Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-05-08
The POOL
of FLAME
Continued from Opposite Page)
CHAPTER XIV.


stupor by O'Rourke's cry, with some
return Of her habitual clearness of
thought, stepped to the companionway
and called for her maid.
O'Rourke passed hand over his
eyes, and brought it away black with
blood, but was no more than half
aware Of this. Dazed and heart-brok.
en-, ne stared blankly round the sham
bles that was the deck, then, recover
Ing slightly, saw Cecile join her mis-
tress, and realized that, whatever his
personal grief, pain and despair, he
must play the part Of the O'Rourke.
So he turned and staggered down into
the saloon.
Danny was in his berth, sleeping the
childlike and loglike sleep that was
ever his. Dravos, below, his ears deaf
ened by the mighty chant Of his en-
gines, had been no more conscious Of
the drama on deck than had Danny.
O'Rourke caught the boy with hands
that gripped his shoulders cruelty, and
shook him awake, then methodically
booted him up the steps to the deck.
Once there, Danny came to his prop
er senses and fell with will to the
tasks O'Rourke set for him. With Ce-
cile he lifted the unconscious captain
and bore him down to his berth, then
left him to the ministrations Of mis-
tress and maid and returned to throw
overheard the last corpse, that Of the
lascar whom the serang had set to
slay the adventurer from behind.
ORourke himself proceeded to the
bridge, where he found the helmsman
still at the Wheel soberly keeping the
vessel on her course. The circum-
stance at the time surprised him; but
It afterwards was developed by dint
Of cross-examination Of the remainder
OF the crew that the serang had spe-
cially exempted Quick and Dravos
from the general massacre. thsy being
held necessary to the navfgatzoa Of
the ship. He had likewise pus strict
tnjuctions on the helmsman not 20 de-
sert the wheel, whatever the Ode Of
battle, whether for or against his
brethren The ssabbing OF Quick
seemed 10 have been occidental. or
necessary under circumstances unSore-
seen.
AS Q matter Of fact, the remainder
Of the iascars were thoroughly cowed
and proved unbelievably dociieeor <hs
balance Of the trip.
Thus Il was that the voyage Of the
Rance frem Alden to Bombay was
pushed through without further fatal
ity. TO the Irtshman, however. must
go moro than haf the credit. for for
ty-eight hours he never left the bridge
nor once closed his eyes In siumber.
Ie was not indeed until the Rance,
on the stroke Of the hour, the evening
of the fifteenth day Of juno, walked
smartly into Bombay harbor, the In
ternationsi code signal M" futter-
ing from her peak, rounded Colabra
and dropped anchor on the point; not
until Danny and Dravos, free at length
from their toll in the broiling engine
room, came on deck to relieve him,
that O'Rourhe collapsed-stumbled
down the bridge ladder and lurched
drunkenly down the saloon compan-
ionway. His head humming with
sleep, his brain bemused with fatigue
and pain, his eyes heavy, he brushed
By Mrs. Prynne without seeing her or
even hearing her low cry Of pity and
solicitude; and so entering the first
stateroom that he came to, threw him.
self, already asleep, into the berth.
AS he did 30 q loaded revolver
dropped from his numb fingers.