Evening journal., 1914-08-31

voice cried out with an accent Of high exultaton.
Before either Alan or the girl could dlsengage,
the decks rang loud with rush Of booted feet
pounding AFT.
The figures Of the boarding party we're already
taking shape through the fog ar Alan sprang
toward the companionway to fetch the rife. And
In this action, his feet slipped planks greasy
with moisture deposited by the surcharged atrnos
phere He went down with stunning thump. and
an instant later two men fell bodily upon him
active, strong fellows IN the dress of fishermen.
He was suffered TO rise only as prisoner. helpless
In the grasp Of two pair of powerful hands
He saw Barcus. rudey reused and still dumb
with SLEEPY confusion IN no better case-jerked
10 his feet and held captive by two more fisher
men. NTH had taken charge Of Rose camping
her wrists In the wise OF big hand
The sixth and sole other member OF the board
Ing party likewise in the rough-and-ready garb OF
fisherman, Judith Trine.
Down the side a heavy life-boat ground its way
astern' the loose end OF its painter clipping over
the rail even as Alan caught sight OF it $50 It
seemed Barcus had guessed shrewdlyi
Observing this, one OF the IN charge Of
Alan made n TO leave him to the other. ad-
dressing Judith for permission TO prevent the loss
of the lifeboat She stopped him with a peremp-
tory gesture.
"No-let IL 60 We're better on without IT,
Hold that man fast tin fetch rope Wen make
sure OF them both, this timel"
Straining forward IN the grasp OF her guard
Rose implored her sister: Judith in PHYS name
think what you doingl"
Hold your tonguel" Judith snapped vlciously
Another whimper out OF you. and III have you
gagged"
The balance OF her threat. though accompanied
by the exhibition OF an automatic pistol was
drowned out by the sudden roar OF a steamship
fog'signal, so close aboard that II seemed almost
to emanate from the forepart Of the schooner her.
self
AS Il was answered by shrill and hoarse cries
OF terror and Of warning from a dozen throats
Alan found himself released. his captors eapng
for their lives TO the tafirail
he caught an instantaneous glimpse OF the knife
like bow OF a great steamer towering above the
two-master-sweeping toward it at a speed which
raised a smart JET OF white under the cutwater
Someone aboard the schooner with the voice
Of a stentor beloved terrified appeal:
stop your englnesl Shut off your propellorl
Stop your"
Then like the wrath OF God the steamship over
whelmed the lesser ship; its bow seemed 70 slice
through the schooner a knife through cheese
And the two hnlves we're fairly driven under water
by the frghtful force OF the blow.
Thunders deafenns 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 Of that gigantic Wheel drawn under
crushed and mangled by the propeller OF the vast
black hulk whose flank sliding past. like the
face Of a cliff. ten yards behind his shoulders
Aware Of several dark objects dotting the sur.
lace Nilun "a Iuolut OF several yards, ne swan
for the nearest. the head was a woman's. the face
turned toward him the face OF Rose
He gasped wildly: keep cooll Don't struggled
Put one hand my shoulder 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 nung herself upon him like
some maddened animal clutching his throat wind.
ing her limbs round HIS dragging him down and
down.
rrtn,t.i-o t,.tt,ct afo,o .,.oa H.. II.
bered later, most vaguely. the elimination of that
duel beneath the waters-remembered freeing an
arm. drawing It 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 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 wtessly into the face OF Barcus
and stiI bewidered, struggled feeby.
The others voice brought him back 10 his
senses: Easy. old top Take It easyi You're
all right now-rest minute, then help me get you
aboard"
He obeyed. controlling his panic as hest he
might: and presently with considerable assistance
from Barcus, contrved 10 scramble In over the
gunwales OF a boat which proved to be the stolen
life.boat
Aside from Barcus and himself It held one other
person only--the he loved crumpled up
and unconscious in the bow
He strove to rise and go TO her. to make sure
that stli she lived Barcus restrained and quieted
him.
"Therel Easy say! She's all right-fanted
that's ALL She and took the water in prac.
tlcally the spot, and luck threw this blessed
boat my way within half a dozen strokes No
trouble at all-in a OF speakingi"
"But the steamer"
why fret about herr At the pace she was
making she couldn't have stopped within half a
mile Wen be all right now--with power to fetch
us to land
But the others--Judthl" Alan sat up and
leaned over the gunwalae, searching an oily.
leaden expanse spotted only with few splinters
and bits OF wreckage. Il left her out there-un-
conscious--she1l drown ! tell you,"
And III tell you somethngl" said Mr. Barcus
severely You'll lie quiet and shut up or I'll dent
your dome with the shaft of an oar Let her
drown-and a good job say Don't you know
the meaning of enough Merciful heavens man
you're the most Unsuitable gutton for punishment
eyer"
But Alan wasn't listening. His face was AZ
llghtless as the waters that swan beneath hi,
laclx.luster gaze. There horror in his hear
that numbed the Of relief. Of deliver
ance, that penetrated his being like shock o
mortal pain
Deadl Judith dead Back there. In the fog an