The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-27

the motor boat culver from stem TO stern.
Two more desperate paddle strokes and
she was within reach Of the forechains Of
the hulk. She stepped back. caught Cyrus
under her arm and then, just as the water
filed launch was sucked into the sea from
beneath her feet. she grasped the chains
and swung herself to the side OF the my6-
FERROUS barge.
In spite Of the weird loneliness. the pu1-
xling surroundings. the fearful uncertainty
that still beset her, she reached the low
deck with q prayer Of thanks on her lfps-
Here was safety. at least for a time. Here
we're solid planks under her feet. Here was
probably kind of she1ter-if need be. She
moved toward the door Of the cabin To In
vestigate. Cyrus ran ahead of her, shifting
suspiciously at every corner: But hs made
NO sign OF discovery, and Pauline stepped
down the rickety steps into the dim cabin
without fear.
There was not q sign of human habitation,
save small pine table. two tottering chairs
and the wreck Of m old desk-furnishing
SO weak from age and wear that they
seemed to have been abandoned a. part OF
the useless hulk.
But was it abandoned, Was It useless?
Pauline asked herself again as she explored
. small cupboard in the wall Surely there
must be some object In the anchoring OF
even such q battered ruin out at sea. Surely
some one must have rugged. up the strange
sail as a sort Of signal. And that someone
Pauline trusted and prayed-would come
ouu uuu ucT anu t4k0 Nor DICK 70 t1&TIy.
She sat down on one Of the quakins
chairs and began to wiring the water from
the bottom of her dress. Cyrus came hack
from his tour of inspection apparently salts
fed that all was SAFE. He sat before Pauline
and SO reported with his confident eyes.
"Oh. you precious puppy! What would
do now If you were not with me?" cried
Pauline, suddenly catching him in her arms.
He barked joyously, but next instant,
with wild squirming. he tore himself free
n do a od mt Nf ooh fS1 Inf
Pauline, too, had felt and heard strange
things. The hulk had suddenly trembled
with a peculiar fore-and-aft motion. and next
instant, on the seward side, sounded the
mighty splash Of some huge missile flung
into the waves.
Pauline breathlessly followed Cyrus to
the deck. She found the dog standing under
the great sheet of eailcloth, looking up at
it and barking. Through the cloth there was
hole as large around ~ the body Of Z
man. Pauline gazed in wonder but her be-
wilderment was brief. Before she had time
to search her mind for possibilities. the
mystery was clearly and alarmingly solved
for her.
There was a weird whistling sound, .
crash that seemed to turn the hulk over on
its side, and the aft section Of the little
cabin was torn to splinters by a battleship
projectile The huge messenger OF destruc.
ton drove its way through the outer side OF
the cabin below the water line. The distant
"boom!" of the gun followed it.
There was no longer any doubt in the
mind Of Pauline. All flashed clearly now
the meeting with the young officers the day
before. their errand OF buying a barge for Z
naval target. What fool she had been not
to have thought of that the moment she saw
the sail! But what else could she have
done but seek refuge here anyway There
was no other place. It was only the pity.
the helplessness. the hopelessness Of ex
changing one form Of death for another-oi
finding new peril where she hoped to have
found shelter and ultimate rescue-that har
rowed her now.
She tried to make her way down into the
cabin. She found the way clear. But In.
side there was havoc. Nothing was left but
the old desk and one of the chairs. The