The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-03-02

der to the bridge uecK ana cIutcn-
ing there at the rope which opened the
steamers siren. Good God! What an
instant Of suspense! Were the fires be-
low damped down, or was there steam
in the boiler? One tremendous pull
upon the rope had no answer for me
at ALL Again, and again I jerked the
cord back as though very desperation
would sound the alarm which should
summon my friends and save me from
the rabble. And the men below
watched me aghast, their curiosity
overpowering them. their mouths
agape, so that when the sirens blast
last, you could have heard football
on our decks or caught the meaning
Of whispered message.
The men were dumfounded, I say
and without idea. This / have ever
observed to be habit among sea-
men when the news Of any great dis
aster comes upon them or they are
taken unawares In an instant or emer-
gency. No clown could look more child
ish then, or any Master Boldface laugh
as fooishly. There they were In a
group below me, some with their hands
thrust deep into their pockets, some
smoking idly: some looking into the
faces Of their neighbors as though a
glance would answer the riddle OF the
night. And while they stood, the siren
roared blast of defiance again. as
the voice of Minotaur of the deep,
warning and terrifying and not
to be resisted. Had I doubted
the vigilance OF my good comrades
upon the yacht, 1 could have doubted
It no longer. White Wings answered
my signal almost instantly in a higher
note Of defiance. in shrill assent to
that wild roll call, the orator mechan-
answered, her siren seemed to put
reproach upon me, saying, 1.-THE yacht
is here-all is well-why have you
doubted us?"
A deep silence fell upon the Dia-
mond Ship when this signal came re-
verberating over the waters. None OF
the amazed seamen spoke a word or
made movement for many minutes.
had already put my pistol into my
pocket and taken cigaret from my
case. If 1 wished the men to believe
that the hour of crisis had passed,
was under no delusion at all myself.
For remember that 1 had gone up to
the bridge and stood there, during this
supreme instant Of danger and that.
if 1 would regain the deck of the yacht,
must descend the ladder down
through these serried ranks of men;
and must pass as one who was going
from them to the house Of an avenger,
to his comrades who would Judge the
story and help him to decide upon
the punishment. The rogues very sal
walton depended upon my captivity; !
was their hostage. and by me would
reprieve come, If reprieve were to be
long before 1t had dawned upon the
witless rabble; but it occurred even to
them at last, and crowding about the
ladders foot they told me bluntly that
they were aware of 1t.
"Guess it's your turn" said the
American, venturing a step upward but
no more. His manner had become
less turbulence.
my turn, as you say, SIR / re-
Joined with what composure 1 could.
II am now going aboard my yacht,
and there I will decide what is to be
done with you. That will depend upon
your behavior, advise you to remem-
Der as much"
to go on. White Wings was evident
ly quite near to us now-I could hear
the throb Of her turbines; her siren
hooted repeatedly. The night was mine
but for an accident. And yet, heaven
knows, ii appeared to me then that an
accident must befall me unless a mir
sacle interviewed.
That's your yacht, right enough"
the Yankee went on Immediately. And
so far as it's her, we're in a Glove
hitch ourselves. The question is, who's
to put you aboard her. and what shall
we be about when he's doing it? Now.
see here, as between man and man
you give us your solemn affidavit not
to do anything against the ships crew
and you're free to come and go as
the second is as you sign the paper
Will Rayner has drawn up and abide
by it's terms. Do as much as that and
your friends shant be more willing to
help you. But IL you don't do it
why, then, look out for yourself, for,
by the Lord above me, you amt got
10 minutes to live"
He came another step up the lad
der. cheered, as 1t seemed, by his own
eloquence. AS for the men, they opened
their lips for the first time since my
yacht had answered me, and their
hoarse roar of Defiance uttered in that
unpleasant timbre to which the sea at
tunes the human voice, backed the
threat and made 1t their own. Had it
been left to me under circumstances
less dangerous, I might have given
them my word to let them go free,
and signed the paper their leader spoke
about; but just in the same measure
that they threatened me, so did my
anger against them rise-and stepping
briskly to the topmost rung Of the lad
der I answered them in a sentence
that even their dull intellects could
understand.