The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-05-23


hip's company to the boats. A rope
adder swung from the deck to boat
beneath, which bobbed like cork be- n
side the big, plunging yacht. Two peo-
pie were in the boat, sailor standing Il
at the bow, and large muff1ed figure 4
Of woman sitting In the stern. jim L
ny 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
my's eyes grew accustomed to the
darkness, he saw her more and more
plainly, pale face framed in dark
hood, a tall, cloaked figure waiting
calmly to obey the word from the gu
perior officer
It 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. i am
ready" she said, turning to the cap
tain. 1t was the same fine, free voice,
suggesting oh, what did it not sug-
gest! Never this dark, wild night OF
danger! Jimmy thrilled to 1t again as
he 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
1t and helped as best they could, while
, the sailor below waited to receive her
into the little boat, She was steady
and quick as woman in such peril
; GUS position could be. AS she de
scended, the rowboat, insecurity held
: to the Jeanne dare, slid sternward
; a few feet; and while she waited II
midair for the boat to be brought vi
. again, the Jeanne Dare gave
:, mighty plunge. The captain shoutet
from the deck, sailor yelled. thel
:, another; the dipping sea tossed thu
= yacht SO that for an instant the boa
below and the woman on the ladde
p were hidden from Jim's view. H
- climbed over the rail and edged alon
= the narrow margin OF the deck unit
- he was a few feet nearer the rop'
= his heart humping with fear
:. calamity.
40 And even as the thought came. tb
:. thing happened. The wrenching
N the ropes, insecurity of their faste
~ ings some blunder on the part of Il
~ seamen-whatever 1t was, the roI
ol loosened like flament Of gauze, an
" with its precious burden, dropped in
~ ~ the angry water. Before a brea
~ could be drawn, the black wav
n churned over her head.
40 AS for the second time, Jim So
nc disaster engulf the Vision that h
ae, snch power over him, he was seiz
'e by a cold numbness.
ooh. you brutes!" he groan
'ut aloud. but his groan had scarcely
The caped him when he heard loud alt
put cation among the men, and In q
zen wont the usual tones OF Monsie
eek chatelard commanding:
he .Never mind! Quick with the 81
'ar- nm the other side!
hen The seamen rushed to the oppos
diff side now impatient to make
his hoats In the fear that was grow
out momently upon the men, there '
ed; M one to give thought to the
her ;shed woman. Jimmy chung to
ath- rail for second, peering over
'ent water With a cry of gladness
end saw her pale face rise to the surf
one - the water several feet away
saw toward the bow.
e of "Keep up second! It's all rlgi
loon no ahouted. Quick as thought
the snatcbed life preserver from
lest. nloca on the rail, and ran forW
ords He called thrice, Keep up, I'm {
that ing," then threw the cork sw'
chit; and accurately to the very spot wi
light she floated. A second longer
Dor. watched. to see IL she gained II,
k a seemed that she did, and yet 9
IN in thing was wrong. She was not
ems. to right herself Immediately IN
fur. wafer but fioundered helplessly.
the INV knew that her clothes were
j the paring her, or else that the rope
,abin der mad entangled her feet.
none He turned and got his baianc'
hem. the narrow ledge, pointed MS .
,ding high above his head. and 100
was good breath. Then he dove TO
lshed the floating face. When ne can
: all? the surface she was there, not
e sc. strokes away. He swan 70
could placed firm hands under ner
and steadied her while she ci'
dsok her feet from the entangiing 70