Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-08-21

She was footing it smartly. the br,g.
anime, lying down 90 It ana snoring
into the wind. Beneath her stem
waves broke In snow white showers
whittier than the canvas OF her bulclnp
tb-broke and, gnashing their teeth IN
impotent fury. swirled and eddied
down her sleek dark TANKS. Bobbinp
courtesying. she plunged onward
shortening the interval with mighty
leaping bounds. On her bows win
each instant the golden letters OF her
name grew larger and more leglblo
untl-Alethea-he could read Il plain
beyond dispute.
JOY welled I'm his heart He forgot
all that he had undergone I'm the pros.
pect OF what he proposed still TO do f.
the name OF the only woman the world
held for him. Unquestionlng he had
come thus far I'm her seryise; unoues-
tioning, by her side. he was prcnarcd
to go still further. though al human
ity should single her out with accus-
ing fingers.
They were watching him aboard the
brigantine. He could see line OF
heads above her windward rail. Per
haps she was OF their number. He
y waved an audacio hand Some ono
replied. great shout SCATTERING itself
unlntelligibly against the gale He nei-
Their understood nor attempted 10 reply
His every faculty was concentrated on
the supreme moment now at hand.
Calculating the instant - n nicety.
he paid of the sheet and pulled up the
tiller. The catboat pivoted on her heel
With n crack her sail tapped full and
rigid; then. with the untcmpered
might of the wind behind her. she shot
like an arrow under the hriaantines
bows, so close that the bowsprit OF the
latter Grst threatened TO impale the
sail: next, the bows plunging, crashed
down bare two feet behind the\cnt-
boats stern.
Working I'm IA frenzy OF haste. Kirk
wood Japmed the tiller hard alec.
bringing the cat about and, trimming
the mainSheet IA best ne might found
himself racing under the brigantine's
leeward quarter, wateP pouring in gen
erously over the caes
Luftlng, he edged nearer. handling
his craft as though intending to ram
the larger vessel. foot by foot short
ening the little interval When Il was
rour feet ne would risk the jump. he
crawled out on the overhang. crouch
ing on his toes, one hand light upon
the tlller. the other touching the deck.
ready-rendy.
Abruptly the Alethea shut off the
wind; the san fiattened and the cat
dropped back. In a 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 dlmly
conscious OF dark object hurulng
through the air. Into the cockpit.
spiashIng, something dropped "A coil
OF rope. He fell forward upon It into
water eighteen inches deep and for
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
J ing the life line. heavy wave washed
over the waterlogged craft and left #
all but submerged. and a smart tug on
the rope added point to the advice.
which, reaching his ears in a below
like a bulls. penetrated the panic of
his wits.
Jump! Jump, you foolp
In an instant OF conference he saw
that the brlgantine was lumng. None
the less much OF the line had already
been paid out. and there was no reck-
oning when the end would be reached.
Without time to make It fast he hitch
nj IL fKrfcn
once round an arm, and. grasping It
above his head 70 ease it's construction
when the tug should come. leapcd ON
the combing and overheard. A green
roaring avalanche swept down upon
him and the luckless catboat. over
whelming both simultaneously.
The agony that was his during the
next few minutes can by no means be
exaggerated. His senses were bl0trrd
gut III blackness. Then be was brcak b.
ing once more, the keen clean mir stab
Ding his lungs. the while he swan nm.
supported IN IN ethereal void OF bril-
lance. His mouth was fun Of Some
thing that burned, a liquh hot ocrid
and singing lie gulpN. swallowed
slabbered, chokcd coughcd. attempted
70 sit up. was aware that he was tho
FOCAL center OF n ring Of glaring burn
Ing eyes. like eyes OF ravening beasts
and tainted.
Ills next conscious Impression was
OF standing M supported bv fIcu3iv
arms on either side. while eonobody
was asking him n he could walk
step or two
He was partly scented, partly held up.
on the edge Of the cobip skyIlrht m
object ~ interest 10 some hair dozen
men. scnfnring follows au By their
habit clustered round between him
and the wlndward rail OF their mum.
Der one stood directly before hi-r
dwarfng his companions as much bv
his air Of command as by bic uncou-