The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-11-17

vessel; she moved in silence, q spec
tral ship upon spectral sea Of long,
oily swelis and the complexion of lead.
Hither and yon in the obscurity. fog.
signals OF other shipping sounded a
concert Of discordance-the man
power horn of a catboat crying the
warning back to the deep-throated
whistle of a coastwise steamship and
the impertinent drumming of q motor
boats exhaust with the muffler cut
out,
This last boxed the compass, sound
ing now near, now far, though the COM
plants OF other shipping diminished
in volume and died away in the dis
tance, giving place to others still, the
plutter-plutter of that motor was never
altogether lost; II at times it faded,
1t seemed certain always to return in
even louder volume
Vainiy a,raining his vision against
the blank pallOr of the encompassing
fog, Alan wondered, worried, dreaded!
At irregular intervals. starting
from preoccupation, he would manipu-
late the brass pull on the wheel-box,
provoking the horns suffering blasts
OF protest. But the need for unremit-
ting vigilance and exercise of the fog.
signal failed none the less to reconcile
Alan to that blatant clamor which so
widely and so hideously advertised
their whereabouts.
II there were anything still to be
reared from Judith and her crew-if.
Tor instance, as Barcus had suggested,
they had sought out one of the life
saving stations on Nauset beach. ap-
propriated it's power-driven lifeboat
and renewed the pursuit, If ever they
heard that horn there would beyond
question be the devil to pay!
The loneliness Of his vigil was even
tually relieved by the appearance on
deck OF the woman Alan loved.
The tableau that greeted her vision as
she emerged from the companionway,
OF the haggard unshaven wretch at
the wheel and the other who lay at hie
feet where he had fallen, in a stupor
or fatigue, instantly wrung from Rose
little cry Of solicitude And she was
quick TO do what little she could to
alleviate their discomfort For Barcus
she fetched a pillow and blanket from
the cabin, and this one suffered her
ministrations without once rousing
from his slumbers. Then fastening
forward, she got the galley fire going
and prepared makeshift breakfast
Tor her half-famished lover
Warm food and hot coffee-such as
they were-lending a little tone to
Alan's spirits, he was presently able
optimism. Yet nothing could gloss
the fact that the problem confronting
them was one whose solution bafied
their utmost inSenuity-one the simple
contemplation Of which taxed their
courage and intelligence to the az.
treme.
He summed up: 81 can't see any
thing for 1t but father and Judith are
determined to have my scalp, and I'm
hanged If can see how to protect my
self without taking leaf out of their
books. What I'm most afraid of is
that some time l may forget it's a
woman I'm defending myself against.
When fellows fighting for his very
life he can't always stop to calculate
the weight OF his blows"
The young man sighed, shook his
head, laughed uncertainty, and held
her closer to him. Don't fear: I'll
find some way out without injuring
either of them. ! promise you that"
He sealed the pledge upon her lips.
And in that moment of their obliy-
lon to the world from some point for
ward muffied crash sounded stimuli
taneOusly with the dull shooL ne o
collision with a smaller vessel, and a
strange voice cried out with an ac-
cent OF high exultation.
Before either Alan or the girl could
olsengage the decks rang loud with
rush or booted feet pounding aft.
The figures OF the boarding party
were already taking shape through the
fog as Alan sprang toward the com.
panionway to fetch the rife. And in
this action his feet slipped on planks
greasy with moisture deposited by the
surcharged atmosphere He went down
with a stumbling thump. and an in
stant later two men fell bodily upon
him-active, strong fellows in the
aress Of fishermen. lie was suffered
TO rise only as prisoner, helpless in I.
the grasp Of two pairs OF powerful
hands.
He saw Barcus, rudely reused and
stiil dumb with sleepy confusion, In
no better case-jerked to his feet and
held captive by two more fishermen. !
fifth had taken charge of Rose, |
clamping her wrists in the wise OF
one big hand.