The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-11-12

DRoMEDA.
TWNHE island artillery did not sue
ceed in hitting the crippled :
III ship again. Three more shells !
were fired, but each projectile
screamed harmlessly far out at sea-
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 known range. Indeed, ne
might even hazard a guess that the
Andromeda's warm reception was ar
ranged long before her masts and fun
mel rose over the horizon. That the i
islanders intended nothing less than
her complete destruction was self eyi- !
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, flinched from this new
danger and sank sobbing to her knees
behind the canvas shield Of the bridge.
Somehow this 1imsy 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 lny there, cough
ing up blood and froth and gasping his
life out. The two mon wounded by the
second shell were creeping down the
forward companion Ia 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 a man who is 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 or the
forecastle. But Coke, whose charmed
life apparently entitled him to act like
a lunatic, was actually balancing him
self on top Of the starboard rails Of
the bridge by clinging to stay, hav-
ing cllIabed 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 Off 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 sanguinary llvers
out.
The Andromeda, uncomfortable as
destiny and quite as Needless Of her
human freight, swung around with the
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
lockers open and throwing their con-
tents ON the deck. To enter he was
Obliged to leap over the body Of the
dying man. The action was gro.
tesque, callous. almost inhuman, II
Jared the girls agonized transports
back into species OF spiritual calm, q
mental state akin to the fatalism often
exhibited by Asiatics when death Is
imminent and not to be denied. The
apparent madness of the captain was
now more distressing to her than the
certain loss of the ship or the invisl
BILE missiles that changed into whit,
patches on the iron plates, cut suddel
whirrcd through the air with n buzzlns
whistle of singularly menacing sound
She began TO be afraid OF remaining
on the bridge. Her fegr was not du,
to the really vital fact that It was 3,
exposed. II arose from the purel,
feminine consideration that she wa
sure Coke had become ravins ma
MAC, and she dreaded meeting hin
when, II ever, he reappeared.
A bullet struck the front frame o
the chart room. and several panes. o
glass were shattered with a fearful
din. That decided her. Coke, II h,
were not killed. would surely be drlv
en- out. She sprang to her feet an'
literally ran down the steep ladder &
the saloon deck. Through the opel
door Of the officers mess she witnesse,
another bizarre aet--an act quite q
extraordinary In It's way as Coke
jump over the steersman's body. Il
the midst OF this drama Of death an.
destruction Watts was standing there