The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1914-04-23
CHAPTER XIV.



The Wreck Of the Lady Alice.
I" CANNOT be mistaken" Jane
continued. "Oh. Hazel, are you
sure that he is dead? Can there
be no mistaken"
II am afraid not, my DEAR" answer
ed Hazel sadly. II wish could think
that you are mistaken, but now a hun
dred and one little pieces Of corrobo-
rative evidence occur to me that meant
nothing to me while / thought that he
was John Caldwell Of London. He said
that he had been born In Africa and
educated In France"
''Yes; that would be true" murmured
Jane Porter DULY.
1.-The first officer, who searched his
luggage, found nothing to identity John
Caldwell Of London. Practically all his
belongings had been made or purchas-
ed In Paris. Everything that bore an
initial was marked either with .T
alone or with j. G. t. We thought
that he was travelling incognito under !
his first two names. the ]. G. standing
for John CALDWELL"
'Tarzan Of the Apes took the name
Jean G. Tarzan," said Jane in the same
lifeless monotone. And he is dead!
Oh. Hazel. It Is horrible! He died all
alone In this terrible ocean! It is I'M
believable that that brave heart should
have ceased to beat; that those mighty
muscles are quiet and cold forever:
that he who was the personi6cation of
life and health and manly strength
should be the prey Of Shiny, crawling
things; that But she could go no
further. and, with little moan. she
buried her head in her arms and sank
sobbing to the floor
For days Miss Porter was iii and
would see no one except Hazel and the
faithful Esmeralda. When at last she
came on deck all were struck by the
sad change that had taken place In her.
She was no longer the alert. vivacious
American beauty who had charmed
and delighted all who came in contact
with her. Instead she was a very
quiet and sad little girl. with an ex-
precision Of hopeless usefulness that
none but Hazel Strong could interpret.
The entire party strove their utmost
to cheer and amuse her. but all to no
avail. Occasionally the jolly Lord Ten
nington would wiring a wan smile from
her. but for the most part she sat with
wide eyes looking out across the sea.
With Jane Porter's illness one mis-
fortune after another seemed to attack
the yacht. First an engine broke
. down, and they drifted for two days
made. Then sQuall struck them un-
awares that carried overheard nearly
everything above deck that was port
able. Later two Of the seamen fell to
lighting in the forecastle. with the re-
suit that one of them was badly wound
ed with knife and the other had to be
put In irons. Then. to cap the climax.
the mate fell overheard at night and
was drowned before help could reach
him. The yacht cruised about the spot
for ten hours. but no sign Of the man
was seen after he disappeared from
the deck into the sea.
Every member Of the crew and guests
was gloomy and depressed after these
series OF misfortunes. All were appre-
hensiye Of worse to come and this was
especially true Of the seamen who re-
called all sorts Of terrible Omens and
warnings that had occurred during the
early part Of the voyage and which
they could not clearly translate into
the precursors Of some grim and ter
rible tragedy to come.
Nor did the croakers have long to
wait. The second night after the
drowning of the mate the little yacht
was suddenly wracked from stem to
stern. About I o'clock In the morning
there was terrific impact that threw
the slumbering guests and crew from
bunk and berth. A mighty shudder
ran through the frail craft; she lay
far over to starboard; the engines
stopped. For q moment she hung
there with her decks at an angle Of
forty-Hve degrees-then, with sullen
rending sound she slipped back into
the sea and righted.
Instantly the men rushed upon deck
followed closely by the women. The
night was densely black. though there
was little or no sea. Just on the por'
bow q dim black mass could be dis
cerned floating low in the water.
"A derelict." was the terse explana
ton of the officer of the watch.
Presently the engineer hurried OF
deck In search of the captain.
.4That patch we put on the cylindel
heads blown out. sir" he reported
land she's maxim water fast for'ard OF
the port bow"
An instant later seaman rushed u
from below.
"My Gawdr' he cried. Her whole
bleedin' bottoms ripped out She can
float twenty minutes"
..Shut up!' roared bennington. LA
dies. 60 below and get some OF you
things together. It may not be so bat