The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1915-01-01


At irregular intervals. starting
from preoccupation, he would manipu-
late the brass pull On the wheel-box,
provoking the horns suffering blasts
of protest. But the need for unremit-
ting vigilance and exercise of the fog
signal failed none the less to reconcile
Alan to that blatant clamor which SO
widely and SO hideously advertised
their whereabouts.
II there were anything still to be
feared from Judith and her crew-if,
j for instance, as Barcus had suggested,
they had sought out one of the life
saving stations on Nauset beach, ap-
propriated its power-driven lifeboat
and renewed the pursuit. II ever they
heard that horn there would beyond
question be the devil to pay!
The loneliness of his vigil was even
tually relieved by the appearance on
deck Of the woman Alan loved.
The tableau that greeted her vision as
she emerged from the companionway,
of the haggard, unshaven wretch at
the wheel and the other who lay at his
feet, where he had fallen, in a stupor
Of fatigue, instantly wrung from Rose
| little cry Of soIicitude. And she was
| quick to do what little she could to
! alleviate their discomfort For Barcus
she fetched pillow and blanket from
the cabin, and this one suffered her
ministrations without once rousing
| from his slumbers. Then Fastening
| forward, she got the galley fire going
| and prepared makeshift breakfast
| for her half-famished lover.
Warm food and hot coffee-such as
they were-lending a little tone to
Alan's spirits, he was presently able
to discuss their situation with some
| optimism. Yet nothing could gloss
the fact that the problem confronting
them was one whose solution baffied
their utmost ingenuity-one the simple
contemplation of which taxed their
| courage and intelligence to the ex-
| treme.
He summed up: 81 can't see any
thing for 1t but father and Judith are
| determined to have my scalp, and I'm
1 hanged If can see how to protect my.
self without taking leaf out of their
books. What I'm most afraid Of is
that some time l may forget it's a
woman I'm defending myself against
| When fellows fighting for his very
life he can't always stop to calculate
the weight of his blows"
The young man sighed, shook his
head, laughed uncertainty, and held
her closer to him. Don't fear; I'll
find some way out without injuring
either of them. l promise you that!
He sealed the pledge upon her lips
And in that moment of their obliv
ion to the world from some point for
ward a mufied crash sounded stimuli
tanecusly with the dull shock of /;
collision with smaller vessel, and 6
strange voice cried out with an &C
cent Of high exultation.
T. Before either Alan or the girl could
lisengage the decks rang loud with {
rush of booted feet pounding aft.
The figures Of the boarding party
were already taking shape through the
fog as Alan sprang toward the com
panionway to fetch the rifle. And il
this action his feet slipped on plank!
greasy with moisture deposited by tn,
surcharged atmosphere. He went dowl
with stumbling thump, and an in
slant later two men fell bodily upol
him-active, strong fellows in tn,
dress of fishermen. He was suffered
to rise only as prisoner, helpless /,
the grasp Of two pairs OF powerful
hands.
He saw Barcus, rudely reused an,
still dumb with sleepy confusion, il
no better case-jerked to his feet ans
held captive by two more fishermen
A fifth had taken charge of Rose
clamping her wrists in the wise O
one big hand.
The sixth and sole other member o
the boarding party, likewise in tn
rough-and-ready garb Of q fisherman
was Judith Urine.
Down the side heavy life-boa
ground it's way astern, the loose en-,
Of it's painter slipping over the raj
even as Alan caught sight Of it, g.
it seemed Barcus had guessed shrewd
lyD
Observing this, one of the men il
charge of Alan made as if to leav
him to the other, addressing judith
for permission to prevent the loss o
the lifeboat. She stopped him wit
, peremptory gesture.
"No-let it go. We're better OF
without it. Hold that man fast til
I fetch a rope Well make sure @
them both this time!"
Straining forward in the grasp O
i, her guard, Rose implored her sister
Judith. in PHYS name. think VIVA
you are doing!"
Hold your tongue!" Judith snappe
yiciously. Another whimper out @
you, and I'll have you gagged"
The balance of her threat, thoug
accompanied by the exhibition of al
, automatic pistol, was drowned out b
the sudden roar of a steamship fos
signal, so close aboard that it SCENE
almost to emanate from the forepar
of the schooner herself.
AS it was answered by shrill an
hoarse cries of terror or of warnin
from a dozen threats, Alan found hin
self released. his captors leaping 70
their lives to the taffrail.
He caught an instantaneous glimps
of the knife-like bow of great steam
er towering above the two-master-
sweeping toward it at a speed whic
raised smart jet of white under tn
cutwater.