Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-04-26
CHAPTER v.

SHOWING WHAT BECAME OF THE AN
DRoMEDA.
"HE island artillery did not sue.
ceed In hitting the crippled
ship again. Three more shells
were fired, but each projectile
screamed harmlessly far out at sen A
trained gunner. noting these facts.
would reason that the shore battery
made good practice in the first In
stance solely because its ordnance was
trained at q known range. Indeed, he
might even hazard guess that the
Andromeda's warm reception was ar.
ranged long before her masts and fun
mel rose over the horizon. That the
islanders intended nothing less than
her complete destruction was self evil
dent. Without the slightest warning
they had tried to sink her. and now
that she was escaping the further at
tentions Of the fieldpieces number OF
troops stationed on South point and
the Isle des Fregates began to pelt her
with bullets.
Iris, when the first paralysis OF FEAR
had passed. when her stricken senses
resumed their sway and her limbs lost
their palsy. hinched from this new
danger and sank sobbing to her knees
behind the canvas shield Of the bridge
Somehow this fimsy shelter. which
sailors call the "dodger." gave some
sense of safety. Her throbbing brain
was incapable Of lucid thought. but 1t
was borne in on her mistily that the
world and Its occupants had suddenly
gone mad. The omen Of the blood red
water had justified itself most horri.
bly,. The dead carpenter was sprawl
ing over the forecastle windlass. His
hand still clutched the brake. The
sailor at the wheel had been shot
through the throat and had fallen
Imply through the open doorway OF
the chart room. He lay there. cough
ing up blood and froth and gasping his
life out. The two men wounded by the
second shell were creeping down the
forward companion In the effort to
avoid the hail Of lead that was beating
on the ship. Hozier was raising him.
self on hands and knees, his attitude
that OF q man who Ia dazed. almost In
sensible.
Watts had gone from the bridge. He
might have been whirled to death over
the side like the unfortunate foremast
hand she had seen tossed from of the
forecastle. But Coke. whose charmed
life apparently entitled him to act like
lunatic. was actually balancing him
self On top of the starboard rails Of
the bridge by clinging to stay. hav'
Ing climbed to that exposed position
In order to hurl oaths at the soldiers
on shore. He had gone frantic with
rage. His cap had either fallen OF or
been torn from his head by bullet
His squat, powerful figure was shak'
ing with frenzy. He emphasized each
curse with passionate gesture OF the
free hand and arm. He said. among
other things and With no lack Of force
full adjectives. that II he could only
come to close quarters with some OF
the Portygee assassins on the island
he would tear their sanguinnry liverS
out.
The Andromedn.. uncomfortable
destiny and quite us needless OF hei
human freight swung around with thr
current until her bows pointed to the
islet occupied by the marksmen. All
at once Coke suspended his flow OF In
vectives and rushed into the chart
| room, where Iris heard him tearing
lockers open and throwing their con
tents on the deck. To enter he was
obliged to leap over the body Of tm
dying man. The action was gro
| tesoue, callous, almost inhumnn. II
Jared the girls agonized transports
back into u species Of spiritual calm. a
mental state akin to the fatalism often
exhibited by Asiatics when death Is
imminent and moi to be denied. The
apparent madness Of the captain was
now more distressing to her than the