The Washington times., 1913-08-05

III ~
II into the eyes of the Daphne.
u There the trail of gas led him.
1t was the coal in the forehatch
that had been exposed and wet. He
went below through the chain-locker,
but only to remain a second.
A sulphurous wave of heat drove him
on deck choking for breath. A furnace
was back OF IT. There was no fire to be
seen, but this man did not have to see
1t to know what the blast that repulsed
him meant. He knew these Australian
coal cargoes too we'll. This was not the
result of the mutineers' abortive effort
to destroy the Daphne. This was a fire
OF spontaneous combustion.
1t was deeply seated. The coal had
been in the bark more than 116 days to
his own knowledge, which was drawn
from the log and the time since he had
boarded her. How long she had laid in
Sydney after being loaded there was no
way of telling.
Coal Of this kind, laden in hulls like
the Daphne's, which were never built
for such cargoes. generate gas after a
certain period. Unless watched inces-
sanity and properly ventilated, fire Is
the certain result. The Pacific deeps
hold the secret Of many a ship lost
through such lading.
That night the constant northwester-
ly summoned a new freshness to its
drive as IL il sensed the Daphne's
peril. When Paul relieved Emily at
the wheel at o'clock she was crying
been standing there a full 1--WE hours
Not since they had been sailing to the
eastward had Paul permitted her to
take a trick beyond two hours She
had to walk up and down the deck
swinging her arms and fiexing her
| fingers to get the numbness out OF
them.
said "I feel like
through all this terror and hardship
and to think I can't do anything TO
His tenderness Hooded her eyes with
tears Strife always brought him close
Don't : Paul. please" she said brave
You wiiiNyou win have me breaking
going to pieces in a moment
She put her hands to her face ana
leaned against the casing over the
"Emiiy, I want you to get for'ard
and get a bite to eat and then turn
| in" he said. I'm going TO Try 10 ieI
you sleep for three hours1mbiayoe hournss1v,binyr bait
tened down forward. The nres al
there. Not a sign aft-no tempeIa
ture. It's this wind and our stIeng.n
against the beast taat Sst Is uh 2 beast he
He did not tell her "hdt O
knew il to be. .., a,, altar
The morning of the NTH DAY ai.ep ,e,,
the discovery of the fre Paui nHeu to tSee
the Daphnes position l5o mlies " '
south and west of San Francisco;
"0nI-T another day, partner! Maybe
an hour may bring a vessel 10 us-
She had Just relieved him at the
wheel. Through these nve oass ,rht|
Daphne had come driving witnout .oioa
ING a sail: unspoken save by tne 'oics
of the northwest wind. once they nau
seen the black smoke plume OF an out
ward-bound steamer but II was 700 lal
away for the Daphne's signal OF ols'reSs
to be seen. ,-, -, mill
alone: to be endowned of force that
only death could stay. When ne siept
the gold woman had no idea. he re
Iieved her at the wheel every wv
hours, night and day. but %hen sne
was steering she always heard MIN a.
work in the engine-room. FROM tne
very first night he had slept peside
that engine, kept its fire aliVe ana
stream of steam flowing into the Ioiy
hold through a pipe led down throusn
the chain locker. He had explained 70
her that water on a fire like this would
be of as little use as oil; that gases
had to be smothered.
Emily sensed that a greater danger
menaced them than Paul had reNealea.
This had been suggested to her "heLi
on the second day she had seen Nun
finish a raft built of doors and DUNK
boards out of the fOrecast!e. But she
had learned of the storm not 10 ask
questions. What this man chose 10
tell he would tell. .
Never had he seemed more splendid
than as he stood before her this MORN
ing telling the Daphne's position ana
in the same breath whispering asaiii
the belief that had come to MIN thl'
night before that the steam was C~uoh ~
ing the beast in the hold. pa.S
ougnbred'S suppleness, unmistaksoly III
her sight an urn of the divine nre from
which mankind draws It's noplest Hii-
pulses
Wen win through you yet. my
prince, In justice We must! she SdllSu
To him as he went forward. She t.
him come to the galley door le" t
utes later with cup Ur steahi'hE -
and as he ate of biscuit ana vi am
waved TO her. He darted inside anu
moment later came running art Win
cup for her. .,, aba
i've had my coffee, dear heart she
said. nut
Half a dozen won't hurt you. J puS
two spoons OF sugar IN it-ahu' 'ou
save the mark" ,,y,,
With that he was gone from her again
Emily watched his breaking cohl U
of a corner of the main hatoh lor
in the donkey. She smiled Hs -,
membered his commentary OH inc 20
ness OF stealing coal from one en-"
the ship TO make fire to put oul ~
already afire in the other end OF tns
ship. It was the old, old principle - OF
lighting fire with fire in a ne"' "e'"
form ,,,I,
Watching her partner drew Emily
attention from the Daphne. ~.
ing slat of the weather-Ieech ot
toegaiiantsI brought her eyes back TO
the bark and the compass & she hau
just succeeded in getting the Vessei on
her course Of northeast again "nsu