The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-05-17
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BY MARTHA BELLINGER.
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MARTHA BH,LINGER
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gone. Sick at heart, he again RUSHED
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. anC
found that they were transferring the
ships company to the boats. A rope
ladder swung from the deck to a boat
beneath, which bobbed like a cork be
side the big, plunging yacht. Two PEG
pie were in the boat. sailor standing
at the bow, and large muffied figure
or woman sitting In the stern. Jim.
my at once knew her to be the
apathetic fat woman he had seen a
few minutes before on deck His eye
searched the company crowded about
the top of the rope ladder, and sudden.
ly his 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
hood. 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 If he had found
one dearer than himself. His eyes
dwelt on her. She was not terrified;
her nerves were not shaken. 81 am
ready she said, turning to the cap
tain. II 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 reply
She knelt to the deck and got footing
on the slippery rope. Men above held
II and helped as best they could, while
the sailor below waited to receive her
into the little boat She was steady
and quick as a woman In such a peril
GUS position could be- AS she de-
scended, the rowboat, insecurely held
TO the Jeanne D'Arc, slid sternward
Few feet; and while she waited in
mldair for the boat to be brought up
again, the Jeanne Dare gave a
mighty plunge. The captain shouted
from the deck, a 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
the narrow margin Of the deck until |
ne was a few feet nearer the rope,
his heart humping with fear of
calamity.
And even as the thought came the
hing happened. The wrenching Of
he ropes, insecurity Of their fasten-
ngs. some blunder on the part of the
'eamen-whatever it was, the rome
oosened like a f1lament of gauze. and
With Its precious burden. dropped into
he angry water. Before a breath
could be drawn. the black waves
,hurned over her head.
AS. for the second time. Jim saw
disaster engulf the Vision that had
uch power over him, he was seized
" a cold numbness.
"Oh. you brutes!" he eroaned
loud; but his groan had scarcely ga.
aped him when he heard loud alter.
alton among the men, and in a mo-
nent, the usual tones Of Monsieur
'hatelard commanding:
Never mind! Quick with the boat
n the other side!" 4,
The seamen rushed to the opposite .
ide, now impatient to make the ,
oats. In the fear that was growing
lomently upon the men, there was ,
o one to give thought to the van. ,
shed woman. Jimmy chung to the ,
all for a second, peering over the :
'ater. With a cry Of gladness he :
aw her pale face rise to the surface !
the water several feet away and
,ward the bow. :
Keep up a second! It's all right" r
e shouted. Quick as thought he {
Matched a life preserver from its ,
lace on the rail. and ran forward ,
70 called thrice. Keep up, I'm com. q
lg!" then threw the cork swiftly :
nd accurately to the very spot where =
ne foated. A second longer he !
atched, to see II she gained 1t. It '
eemed that she did. and yet some r
ing was wrong. She was not able +
right herself Immediately in the
ater' but fioundered helplessly. Jim. y
y knew that her clothes were ham,