Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-23

'oIce crleu out with an accent OF high exutation.
Before either Alan or the girl could disengage,
the decks rang loud with rush OF booted feet
pounding aft
Inc hgures Of the boarding party we're already
taking shape through the fog as Alan sprans
toward the companionwsy to fetch the rife And
IN this action, his feet slipped on planks greasy
with moisture deposited by the surchareed atnos-
phere He went down with a stunning thump. and
an instant later two fell bodily upon him
active strong fellows In the dress OF fishermen
ne was suHered to rise only as prisoner helpless
IN me grasp of two pair of powerful hands
He saw Barcus rudely reused and still duuh
win sleepy confusion, in better case-jerked
10 MS rect and held captive by two more fisher
men NTH had taken charge Of Rose, clamping
her wrists in the wise OF one big hand
The sixth and sole other member of the hoard
ing party. likewise in the rough.andreadv psrb .,
fisherman, Judith Urine
DOWN the side heavy life-boat ground IFS wav
astern, the loose end OF its painter slipping over
tne ran even as Alan caught sight Of It, $50 Il
seemed Barcus had guessed shrewdlyD
Observing this one OF the men IN charge ~
Alan made as II to leave him to the other. ad
dressing Judith for permission to prevent the los.
OF the life-boat She stopped him with a peremp
tory gesture.
Hold that man fast till fetch rope. Wen make
sure OF them both, this time!"
oualnlng forward in the grasp OF her guard
Rose implored her sister: Judith, in PHYS name
tlink what you DOING"
Hold your tongue!" Judith snsnned r,.,,
Another whmper out of you, and I'll have W.,
gagged nave you
Inc balance of her threat, though accompanIed
e eAnloltlon OF an automatic pistol was
drowned out by the sudden roar NJ q ste.r,.hI
togslgnal, so close aboard that IL seemed oIr,o.4
70 emanate from the forepart of the schooner her
self 0OHel ner'
AS 1t was answered by shriIl and bosrsa c-,o,
o, terror and of warning, from a dozen tbroats
Alan found himself released his cantors Ieonira
for their lives to the tahrafl
He caught an instantaneous slimnsa ~ +ba tn,,o
hhe DO" OF great steamer towering above the
tWo-master-sweeping toward It at a speed which
raised smart jet Of white under the cutwater
someone aboard the schooner with the yoica
OF stentor, beloved a terrified apneaI.
stop your engines! Shut Off your nron.o,,
Stop your" N'Ope"'''
Then like the wrath of God the steamship over.
Wneiined the lesser ship; its bow seemed to slice
through the schooner knife through cheese
AND the two halves were fairly driven under water
by the frightful force of the blow.
Thunders deafening him. Alan was hurIed hodi1v
through the air fully twenty feet
Wnen he came up he struck out at random.
blndly tormented by the vision of Rose caught in
the SUCK or that gigantic Wheel drawn under
crushed and mangled by the propeller OF the vast
olack hulk whose flank was sliding past. like the
face Of cliff ten yards behind his shoulders
aware OF several dark objects dotting the sur
he
Tor the nearest the head was a woman's the face
turned toward him the face of Rose
ne gasped wildly: Keep cool! Don't struouIeI
Put one hand on my shoulder and"
what happened then never quite clear IN
him: he only knew that he was forced IN heht for
his very fe-that the woman as soon as ha
came within reach, flung herself upon him like
some maddened animal clutchng his throat wind
Ing her limbs round his, dragging him down and
down.
Primitive instinct alone saved him. He remem-
oered later, most vaguely the elimination NJ that
duel beneath the waters-remembered freeing an
arm drawing 1t back, delivering blow from his
shoulder, with all his strength finding himself
Free struggling back to the air
Then a boathook caught the back of his shir+
and dragged him for some distance until two
strong hands caught him beneath the armnJt. sn6
held his head above the water
he looked up witessly into the face of Barcus
and still bewildered. struggled feeby.
The others voice brought him back 10 HIS
senses Easy, old top! Take it easy! You're
all right now-rest minute, then help me get YOU
aboard" ee' ''u
He obeyed, controlling his panic a. hest h.
might; and presently. with considerable assistance
from Barcus contrived to scramble In over The
gunwales Of boat which proved to be the stolen
life-boat.
Aside from Barcus and himself II held one other
person only--the woman he loved crumpled nm
and unconscious in the bow
He strove to rise and 20 10 her N uaLs .rr.
that still she lived. Barcus restraiSSd and uueted
him.
There! Easy, l say She's all right-fsipted
that's all She and took the water in prac-
ideally the same spot. and luck threw this blessed
ooat my way within half dozen strokes No
trouble at al-in manner OF speaking!"
But the steamer"
Why fret about her? At the pace she was
making she couldn't have stopped within half
mile Wen be all right now-with power to fetch
us to land"
But the others-Judth," Alan sat IN and
leaned over the gunwalse. searching an oIlv
leaoen expanse spotted only with few splinters
ana bits OF wreekage. Il left her out there-un.
ccnscious-she'll drown. tell you."
And IN ten you something!" said Mr.. Bsrcus
severely. You'll lie quiet and shut up or I'll dent
your come with the shaft Of oar. Let her
drown-and a good Job, say! Don't Won know,
the meaning Of enough Mercitul heavens. man.
you're the most Unsuitable glutton for punishment
eVer!"
But Alan wasn't listening. His face was AZ
hshuess as the waters that swan beneath his
laekIuster gaze. There was horror in his heart
that numbed even the sense OF raIisf ~ daIt,.,