The Washington times., 1913-07-10
CHAPTER vi.
Master of the Boat

mdSlts Ol lne DOdl.
~ AVN suddenly broke upon a sea
snarling under the lash of a
4 heavy northeasterly. Emily
Granville, her eyes pressed
against the bIackness, saw II as from a
mountain peak. The next instant she
was hurting, twisting downward
through space. sightless; her breath
stopped.
The sensation of falling ceased.
amid a stinging smother of spray, and
then came the sensation of being lifted
of rising swiftly. She caught a
breath and opened her eyes; and again
from seeming great height she be-
held in awe the youth of the day strid-
ing across an angry waste of waters.
The terrific buffeting of the boat.
under the gunwale of which she crouch
ed, had been going on for hours. Until
this moment She had been only dimly
gives one no background-no line of
contrast by which the mind may
measure its impressions. One thought
only had lived persistently: that her
dured.. But the human mind installed in
a normal, healthy body like hers does
not break so easily. No one becomes
insane quickly any more than one be-
comes a thief quickly. A long process
OF decay must precede.
As Enily's body readjusted itself to
the cockleshelPs wild movements her
senses began to recover their power of
apprehension. She realized that she
was clutching a hand-a hand she re-
membered snatching out of the night as
the vortex of the sinking Cambodia
seemed about to suck the boat down
TO the deeps. Through the eternity of
blackness which had passed its touch
held II up now and saw that it was
the hand of strong man, with a
strange ring of green jade upon II. The
fully.
Then she became aware that a weight
was upon her limbs, and she looked
down A mans head lay in her lap
just free Of the foaming wash in the
boats bottom. 1t was the hand of this
man that she clasped and that was
win a new fear starting in her heart,
1or the face was very white. A stronger
volume of light shot into the heavens
II was the man Whitridge-Lavelle.
Inc boat plunged from the crest OF
a sray-hacked comber and ended its
descent with a racking jerk Emily
Granville was thrown from across La
Vene' her face pressed against his
spray-wet lips. She struggled to draw
away, but the sea, as # In mockery,
heIo her close to this man and weltered
them In its spume.
When the boat rose again she
Strengthened with a shudder. wave
OF horror mixed with hateful reyuls,on
swept over her. She tried to pull herself
away from him, but the weight of his
neaa and shoulders. and a woman
covering at her side. pinned her down
shS freed one of her hands. but La
Feile held the other in a grip which
her strength could not break
Ihen. gradually. her natural spirit of
Jueuce and humanity assumed rule
hl
an obsession since childhood-her re-
pognance of physical contact
Inc water in the boat was SO deep
that she realized that If she put this
mans head away from her lap it must
sink. Perhaps he was dying-perhaDs
death had already claimed him. and as
this thought came to her she saw the
open wound in his brow lust back of
another jagged scar.
The humility of shame bowed her
neao- ana her eyes filled with tears
mis- man had suffered this wound for
her sake: he had come to her in the
night when all hope had gone: he had
snatched her from the clutches of wild
peasts, who had shot him down even
as ne Iald her in this boat. 1t was be-
cause OF him that she lived
She felt tremor pass from IaveTe.s
pooy into hers. His lips parted with a
sign. and he murmured something wear
lily. Then his eyes opened for sec
ono. He looked up into her fac. with
the glance of tired child. yet without
recognition. and her heart gave a sud
den. fearful throb. She thought IT was
pity, and knew II not for the rtIrrinx
of the eternal motherhood that is in ali |
women.
A gust of wind swept Emily's thick
plaits of golden hair across his face,
and his eyes closed again. the while a |
faint smile flickered across his lips like |
one returning a p1aa Mt
snuggled his head closer against the |
thigh which was numb from piIlowlng |
II, and the woman did not move
Chang. looking down from where he !
stood over them in the stern. Ike a |
giant In bronze nursing the boat up TO a |
had happened. He shouted something |
which Emily could not understand. |
STOPPING quickly. he slipped a hand |
through Lavelle's tattered shirt.
more better" he said. Him heart |
move. Him live-you live. SAWYER"
The Chinaman's glance and the force |
ful nod of his head conveyed a meaning !
a task for her performance-the doing Cf |
what Il was in her power to do for this
man
A horrifying cry from forward |
Strengthened the giant in a flash. One |
glance ahead and he gave the big steer
ing oar a mighty sweep which seemed |
TO lift the boat bodily out OF the water. |
A stream Of orders poured from his
lips and electrified every Bit OF Hfe IN
the cockle-sheIl save that in Lavelle
II took hut a glimpse oversize TO
transport these sea waits from their
horror Of the niRht into a terror Of the
day Elsie of Shanghai started from
Emily's side into a sitting posture only |
20 hide her head again. A man with a
pointed black beard rose 70 his knees
between the second and third thwarts
and gazed around him in terror. Two OF
the three Chinese IN the bows seized
osrs and stood like wardens at a gate.
The boat was riding in a mass Of
planks and railroad ties-the decklCad
Of the stranger which had sent the |
cambodia TO the bottom. Every sea
p,as armed and eager with death. Some
carried their blndgeons and clubs OPEN
"; others hid them under their white