The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-06-27
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 hand over his
eyes, and brought 1t away black with
blood, but was no more than half
aware of this. Dazed and heart-brok-
en-. he stared blankly round the sham
bles that was the deck, then, recover
Ing slightly, saw Ceci1e Join her mis-
rress, 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
ehiidlike 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 a will to the
tasks ORourke 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 ssrang had set to
slay the adventurer from behind.
O'Rourke 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
1t 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, they being
| held necessary to the navigation OF
the ship. He had likewise put strict
tnjuctions on the helmsman not to de
sert the wheel, whatever the tide OF
brethren. The stabbing of Quicl
seemed to have been accidental, OF
necessary under circumstances unfore
seen.
AS matter of fact, the remainder
Of the lascars were thoroughly cowet
and proved unbelievably docile for thu
balance OF the trip.
) Thus 1t was that the voyage of TIT
Rance from Alden to Bombay wa
) pushed through without further fatal
, ity. To the Irishman, however, mus
) go more than half the credit; for for
, ty-eight hours he never left the bridg,
nor once closed his eyes in slumber.
1t was not indeed until the Rance
on the stroke of the hour. the evening
of the fifteenth day of June, walke'
smartly into Bombay harbor, the in
ternational code signal M" futtei
ing from her peak. rounded Colabr
and dropped anchor off the point; no
until Danny and Dravos, free at lengt
from their toll in the broiling engine
room, came on deck to relieve hin
that O'Rourke collapsed-stumble
down the bridge ladder and lurche
drunkenly down the saloon compaI
ionway. His head humming wit
sleep, his brain bemused with fatigu
and pain, his eyes heavy, he brushe
by Mrs. Prynne without seeing her c
even hearing her low cry Of pity an
solicitude; and so entering the frs
stateroom that he came to, threw hin
z self, already asleep, into the berth.
AS he did so a loaded revolve
dropped from his numb fingers.