Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-06

/ HNit ~ one or lne water hthof e.i'e
spider held n tin cup he tilted the keg t'
pour a draft OF the precious fluid. thin
stream OF biacksh dry particles hltereu
/ slowly through the tiny aperture into the
, bottom OF the cup with groan wilson
dropped the keg, and sat staring at the
dry stun in the cup. speechless WIN
horror.
Tho kegs are filled with gunpowder.
said Spider, In a low tone, turning 70
those aft And so II proved when the
last had been opened.
Coal oil and gunpowderl' cried Mon
sleur Thuran. "saprlsti What a diet Tor
shlpwrecked mariners"
with the full knowledge that there was
neither food nor water on board, the
pangs OF hunger and thirst became Inn
mediately aggravated and 80 on the lirst
| day OF their tragic adventure real suter-
ing commenced I'm grim earnest, and the
full horrors Of shlpwreck were upon them.
As the days passed conditions became
| horrible. Aching eyes scanned the hori-
zon day and night until the weak and
weary watchers would sink exhausted 70
/ the bottom Of the boat, and there wrest
| in dream disturbed slumber a moments
respite from the horrors of the waking
reality.
The sailors, goaded by the remorseless
pangs of hunger, had eaten their leather
DelINt AilelF hnUfHt lit bWtuAbbllha AAolh
their caps although both Clayton and
Monsieur Thuran had done their best TO
convince them that these would only add
to the suffering they were enduring.
Weak and hopeless, the entire party lay
beneath the pitlless troplc SUM- with
parched lips and swollen tongues, waiting
for the death they were beginning to crave.
Tho intense suffering OF the first few days
had become dcadencd for the three pas
sengers who had eaten nothing. but the
agony of the sailors was pitiful, az their |
weak and impoverished stomachs at
tempted to cope with the bits OF leather |
with which they had filled them Tomp- |
klns was the first to succumb. Just week |
from the day the Lady Alice went down |
the sailor died horribly in frightful con- |
vulslons.
For hours his contorted and hideous |
features lay grinning back at those in the
stern OF the little boat, until Jane Porter
could endure the sight no longer.
"Can you drop his body overheard,
William she asked
Clayton rose and staggered toward the
corpse. The two remaining sailors eyed
him with a strange. baleful light in their
sunken orbs. Futllely the Engllshman
tried to lift the corpse over the side of
the boat, but his strength was not equal
to the task.
LEND mo hand here. please" he said
TO Wilson. who lay nearest to him.
"Wot do you want to throw I'm over
for?" questioned the sailor, in n querulous
voice
We've got to before we're too weak to
do it," replied Clayton He'd be awful
by tomorrow, after day under that
Droilng sun"
Better leave well enough alone"
grumbled Wilson. I'VE may need him
before tomorrow"
Slowly the meaning of the mans words
percolated into Claytons understanding.
AT last he realized the fellows reason for
obJectlng to the disposal of the dead man.
Cod" whispered Clayton, in a Mortified
tone. ,"You don't mean"
wy not?" growled Wilson. "Hain't
we gotta live? He's dead" he added
Jerking his thumb in the direction of the
corpse. "He won't care"
Come here, Thuran," said Clayton,
turning toward the Russian. Wen have
worse than death aboard us If
we don't get rid of this body before
lark"
Wilson staggered up menacingly to pre-
vent the contemplated act, but when his !
Spider. took sides with Clayton
and Monsieur Thuran he gave up and sat
sying the corpse hungrlly as the three
men. by combining their efforts. sue {
,eeded In rolling II overheard.
All the balance of the day Wilson sat {
;laring at Clayton. in his eyes the gleam 6
" insanity. Toward evening, as the sun '
vas sinking into the sea, he commenced [
o chuckle and humble to himself. but d
lis eyes never left Clayton I
After 1t became quite dark Clayton a
ould still feel those terrible eyes upon G
lin. He dared not sleep, and yet so i
was he that IL was constant T
Ight to retain consciousness. After what /
eemed an eternity of suffering his head +
Iropped upon thwart, and he slept. /
low long he was unconscious he did
OF know-he was awakened by a shut @
Ing noise quite close to him. The moon s
ad risen, and as he opened his eyes he r
nw Wilson creeping stealthily toward t
iln his mouth open and his swollen
ongue hanging out. n
The slight noise had awakened Jane v
'orter a the same time, and as she saw L
he hideous tableau she gave shrill cry A
( alarm. and at the same instant the 4
ailor lurched forward and fell upon e
layton. Like a wild beast his teeth n
ought the throat of his intended prey, a
ut Clayton, weak as he was. still found
efficient strength to hold .he maniac's n
louth from him. h
At Jane Porters screen Monsieur p
huran and Spider awoke On seeing the Il
ause of her alarm, both crawled to a
laytons rescue. and between the three Il
{ them were able to subdue Wilson and c
url him to the bottom of the boat For "
few minutes he lay there ehattering r,
nd laughing, and then, with an awful b.
,ream, and before any OF his companions r,
ould prevent he staggered to his feet b.
nd leaped overheard. II
The reaction from the terrific strain fa
excitement left the weak survivors
embling aud Frustrated Spider broke 8
,wn and wept; Jane Porter PRAYED; X
layton swore softly to himself; Mon -
eur Thuran sat with his head in his %
lnds, thinking. The result OF his cogi- 70
tion developed the following morning 10
proposition he made to Spider and 3,
layton. ~
Gentlemen" said Monsieur Thuran. 81
'ou see the Fate that awaits US ali N