Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-01-03
CHAPTER XIV.

Mrs. Prynne, reused out of her semi
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 a 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-, be 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 ORourke.
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.
CIR senses and fell with will to the
tasks O'Rourke set for him. With &c.
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 she serang had set to
STAY the adventurer from behind.
O'Rourke himself proceeded TO the
bridge. where he found the lelmsma1
Still at the wheel, soberly keeping the
vessel on her course. The circum.
stance at the time surprised him; hut
1t afterwards was developed by dint
OF cross-examination of the remainder
of the crew that the se-ang had spe.
cially exempted Quick and Draros
from the general massacre. they being
held necessary to the navigation OF
the ship. lie had likewise put strict
injuctions on the helmsman not 10 de.
sert The wheel. whatever the tide Of
battle, whether for or against his
brethren. The stabbiug Of Quick
seemed to have been accident al, or
necessary undcg circumstances uIfore.
seen.
AS matter Of fact, the remainder
10 III ri
and proved unbelevably docle for the
balance of the trip.
Thus 1t was that the voyage Of The
Rance from Alden to Bombay wac
pushed through without further fatal,
ity. To the lrishman. however. must
60 more than half the credit: for for.
ty-eight hours he never left the bridge
nor once closed his eyes in slumber.
1t was not indeed unit! the Rance.
on the stroke of the hour, the evening
of the fifteenth day of June. walked
smartly into bombay harbor, the in.
ternational code signal mi" futter.
ing from her peak. rounded Colabra
and dropped anchor off the point: not
until Danny and Draros, free at length
from their toll in the hroiing engine.
room, came on deck TO relieve him,
that O'Rourke ollapsed--stumbled
down the bridge ladder and lurched
drunkcnly down the saloon compan.
iouway. His head humming with
sleep, his brain bemused with fatigus
and pain, his eyes heavy, he brushed
by Mrs. Prynnc without seeing her or
even hearing her low cry OF pity and
Solicitlde: and so entering The first
stateroom that he came 10, threw him.
self, already asleep. into the berth
AS he did so "a loaded revolver
dropped from his numb fingers.