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


almost to emanate from the forepart
OF the schooner herself.
AS it has answered by shril and
hoarse cries of terror or of warning
from n dozen throats. Alan found him
sef released, his captors leaping for
their lives to the taffrail.
He caught an instantaneous sIimpsa
OF the knife-like bow Of a great steam
er towering above the two.master-
sweeping toward it at speed which
raised smart Jet of white under the
cutwater.
Someone aboard the schooner, with
the voice of stentor, beloved a ter
rified appeal:
stop your engines! Shut off your
propeller! Stop your"
Then, like the wrath Of God. the
steamship overwhelmed the lesser
snip; its bow seemed to slice through
the schooner as a knife through
cheese. And the two halves were fairly
driven under water by the frightful
force OF the blow.
Thundors deafeling him. Alan was
hurled bodily through the air fully
twenty feet.
When he came up he struck out at
random, blindly tormented by the
vision of Rose caught in the suck or
that gigantic wheel, drawn under,
crushed and mangled by thu propeller
of the vast black hulk whose flank was
sliding past, like the face of a cliff,
ten yards behind his shoulders.
Aware of several dark objects dot
ting the surface within radius of
several yards, he swan for the near
est; the head was woman's, the face
turned toward him, the face of Rose.
He gasped wildly: Keep cooli Don't
struggle! Put one hand on my shoul-
der and"
What happened then was never quite
clear to him; he only knew that he
was forced to fight for his very life
that the woman, as soon as he came
within reach, flung herself upon him
like some maddened animal, olutching
his throat, winding her limbs round
MS, dragging him down and down.
Primitive instinct alone saved him
He remembered later, most vaguely.
the elimination of that duel beneath
the waters-remembered freeing an
arm, drawing It back, delivering a
blow from his shoulder, with all his
strength, finding himself free, struR-
Cling back to the air.
Then boathook caught the back of
his shirt and dragged him for some
distance, until two strong hands caught
him beneath the armpits and held his
head above the water.
He looked up witleasly into the face
of Barcus. and, still bew1ldered, strug.
gled feebly.
The others voice brought him back
to his senses. Easy, odd topl Take
it easy! You're all right now-rest a
minute. then help me get you aboard"
He obeysd, controlling his panic as
best he might; and presently, with
considerable assistance frcm Barcus,
contrived to scramble In over the gun.
wales Of boat which proved to be
the stolen lifeboat
Aside from Barcus and himself it
held one other person only-the wom-
an he loved, crumpled up and uncon-
scious in the bow
He stTove to rise and go to her, to
make sure that still she lived. Barcus
restrained and quieted him.
There! Easy, | say! She's all
right -iainted-that's all, She and
took the water in practically the same
pot and luck threw this blessed boat
my way within half dozen strokes.
80 trouble at all-in q manner of
speakng!"
ut TIE steamer
'Eh" fret about her? At the pace
aAe VAS making she couldn't have
stopped within half mile. Wen be
al .iG"t now-with power to fetch us
to .aIu.'
htt the others-Judith." Alan sat
NJ and leaned over the gunwale.
'''".aE &" oily, lc&den expanse spot
,,o on.E with few splinters and bits
81 ,&.Ge. - left her out there
arc rtaiaus-shen drown, ! tell you!"
'@"1 VI tell Won somothfng." said
sgEarolr "Eouu lie quiet
..I, IA! or in dent yaar dome with
.', O. an oar. LcE her drown
a.o jo0. say, Don't you know
a"E OF enough? Merciful
r". you're the most insa-
Die glVtton for Punishment eyer,"
Aaa wasn't listening. His face
'f l!ehIcss as the waters that
an beneath his lack.luster gaze.
'N""" was horror in his heart that
fum5ed even the sense of relief, OF
NIiyerance. that penetrated his being
lie shock of mortal pain. ~
H9Hi' Judith dead! Back there. in