Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-06-05
p vlIi.

save you yeti"
CHAPTER VIII.
On the Breast Of the Sea.
"Can you keep afoat in this rough
ness?"
IL think so, now that I have the
life preserver. But the rope scared
me for a minute. It got wound about
my feet"
81 thought so. But we are drifting
away from the boats, and should swim
back as fast as we ear Can you
swim?"
Yes; better when I get rid of this
cloak. Which way is the yacht? I've
lost my bearings"
Behind % over there. Put your
hand on my shoulder and I'll take
you along until you get your breath.
Sol"
The girl obeyed implicitly, "as If
she we're a good, biddable child"
thought Jim. There was nom OF the
terrified clutching at a rescuer which
sometimes causes disaster to two In
stead of one. Miss Redmond was
badly shocked, It may be; but she
was far from being In a panic.
Now for the boat. Can you swim
a little faster? They'll surely come
back to pick Us up" said Jim, with
an assumption of confidence that he
did not feel. They could hear voices
from the yacht. and could follow. par
TALLY, what was going on. Miss Red
mond cast loose her cloak, put a hand
on Jim's shoulder, and together they
swan nearer, "Ahoy!" shouted Jim.
"Give US a hand" But the boat with
the large woman in 1t had put about
to the other side of the yacht.
"Ahoy! This way!" shouted Jim.
Throw US a rope!" he cried; but II
any of the seamen Of the Jeanne
D'Arc heard, they paid no heed.
Come this way" said Jim to his
companion. Wen catch them on the
other side of the yacht"
II can't swim much in all these
clothes" said Agatha.
Never mind, then. Hold on to the
life preserver and to me, and well
make 1t all right" On the crests
of the swelling waves they swan
round the dark hulk of the vessel, and
heard plainly the clamor Of the mer
as they embarked in the small boats
Two Of them seemed to be fastened
together, raftlike, on the starboart
side Of the yacht, and were quickly
filled with men. Prayers and curses
were audible, with the loose, wild in
1exion of the man who Is IN the
clutch of an overmastering fear. Al
long as there had been work for then
to do on the ship, they had done 1t
though sullenly; they had even con
trolled themselves until the attemp'
was made to place the two womer
in safety. But after that their self
/ restraint vanished. The orders Of tn,
} officers we're unheeded; the mel
! leaped and scrambled and slid int
: the boats, and In a minute more the.
} had cut loose from the Jeanne D'Arc
James dimly perceived that tn,
boats were moving away from then
, into the darkness. Then he called
I and called again, redoubling his specs
in swimming; but only the beat o
the oars came back over the water
The heart In him stood still with al
: unacknowledged fear. Was it possibl
they were absolutely leaving them be
hind? Surely there were other boats
He raised his voice and called agail
and again. At last one voice, careless
and brutal, called back something |
s reply. Jim turned questioning eye
to the girl beside him, whose pal
face was d%iscernible on the dark W;
1 ter.
! He says the boats are all full"
Then we must hurry and make fc
d the yacht. Where is she?"
y The Jeanne Dare had slipped ava
from them into the darkness.
she was this way, I thought, Ye
r I IN sure said Agatha, pointing int
the night. But though they swan tht
way, they did not come upon he
They turned a little. and then turne
again, and presently they lost ever
e sense of direction.
G In all his life Jim was never aga
destined to go through SO black a
hour as that which followed the aba
e donment Of the Jeanne Dare. H
10 courage left him, and his spirit sar
e to that leaden, choking abyss whel
.e lights did not exist. Since the ii
ID mediate object Of saving the ship, 4
which he had worked as hard as al
:" other, had been given up. the next
lie Importance was to save the won;
Is who, for some mysterious reason, h,
been aboard. 1t was beyond his pc
n er of imagination to suppose that a
ly other motive of action could posslh
re prevail. even among her enemi,
ne That they should leave her to drov
1t while they themselves fed to CO
le- parative safety in a boat, was me
lie than he could believe.
Surely they do not mean It.: tn
m must return, for you. at least"
M The girl beside him knew bett