The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-11-10

-, W VIII W pieces. The
SILK braid had done splendid service
put she marked that 1t was now
strained to the breaking point. Again
the helplessness of her position came
upon her. She could not take down
the sail. In the first place she was
AFRAID to leave the helm and in the
second place she realized that If she
started to furl it she could only do 1t
by cutting the lashing and at the first
cut the whole thing would blow away
80 she held on. There was nothing
| else to do.
The night fell in burst of rain
which was most grateful to her. but
which was forecast of fiercer blow.
ana at midnight the hurricane broke
IN full force upon the little boat. The
first blast tore the sail from the lash.
ings. By lightning flash she caught
glimpse of it for second, whirled
away like great bird. For some rea-
son, perhaps because one or two
shreds of cloth still chung to the mast,
and perhaps because the broad blade
- VIZ Oei OhClCu oOult IOT
the thrust of the wind, she was able
by the exercise of constant vigilance
and all the strength Of which she was
capable, to keep the boat before the
wind. Hitherto she had had no idea
of the violence of the wave motion. 1t
was with difficulty that she kept her.
self from being dashed to pieces
against the sides or hurled overheard
in the mad whirling and plunging to
which the launch was suddenly sub.
| jected. 1t was caught up by one wave
after another and driven on for hours.
She could not tell how long She lost
all consciousness of time and of every
thing else except that she must cling
to the helm. The boat was still hurled
| forward. One great wave after an
other would seize her, uplift her and
bear her on. The strain upon her arms
was terrific. She locked her teeth and
hung on, breathless, exhausted, yet de.
termined
But there was limit to her powers
and she felt that 1t had been reached
Yet she did not deliberately let GO
One final and terrific heave jerked
her away from the wheel. She fell
sprawling in the bottom of the boat
but had sense enough to lock her
hands around thwart and lie there
The launch broached-to in an instant
| She was turned broadside to the
waves. Fortunately she did not cap
| Ciza INSTANTLY nd hrA II
filled her. She lay her gunwales flush
with the water. Her motion was still
violent, but less jerky. She was swept
ever onward by the vast undulations
The indomitable woman clinging tc
the thwart managed to keep her heat
out of the water. She realized thai
that was the end and yet while she
had remainder of strength, while
she could draw Pickering breath
she would not give up. The boat, be
| ing water-logged, did not pitch Sc
much as before and she was able t.
maintain her hold, although ever.
wave that broke over her drenchet
her again and again.
I She wondered why the boat did no
| sink and then she realized that thu
empty gasoline tanks which she hat
closed and locked, prevented the fina
| catastrophe; that the boat was in +;
certain sense life boat; that it would
| float so long as the water pressur,
did not succeed in opening the tanks
| Therefore, she was for the momen
safe. The only immediate DANCE
would be the capsizing of the boa
which would throw her out Sine
the launch was already full of waite
the woman did not think this wa
| likely to happen.
She held on, her vitality gradual
! growing weaker, hoping for the morn
ing and an abatement of the storm
She had no idea of time, of course
She could not tell what the hour was
1t was still dark, however, when
strange sound smote her ear Sh
heard it above the wild scream of tn
wind and the awful beat of the waves
1t was a crashing sound, batterin
sound a fearful, protentous sounC
The boat ran forward more swift
now. She wondered the reason. Tai
ing advantage of brief lull sh
abandoned her grip on the thwart an
rose to her knees. Immediately
front of her she saw white wall di
closed to her by the lightning flashe
She did not know what it was. tt
roaring sound came from thence. 81
was being borne rapidly toward
She was nearing it with astonishir
/, swiftness. The boat was moving mo
quickly now than at any time SIM
she had been in it. At last it brol
upon her consciousness that the viii
wall was mass of foam; that the s,
was crashing against some hide
/ shore and that great breakers we
I there.
J The land that she had longed +
indeed lay athwart her course.
3 another moment she would be in tn
: mass of boiling foam. Well, she HI
! fought good fight. The end was
r hand. With some instinct of t
2 heroic death would not find her lyi
= down. Desperately she struggled
l her feet and stood, balancing hers'
/ to the wild onward rush of the boz