The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-12-27
" MARTHA BELLINGER.


gone SICK at heart, he again rushei
on deck. Was he mistaken after all
: Or had they hidden her in some Sc
, , cret part of the ship where he coulc
not find her?
When Jimmy got back to the decl
: he saw that the groups had gathered
on the port side. Sharp orders were
being given. He crowded to the rail
ing, straining his eyes to see, ant
found that they we're transferring the
ships company to the boats. A rope
ladder swung from the deck to boat
beneath, which bobbed like a cork be,
side the big, plunging yacht Two peo
pie were In the boat, a sailor standing
at the bow, and large mufled figure
Oh woman sitting In the stern. Jim.
my at once knew her to be the
apathetic fat woman he had seen a
rev minutes before on deck. His eye
searched the company crowded about
the top Of the rope ladder, and sudden
~ mis- heart leaped. There she was,
at the edge of the deck, waiting for
the captain to give the word for her to
descend to the boat below AS Jim
mys eyes grew accustomed to the
darkness, he saw her more and more
plainly. pale face framed in a dark
mood, tall, cloaked figure waiting
calmly to obey the word from the su-
perior officer.
1t was the third time Jimmy had
seen her, but he felt as II he had found
one dearer than himself. His ewes
dWelt ON her. She was not terrified:
her nerves were not shaken. 81 am
ready she said, turning to the cap
tain. 1t was the same fine, free voice
suggesting-Oh, what did it not sug-
gest! Never this dark, wild night of
Danger! Jimmy thrilled to it again as
ne had thrilled to it once before. He
waved Jubilant hands. Agatha Red
mond!" he called across the space
and heads that divided them.
Whether she heard his call he did
not know. At that moment the word
was given, and she turned an almost
smiling face to the captain in replv
she knelt to the deck and got footing
on the slippery rope. Men above held |
1t and helped as best they could. while |
the sailor below waited to receive her
into the little boat. She was steady
and quick as woman in such a peril.
Gus position could be. AS she de.
seended, the rowboat, iusecurely held
TO the Jeanne Dare, slid sternward
a few feet; and while she waited in
mldair for the boat to be brought up
again, the Jeanne Dare gave n
mighty plunge. The captain shouted
from the deck, sailor yelled then
another; the dipping sea tossed the
yacht so that for an instant the boat
below and the woman on the ladder
were hidden from Jim's view. He
climbed over the rail and edged along
ne narrow margin of the deck until
le was a few feet nearer the rome
lis heart humping with fear Of ,
.alamity
And even as the thought came tho
hing happened The wrenching of :
ne ropes, insecurity of their fasten-
ngs, some blunder on the part of the +
it was, the rome ;
oosened like filament Of gauze and !
Nth its precious burden, dropped into .
he angry water Before a breath J
ould be drawn, the black waves r
burned over her head. .
AS, for the second time, Jim saw e.
isaster engulf the Vision that had +,
Ich power over him, he was seized
y a cold numbuess
"Oh, you brutesi" he eroaped >,
oud; but his groan had scarcely ga.
lped him when he heard loud alter. .,
ltion among the men, and in a mo-
ent, the usual tones of Monsieur
hatelard commanding: ~
Never mind! Quick with the boat w
J the other side!" n,
The seamen rushed to the opposite as
de, now impatient to make the se
ats. In the fear that was growing
upon the men, there was dc
one to give a thought to the van. hc
led woman. Jimmy clung to the do
II for a second, peering over the 90
tier With a cry of gladness he IN
W her pale face rise to the surface Ito
the water several feet away and n19
ward the bow. -,
Keep up second! It's all right" oil
shouted Quick as thought he i'm
atched a life preserver from its WI
.ce on the rail. and ran forward he,
called thrice, Keep up, I'm com. ar @
=" then threw the cork ewiftIv ott
accurately to the very spot where nre
fioated, A second longer he nh
tched, to see If she gained it. II wb
med that she did, and yet some. M,
1g was wrong She was not able tba
right herself Immediately in tie +"
.er, but foundered helplessly. Jim MIR
knew that her clothes were ham I