The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-14

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as soon as his head rose above the
Iall the terrific force OF the storm, and
then he stared ahead and to Ieeward.
There, short distance away, rose the
loom OF the land, range Of distant
I hills of which he could make but little
/ in the mist, but which evidently bespoke
nearer shores between them and their
crests. II was not 10 be founderinG,
| then. The snip would drive ashore. lie
scrambled down again and pointed 10
| leeward-
LAM ne cried in the girls ear.
and then. summoning three or four who
had chosen the quarterback for their
places or security he went 10 the cabin
! and brought out three wounded men.
] i want 20 be carried there" the mate
had said, pointing upward TO the poop
! as ne was lifted out of the cabin.
| Although Il was dan gcrOus in the eN-
! IRENE, Moruington was willing 20 nu-
NOR his fancy. He was laid in the lee
OF the hatch, and they passed line
| about him through the ring-5olts. knot
| ting IL lightly over his breast. The 9TH
er men were laid on the quarterback,
/ and the wretched wounded mutineers
! were brought out from the forecasle
| IN the same way.
| The men-the welt men, that is-had
/ done al that they could for the wound
| ed. They began stripping or their
! shirts and kicking OF their shoes prep
! aratory 10 a wild struggle with the sea.
What shall you dor" screamed SUI
I
! Stay with you"
! TRY 10 save yOurself!
/ Not without you"
They held on. staring fearful!y
! through the mist and rain at the
! shore, which was perceptibly nearer.
! They were waiting with stIlled hearts
! for the shock. There was a strange
| eagernesS in everybody's mind II II
were coming, thCv prayed that il
| might come quick y. The strain of
/ waiting was more than humanity
! could bear.
Susan turned and slipped her olsen
gagged arm around her lovers neck,
] drew his lace down TO her own, and
/ kissed him. II was as II she had had
| a premOuiJiOn that the moment o.
farewell had arrived, for with shock
I like an earthquake the Hiram and
/ Susan was whirled against a long
shoal projecting from the shore
The violent and sudden stopping OF
! her Wild drive threw 10 the deck most
of those who had not dashed them
selves 70 the rails or mast.
The shock snapped the foremost like
plpe-SteTi. that and the presence Of
the wind on the weakened main tore
the great spar across below the
( hounds, and Immediately thereafter
the mizzentOpmast fell Ia the genera
ruin A fCurfOld block from the top
sail-halyards struck Mornington. still
clasped in SuSan's arms, upon the
head and shoulder and dashed him
down senseless to the deck.
The WOman'S scream might almost
have been heard above the roar Of the
tempest had anyone listened.
Not content with the first awful i'm
pact. the winds and waves beat again
and again upon the doomed ship.
twisted her about, and hurled her
farther mp on the shOaI. She rolled
over on her beam ends at last and be
came wedged In the sand, while the
whole storm-driVeu Atlantic thuu-
dered I'm assault upon her bilge.
Her boats We're crushed and torn from
their fasteninES Her men were washed
hither and thither helpiesSly. The
wounded were drowned in an instant.
Some Of the Strongest caught floating
bits OF wreck and disappeared in the
white frOth TO leeward, lighting for life
as they were swept away.
In a moment IL seemed that Susan.
who had clutched madlv AT the collar Of
MOrningtOn's Jacket as he felt, and who
chung 10 IL with all the tenaClIy OF her
affection, was alone upon the ship save
for the dead in the cabins and the dying
mate straining against the rope that Sc
cured him 10 the scuttle. she herself
would have gone overheard with the rest
had Il not been for the timely lashinE
which MOrnington passed around her.
A. her belt dangled sailors sheath
knife.
Not for an instant relaxing her grasp
on the lieutenant, she drew DO with one
hand, opened its broad blade with her
teeth. and then cautiously severed the
lashing which bound her 20 the rail The
lee side OF the ship was now well unC rr
water So soon as the lashing was cut.
Susan fell away slowly down the slant
ing deck. standing at an angle OF per
haps 50 degrees. and brought up again.
the wheel. as she hal calculated.
Her marvellous nervous strength stoOc
her in good stead now. With super
human exercise Of s. she drew the pres
trate form Of her lover up and across d.
ana there they rested, the woman pant
ing. the man unconscious still
He was still breathing. she noticed
with relief after a quick and anxious in
spection Of him. although he had not
spoken q word since he had been struck
There was some shelter for the two
since the deck was turned away from
the sea, and Susan enjoyed brief re-
spite.
She had need of all her strength r..
what she proposed to do. She had 90
work slowly, for she could only use one
nand.
FroD a broken part OF the rigging she
cut long piece of line.
This she managed painfully 10 pass
around MOrningtOn's shoulders under his
arms and then around her own She
was going 70 Try TO swim ashore with
him or they would go down together.
she resolved. There was no better
swimmer on the ship, or on many ships
than this girl. But il was. indeed, a
tOrlOrn hope. II she could only get
something to give her some support in
that wild whirling pool Of frothing sea
Of success, she knew, but there was
nothing within reach.
She dared not leave support Afforded
Iher by the wheel until she was ready
for the desperate venture.
She looked swiftly forward There
was nothing there. The ship was prac-
tically striped to a gantline She put
her free hand to her eyes for one brief
and fervent prayer, and then prepared
to slip into the sea, when voice above
her that she knew called her by name.
There at the break OF the poop, hang
ing on the rail, which now stood up like
a ladder, was the mate. He had sum
moned his last vestige Of strength and
energy TO her service, and was about
to show his devotion in death as he
had hoped TO show Il in life He had
seen her preparations, realized perfect
~ what she was going to do. and had
come TO her aid.
How he did il was fmDossib1e n
imagine, He had been practicable
dead man five minutes before, vet now
ne chung to the rail and passed her a
81 rating. and she noticed, in the midst
OF her anxiety, that his hand was The
steadieSt thing on the ship She seized
It. ana with more rope lashed herself
70 Il. giving herself certain Ma, b,-
which she kept his head above wafer
Win the same line she also Dassed =
as we'll
And now she must 90. She looked nm
once again The Homeric mate had ]
slipped down along the rail- 70 which ne /
was still clinging. The life had gone /
out Of his face: and his eyes were I
closed in the relaxation which comes 4
after a srrOrerr1a effort