Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-02
CHAPTER III
The SurUiUors

VXTHEN the Sirdar parted amidships. the
w door of the saloon heaved up in the
center with mighty crash of rending wood
work and iron, Men and women. too stups-
fed to sob cut prayer. were pitched head
long into chaos. Iris. torn from the ter
rifed grasp OF her maid. fell through \
corridor and would have gone down witt
the ship had not sailor clinging 10
companion ladder caught her as
whirled along the steep slope OF the deck
He did not know what had happened
With the instinct of self-preservation he
seized the nearest support when the vessel
struck. 1t was the mere impulse of ready
helpfulness that caused him to stretch out
his left arm and clasp the girls waist as
she futtered past. BY idle chance they
were on the port side and the ship. after
pausing for one awful second. fell over to
starboard.
The man was not prepared for this sec
ond gyration Even as the stairway canted
he lost his balance: they were both thrown
violently through the open hatchway and
swept off into the boiling surf. Under such
conditions thought itself was impossible
A series of Impressions a number Of
fantastic pictures. were received by tho
benumbed faculties. and afterward PAIN
fully sorted out by the memory. Fear.
anguish. amazement-none of these could
exist All he knew was that the lifeIess
form OF a woman--for Iris had happily
fainted-must be held until death itself
wrenched her from him. Then there came
the headlong plunge into the swirlIng sea.
followed by an indefinite period OF gasp
Ing oblivion Something that felt like .
moving rock rose up beneath his feet. He
was driven clear out Of the water and
seemed to recognize familiar object ris- |
ing rigid and bright close at hand. II was
the pinnacle pillar. screwed to a portion
of the deck which came away from the
charthouse and was rent from the upper
framework by contact with the reef.
He seized this unlooked-for support with
his disengaged hand For one feet instant
he had a confused vision OF the destrne-
tlon of the ship. Both the fore and Aft
portions were burst asunder by the fofce
of compressed air. Wreckage and human
forms were tossing about fooishly The
sea pounded upon the opposing rocks with
the noise OF 10000 mighty steam hammers
A uniformed hgure-he thought Il was
the eaptain-stretched out an unavaillnG
arm TO clasp the queer raft which sup
ported the sailor and the girl, But
Jealous wave rose under the platform with
devilish energy and turned il completely
over. hurting the man with his lnanlHlate
burden into the depths. He rose fighting
madly for his life. Now surely he Haa
doomed But again, as IL human exist
ence depended on ndukhl more serious tHAN
the spinning OF coin. hisf knees rested
on the same few stanch timbera nov
the ceiling OF the music room, ana ne Haa
given a brief respite HIS greatest din
Guilty was 10 get his breath, 20 dense Haa
the spray through which he was ert=Frs
Even In that terrible moment he kept hi4
senses. The girl. utterly unconscious.
showed by the eonvulsige heaying Of her
breast that she was choking. VITA
Wild effort he swung her head rouna 70
shield her from the dying seud Hith nIa
own form
The tiny air space thus provided HaN4
her some relief and In that instant the
sailor seemed 70 recognize her. He Hes
not remotely capable Of definite Iaea.
Just as he vaguely realised the iaeHEi,f
al the woman IN his arms the unsteady
support on which he rested soppIed sEfE
Again he renewed The unequal contest
strong resOIute man ARD typhopH 4t4
wrestled for supEeneey