The Washington times., 1913-07-29
By WIN. BROWN MELONEY.


4 them-snsrls, whines. whimperings, and
the creaking as of huge pinions wheel
Ing. A wolf-pack might have been dis
putting kill with horde of vultures.
The contrast of this with the ex-
Quislte moonlight night upon which Paul
| had closed his eyes was a, Ing He
groped his way to the wheel, which was
| In beckets TO keep II from rolling, and
peered into the compass. An uncon-
sclous sigh OF thankfulness for the fore
thought which had made him light the
6innacle-lamp escaped from him. The
Daphne was heading north-nOrtheast
The guest of wind which had slammed
the spanker-boom must have come out
OF the southeast.
He faced that point. Another gust
confirmed the assumption. He ran into
thc lounge and struck a match The
silver watch lay on the chart table. dt
said O'Clock. He had not returned for
This. but to see the barometer.
hung all day.
But what he had not discovered by
daylight he now saw in the flickerInS
match-light. The barometer hand and
the indicator were caught together. His
heart Nont cold. He lit another match
and siEdc kthe bulkhead with his
clenched hand. The blow iarred the
hand and Indicator apart. The deljcaIe
wisp Of blue steel quivered at 300 for a
breath. Then It began TO fall. II
reached S.0S, and clung. Even as the
match went out II recorded 2.O6, and
was still falling.
He had seen a mercurial barometer
go from 2s.SO 10 2603 in the Kau Lung.
That was a worlds record
Despair seized him. What could Re
and lone woman do in a brute OF a
vessel like this? Undermanned even
with twenty men before the mast,
God Almighty, what have dnne?'
he cried aloud in his agony OF spirit.
A smash OF wind from the south'ard
was the answer he got
He gritted his teeth and flung p curse
at the sea
III beat you-you and al Your foul
ness! You sneak" he yelled at the
blackness
He dropped down through the COM
panionway, calling Emily: Emily
There was no answer. She was asleep.
poor girl, he Thought. That was why
she had let him overslecp; why she
had not called him when It turned
black.
Emily! Emily" Where are vou7''
Echoes answered him. Running for
ward he saw the light beaming from
the derelict's room. AS he reached the
doorway ne saw the girl standing be
side the old mans berth. a book IN her
left hand and her right upIifted
so help ne Cod the derelict Was
solemnly repeating after her
As the last words came from hts lips
he discovered Lavelle.
THE Prince" he cried and fell back,
a hand at his brow in salute.
The book dropped from EmiIv's hand
She swayed where she stood She had
fought and won a battle as brave as
any field of war ever knew. Yet an
angry glance which struck her and cut
like whiplash was her reward
Why dint you answer me when I
called" Lavelle demanded. but paused
not on an answer. Get aft to that
wheel Go! Run, Keep her nor'east
until can get hack to YOU"
With that he was gone from her. Like
a soldier. without questioning. without
word. sh% went aft to do what this
man had Mdd"n
The fr" uru'r the donkey was dead
when Lav"!lc got 10 the engine room.
1t would take an hour TO make steam
The barometer and his sea wisdom had
told him that he had only minutes to
prepare.
Whatever tn" battle was to be. it was
with his own hands that Paul Lavelle
must fight. With this realization. a ter
rthc rare hli"d him. II wns fed with
each breath that lie snatched Out OF
th" blaci,ness The sea was prrsonll
"nemy. Thus men who deal with It in
long Intimacy come to visualize II.
The sea vas sncak-a coward; al
ways striking below the belt.
l-av"lle had squared the Yards before
h" had GOn" AFT IN the evening. lcaT-
ing the braces shack So as to cast the
Daphn" on tn" most advantageous tack
AT the first coming Of a breeze. lie had
expected 4 wind from the north and
west Here II was out uf the south
east The Gusts v hitch had reused MN
had struck the bark on the starhpard
quarter. It had brought her to on that
side. She was now forging ahead on
the starbOard tack