The evening world., 1915-03-12
CHAPTER XIII. s
The Sfovy Of the Donna Isobel,

CHAPTEK XIII. t'
The Story Of the Donna Isobel.
C7HE short Antarctic day lsft N
little opportunity for work
on deck. However. I kept
the men employed ~ long
- possible, D, first setting
them At hauling up the long boat and
slowing It safely away under Ahelter.
and then at untansling some OF the
rattle forward. s. Pc "ts
While We we're labofins forward to
clear the deck Doris ana Celeste evil
IDENTIFY had also bsen diligently en-
ployed. and with womanly intuition
had given 10 the aesolats interior .
homsliks touch vhich waS irresisti-
bio. could only Como to q pause
casing about and wondering II ws
could really b a6oat upon Q osn.
tury-oid wreck, tooeod helplesoly on
tho waters Of the Polar Sea.
The odd, oid.fashioned swinging
lantern threw vtolet-hued rays over
the snug soeue. while In the centre
tho table. covered by . spotless cloth,
wss fairly glIstsnins. Q brilliant ~.
play OF ancient silver, newly pol
ished. and Of decorated glass. Doris.
who had been engaged In giving the
Arrangement some final deft touches,
turned Instantly at the sound OF our
with interest as she read the Ama1e-
ment pictured in my eyes.
"You have actually worked q mar.
veil" I exclaimed aGmlrinsly. Where
In the world did you unsarth such q
"From a locker behind the stow
ards pantry" she replied smilingly.
"But, OH" with q shiver. "is was most
bitterly cold In there when We nrst
opened the door. actually had to
wait half an hour before venturinS
In. Yet you should have seen what
We found; this u not half--ths silver
see--every piece u beautifully on
graved With q facsimile OF the shtp.
and q masterpiece Of art"
I gased at the bit Of plate handed
me, Weighing Il In my hand. and
studying the decidedly elaborate
II have read that these old sailsons
were often furnished regardless OF
expense" I said. "and tie Dons were
htsh i,yss.. Die 4. you mako any
"Oniy several cases Of liquor. but
all were froxen solid. Tho lasarette
opens from the pantry, and Ws sue
coeded In lifting the trap door. but
the cold Of the ar which came up
was 20 iStsnse that W. were. com
PEELED to drop II again Immediately.
I never imagined such IN atmosphsrs
cOssfhlAO
We all messed together. sitting upon
the long benches drawn up about the
table. Dade waiting upon W, with
Doris and Celeste occupying places
between Dc Nova and myself.
When the dishes had finally been
removed I gave the mon tpermiseiou
to smoke, went back to the after
stateroom and brought forth the log
book. which We made an effort to de-
cipher. 1t was roughly written and
by q number OF different hands. and
between us our knowledge OF early
Spanish script was barely sumcieus
The earlier entries made by the
captain. although badly taded, were
leEible enough. bringing ne story OF
the voyage down to the latter PART Of
July, and recountinS q series OF So
we're gales. involving the loss Of sew.
eral members Of the crew. =
Then a new band took up the pen
"Balasa, tho First Oficetsa the cap.
tain having been killed byA falling
spar: for . week or ten .1ays the tale
was of nerce STRUGGLES In the Ice
pack and s steady Srift 70 the ,.s south. ut
sSsS Second oi'icsr. salvatore, Govern.
ment Agent" every line the record OF
nsw disaster. gales. wrecked rigging
and death. They were locked In be-
yond all hope early in August. vast
hummocks overhanging the deck. the
forecastle sealed by Ice. the cold st
deadly the red-hot stove scatcely KEEP,
the numbinS chill from the cabin, the
doors and windows Of which they had
covered with blankets.
Not q day passed but that they
carried out their dead upon the Ice
leaving them beyond sight Of the
deck. Tho names were all written
down. There came p time whom thu
survivors were too few and veal
could do nothing but COVER within
the cabin and cast dice to settle or
who should 70 down into the Icy hold
and bring up the fuel which alone
kept life In them
They drank and played cards: they
Saarrelled. for9etting. everything hu.
nan and revertinR to brutes. Ths
child Of Sonora Alcatras died; the
next day the mother went quietly q
sleep. never to wake again. They did
not even know when her nnar breath
came. She was the last Of the WON.
en-. The bostswain. Pedro REQ. passed
away that same night sitting on the
deck; and thsys was LETT only Galva-
tore. Who had oooe mads 3 seamkn