Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-08-26

conception could hardly find accept
ance in her mind. The men were
grouped close beside the entrance,
while De Nova and Celeste had gone
forward to assist Dade In bringing his
| supper from the galley, SO that for the
moment we were comparatively alone.
AS bent over, wondering what had
best say. she questioned quickly, with
a little sharp indrawing Of the breath:
| "And-and the people, Jack.-the-
crew? What became of them?"
Dead more than a century ago." l
answered solemnly. Il did not stop
this morning to read the log, and SO
l know little of their story. But the
vessel itself tells OF storm and Of long
struggle in the ice; probably most Of
those on board perished from expos
ure and cold.''
| Her hands clasped mine. her cheeks
white from apprehension.
| "Were-were there any-any bodies
|-here?"
Yes" replied reluctantly. not dar-
Ing to say otherwise.
"How-how many?"
-Four men. a woman, and a child"
An instant she stared into my face;
then swept her eyes about the light
ed cabin. only to bury them within her
hands. her whole body trembling.
IA woman and child! Here!
here! for 126 years! Oh, merciful
Cod" she lifted her eyes again. filled
with horror, her hands clenched
'They-they were actually here. ap-
pearing natural? looking as they did
in life?"
"Yes: they seemed to be sleeping.
for they had been solidly frozen In the
very attitudes In which they died. The
woman rested on the couch yonder.
She had beautiful dark hair and eyes.
and must have been about 30 years OF
age. The child was In bunk. little
fiaxenhaired girl Of three or four"
'And-and you buried them?"
.As best we could. We wrapped
them In blankets. and consigned them
to the deep. with n prayer for their
souls I bent closer. Doris. dear.
don't let this rest SO heavily upon you.
wish might have kept 1t all hidden.
It was only the end of one OF the in.
Vulnerable tragedies OF the sea. We
must face our own needs now. and
l
thought she did not hear me, the
tears continuing to fall between her
fingers. halfsuppresed sobs shaking
her form. Yet as I rested my hand
upon. her shoulder. she looked up at
me out Of moistened eyes. her lips
firmly set.
"Yes-yes; ! know. Jack. but-but
It is all SO terrible. and-and has come
to me with such a shock. I can not
comprehend it-that they should have
actually been here-here. all those
years-waiting, But I will not think
Of It any longer; IL will do some
thing to make me forget"
We all messed together. sitting upon
the long benches drawn up about the
table, Dade waiting upon us. with Dor
is and Celeste occupying places be-
tween De Nova and myself. At the
beginning we spoke little. the strange
ness OF our surroundings holding us
silent. but the minds Of all being busy
with the same thought, we insensibly
drifted into conversation regarding
our chances OF rescue. and the history
Of the old vessel in whose cabin we
fioated. Once De Nova introduced the
subject OF the treasure which might
be stored away below deck. and the
men exhibited their interest by nu-
merous question; but ! gave them lit
tie encouragement dlong this line. re-
alizing that for the present our earli-
est effort should be to transform the
| wreck into some degree OF safety-a
sail first, and a clean rudde-: these at
tained. the search for treasure might
begin.
What a scene and group that was.-
the wintry night without, the drifting
fog Of snow. the helpless hulk rising
and falling upon the treacherous heave
Of the sea, that odd, violet-colored light
cleaning over us. The faces are even
before me-the girlish looking Celeste.
with her dark curls and white teeth;
Lady Darlington. her gray eyes still
moist as she glanced about the In
terror. unforgetful OF its memories: De
Nova. jaunty as ever. with no thought
beyond the present. recalling to my
mind with every movement the face Of
that dead Spaniard who for more than
a century had sat where he was sit
ting; Sanchez, pale and with that
hunted look, a counterpart no doubt OF
some seaman this ship had known in
other days; Mcknight. burly and red
necked; Kelly. his blue eyes filled with
the merriment of old Ireland; John
son. d-shouldered. and sober-faced.
eating steadily, with never a lift Of
his shaggy brows; and Dade. fiuttering
about like a waiter ashore. with his
eternal smirking and suggestion of q
tip.
CTo BE CoNTINUED)