The Harlowton news. [volume] (Harlowton, Mont.) 1909-1914, 1910-03-11

stanfial boat, Is feet in length, broad.
beamed and built for heavy seas. Jet
engined ana capable Of
good speed. BY his direction the tanks
had been filed and everything over.
hauled so that It would be In readiness
for use. The sea was very calm and
the gentle air scarcely raised ripple
on its surface. To save the trouble
Of hosting 1t aboard again, the tender
had been left trailing astern Ut the
end Of long line. It would be ready
for instant use. She would escape in
that. She knew how to run the motor
and how to steer the boat. She had
done It many time.
Carrying her heavy boat cloak she
entered her cabin, hastily packed her
bag with what things she fancied she
would need, returned to the table.
took from It every scrap that was
edible and portable; without much re-
gard for the niceties she made Il up
in heavy parcel which she tied with
napkins. She remembered that the
water tank in the launch had been
filed, 10 that for time at least she
would lack nothing. Carrying bag and
bundle in her hands and with the boat
cloak over her arm and . straw hat
tied on her head, after one long look
at the man, she turned and went ait
and re-entered the starboard after
stateroom, her own.
The boats painter had been afaxed
to the starboard side Of the yacht. She
opened the stern window and looked
out. She leaned far out and by great
good fortune in the darkness caught
the painter. The boat OF course, was.
swinging to a long rope. She pulled
at this line cautiously, although the
effort taxed her strength to tho Ut
most Indeed, she seemed possessed
Of fictitious strength for the time
being else she never could have &C.
complished her hard task. But she
managed to get the boat practically
under the cabin at last. She fastened
the painter to her bed, which was OF
brass and securely screwed to the
floor. Then she cut of the line and
tied the bundle of provisions and her
bag and cloak to the end of It. These
she dropped down into tho boat.
Among the petty articles was sharp
sailors sheath knife fastened to a Ian
yard. She slipped this lanyard into her
blouse. Then she climbed up on tho
port sill and essayed the dangerous
descent herself She was glad that
she was a strong, athletic woman,
used to trusting to her own skill and
powers, for 1t was no easy task to
slide down that rope and get into q
boat trailing along beneath the coun-
ter Of yacht going perhaps IL knots
an hour Fortunately the engine was
: we'll aft and the bow OF the launch
, was high out of the water: else heI
: weight would have pressed It down
t and the back wash from the yacht
r would perhaps have swamped the
I launch.
( At any rate, she succeeded, although
5 after she got her foot in the bows she
q slipped and fell. But that she fell
4 straight aft upon the cloak and bun
h dies she would have hurt herself Sc
r verely. If she had not fallen that way
x If she had pitched to the right or thu
g left she would have gone overheard
Q and that would have been the end
g for she knew that she would have die
rather than appeal to that ship TO
Y help. She was fearful that the nois
It Of her fall might have attracted tn
e attention Of some one on the decl
d but the poop of the yacht was vi
It ually deserted at night and It was VI
10 likely that any one would be up there
sr Scrambling to her feet, she dre'
le her knife and severed tho taut rop
lg that held the launch to the yacht
le parted instantly. She was whirle
b, backwards and sideways with q SUI
ID denness that again almost threw hi
1t out Of the boat. For one agonizing M
It. ment the launch lay full in the broa
ae beam of light that proceeded from tn
1g bright cabin window she had left. Fl
i'd one agonizing moment OF suspense 81
m hung there and then tho swirl Of tt
70. wave carried her into the darkness.
O. She lay directly in the wake OF Il
ss- yacht, and the launch was pitched
or and down by the waves made by Il
rapidly moving ship with a violen'
&C. of motion that was sickening. The
no were a pair Of oars in the boat, b
at she did not break them out. She ju
ed drew herself down in the stern shee
ill and lay there waiting. She knew tn
ed the clatter Of the motor could be hea
lty q long distance in so still night q
over 70 still sea, and therefore.
ew though her impulse was to start It
bin once, she restrained herself a
an. waited, watching the yacht rapidly d
1T appear. She could mark her cour
i'm easily by the light from that cal
not window. Her ear was keen and .
not listened until she could no longer I
red tsct tho beat and throb OF the stea
ely ers engines. Then she rose q
ant started the motor.
the (To be continued.)
She