object hurting
through the air. Into the cockpit
splashing, something dropped-a coil
Of rope. He fell forward upon 1t into
water eighteen inches deep and Tor
the first time realized that but for that
line he had gone to his drowning In an
other minute. The cat was sinking.
AS he scrambled to his feet. clutch
ing the life line. a heavy wave washed
over the waterlogged craft and left II
all but submerged, and smart tug on
the rope added point to the advice'
which, reaching his ears In a below
like bulls. penetrated the panic OF
his wits.
Jump! Jump, you foole'
In an instant of conference he saw
that the brigantine was luffing. None
the less much Of the line had alreao!
been paid out. and there was no recl
Oning when the end would be reacneu
Without time to make 1t fast ne nitcr
ed 1t twice round his waist and cnesl
once round an arm. and. grasping
above his head to ease its constrieuOp
when the tug should come, leapeo W
the combing and overheard. greep
roaring avalanche swept down ulo'
him and the luckless catboat, o'ei'
whelming both simultaneously. s.
The agony that was bis during w
next few minutes can by no means
exaggerated. His senses were plos'.'
out in blackness. Then he was preau
ing once more, the keen clean ar s'As
bling his lungs, the while he swan ~
supported In an ethereal void Oh y.
lance. His mouth was full OF sou. !,
thing that burned. liquid not .s.s
and singing. He gulped, Swallow,
slabbered, chokcd, coughed, attemp~.
to sit up. was aware that ne was =
focal center Of ring Of glaring pa'.
ing eyes. like eyes Of ravening Dea'''
and tainted.
His next conscious impression ~ y,
Of standing up. supported by Irlsu -,
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