The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-11-26

: light. Through the nOrtherly dip of
| the gulley he had seen the ships boat
whlrled past an islet by the fierce cur
rent. Macfarlane was not visible. Per-
haps that was better so.
Attack he said hoarsely. How Is
that possible? deep and wide chan-
mel separates us from the main island -
The Brazilian gave startling an
swer.
"We have boat-a sort of boat" be
said quietly.
How many will II hold?"
Three in a smooth sea and with
skilled handling. 1t nearly overturned
when | and two others crossed from
the island. distance of 3OO yards"
But we have ropes. clothes. perhaps
some few pieces of wreckage. Can
nothing be done to repair it?'
Meaning that we draw lots to see
who shall endeavor TO escape tonight -
"The men might even do that"
"Ah, yes-the men. of course. I
think 1t hopeless. But try ii! Yes;
certainly. try it."
A pause more eloquent than the
most impassioned speech showed how
this frail straw eddying In the vortex
OF their fate might yet he clutched at.
San Benavides. trying vainly to guess
what was being said. blurted forth an
anxious inquiry. His compatriot ex-
plained briefly. Somehow the meas
ured cadence of their talk had less
| reliable sound than the vigorous An
glo-Saxon. They were both brave men.
They had not scrupled to risk their
lives In an enterprise where success
beckoned even doubtingly. But they
were lacking when all that remained
to be settled was how best to die: IN
such an hour the men of an English
speaking race will ever choose fight
ing death.
This time 1t was a woman who de-
cided.
Iris rose TO her feet She brushed
back the strands of damp hair from
her face and with deft hands made IL
rough and ready coil of her abundant
tresSeS.
Are you planning to send me with
two Others adrift in boat while sew
enteen men are left here?" she asked.
The Brazilian ceased speaking. There
was another uneasy pause. HOzier felt
that the question was addressed to
him. but he was tongue tied, almost
shamefaced. Coke. however. did not
shirk thetask of enlightening her.
Something like that he said. .We
can't let you cut in with the rest of us.
missy. That wouldn't be reasonable.
But it's best to Fix the business fair
an square. We amt a-goin' to try
any other way, not SC long az Tn skip
per, "Iand he looked with brutal fra,rl,.
ness at De sylvia and the anxious, but
uncomprehending San Renavides.
The ex-president knew what he
meant. Even in his despondency he
resented the implied slur OH his good
faith.
You cannot examine the boat until
darkness sets in" he said. ''rhen you
will find out how frail fou Station
you are building on. II Is abs0.s tely
ridiculous to assume that she can be
made sea worthy. Her occupants woula
be drowned before they were clear OF
the islands,
In any case. refuse to CO." said
Iris.
THE boat that brought these men to
this rock can bring nineteen men aud
a woman to Fernando Noronha. We
must land there tonight. With those
to guide us who know the coast. sure
ly that should be possible. We have n
right to struggle for our lives. We of
the Andromeda at least have done no
wrong to the cruel wretches VINO
sought to kill us without mercy t,day.
Why should we not endeavor to de-
fend ourselves? There Is food there
and guns in plenty. Let us take them.
Above all, let us not dream of any
such useless device as this proposal to
send three to drown somewhere in the
sea and leave seventeen to perish mis-
erably here. We are In Gods hands.
Let us trust to him. but while doing
that fully and fearlessly we must seek
life, not DEATH"
Bully for you, missr' roared a sailor,
and growl of admiration rang
through the cave.
De Sylva's incisiye accents helped to
bridge moment fraught with possi-
bilities, for it would be idle to assume
that this polyglot gathering was com
posed of Bayards. Self preservation is
apt TO prove stronger than chivalry un-
der such circumstances. Let it be as.
sumed that three among twenty could
escape that night, and 1t was horribly
true that the field of selection might
be narrowed by a wild beast struggle
long before the sun went down.
''rhe young lady has at least given
us n project" he said. 1T Is a des-
perate one. heaven knows! 1t offers
a fantastic chance. and can see no
other. But what can we do without
arms?''
use our heads" put in Hozier.
Bring us to the island, Senior de Syl-
va, and we will make fight OF it, In
any case, even IL we fail, they will not
deliberately kill woman. There must
be other women there who will inter-
vene In behalf OF one of their own sex.
But we may succeed. 1t Is improba-
Bile that the whole OF the troops will
be gathered In one spot. Why should
we not take some small detachment by