The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-05-20

.Someth;n. ahead. sir; can't make II
out"
The frs, officer sprang to the engine
room telegraph and grasped the lever
"Siny out what You see" he roared.
Hard 8 port. sir: ship on the star
hoard tack. dead ahead" came the cry
"Port your wheel hard over. repeat
ed the first officer to the quartermaster
nj the holm. who answered and obey
ed Nothing as yet could be seen from
the bridge The powerful steering en-
pine in the stern ground the rudder
over. but before three degrees on the
compass card were traversed by the
lubber's point a seeming thickenins OF
the darkness and fog ahead resolved
itself into the square sails OF deep
laden ship crossing the Titan's bow
not half her length away.
IL and d." growled the first off,
Ger STEADY on your course. quarter
ma ster." he shouted. "Stand from IN
der on deck" He turned a lever
which closed compartments. pushed a
button marked Captains Room" and
crouched down. awaiting the crash.
There was hardly crash. A slight
iar shook the forward end Of the Titan.
and sliding down her fore tOpmast
stay and rafting on deck came show.
or of small spars, sails. blocks and
wire rope. Then in the darkness to
starboard and port two darker shapes
shot blythe two halves Of the ship
she had cut through-and from one OF
these shapes, where still burned bin.
nacle light, was heard. high above the
confused murmur Of shouts aud
shrieks. sailorly voice:
MAY the curse of God light on you
and your cheese knife, you brass
bound murderers!'
The shapes were swallowed In the
blackness astern. the cries were hush
ed by the clamor Of the gale. and the
steamship Titan swung back to her
course. The first officer had not turn
cd the lever Of the engine room tele'
graph.
The bOatswain bounded up the steps
Of the bridge for instructions.
PUT men ut the matches and doors
Send every one who comes on deck to
the chart room. Tell the Waterman to
notice what the passengers have learn
ell and clear away that wreck for
ward as soon as possible" The voice
Of the officer was hoarse and strained
as he gave these directions. and the
AYE. aye, sir" Of the boatswain wal
uttered in a gasp.
The crows nest Oookouh. sixty fee
above the deck. had seen every detail
of the horror from the moment wher
the upper sails OF the doomed shil
had appeared to him above the fog t
the time when the last tangle o.
wreckage was cut away by his watcl
mates below. When relieved at fou
bells he descended with as littl'
strength In his limbs as was compatl
BILE with safety In the rigging. At tn
rail the boatswain met him.
"Rcport your relief. Rowland" b
said. "and go into the chart ROOM"
, On the bridge, as he gave the nam
!. OF his successor. the first officer seize
his hand, pressed 1t and repeated Il,
. boatswain's order. In the chart roof
, he found the captain Of the Titan. pal
. faced and intense In manner. seate
at a table and grouped around hil
the whole OF the watch on deck g,
cent the officers, lookouts and quartz
masters. The cabin watchmen wei
i there and some Of the watch beloy
among whom were stokers and CO.
passcrs, and also . few Of the oilers
| lampmen. yeomen and butchers-wh
sleeping forward. had been awakent
j by the terrible blow OF the great he
] low knife within which they lived.
I Three carpenters mates stood BY q
Il door with sounding rods In their hand
a which they had Just shown the ca
Y tain-dry. Every face. from the ca
:. tain's down, wore look Of horror al
! expectancy. A quartermaster follow
"A Rowland In and said:
" Engineer felt no Jar In the engi
N room. sir. and there's no excitement
N the stokehold."
D "And you watchmen report no alar
In the cabins How about the ste,
NJ ageI r that man back?" asked I
VI captain. Another watchman appear
n q he spoke
n "All asleep in the steerage. sir"
n said. Then Quartermaster enter
J. with the same report of the force,
ties.
VERY WELL" said the captain. risir
zone by one come into my otfl
watchmen first, then petty office
then the men Quartermasters "
j. watch the door. that no man goes q
until have seen him." He passedpr
=. another room. followed by a wat,
- man. who presently emerged and We
be on deck with more pleasant expr
n. sion OF face. Another entered a
"a came out, then another and anotf
~ until every man but Rowland had be
| tbn