Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-31

"Hell's bells!" he exclaimed. Don't
talk of horses while we've got women
and children aboard" He FASTENED
away to assist In transferring his pas
sengers.
Instead Of following. O'Neil turned
, and went below. His appearance Tue
| sound of his voice, were the signals
for a chorus of eager whinnies and
great stamping Of hoofs. Heads were
| thrust toward him from the stalls,
alert ears were pricked forward, satin
muzzles rubbed against him as be
caImed their terror. This blind trust
made the mans throat tighten aching
ly. He loved animals as he loved
children, and above all he cared for
| horses.
He cursed aloud and made his way
down the slopinS deck to the square
iron door or port through which he
had loaded them. But he found that it
was jammed, or held fast by the pres
| sure outside, and after few moments
work in water above his knees he
climbed to the starboard side. Here
the entrance was obstructed by huge
pile of baled hay and grain In sacks.
1t would be no easy task to clear 1t
away, and he fell to work with des-
perate energy, for the ship was slowly
changing her level. He was perspir-
ing furiOusly; the commoton around
him was horrible. Then abruptly the
lights went out leaving him In utter
blackness; the last fading yellow CLEAN
was photographed briefly upon his
retina.
After scrambling to the cabin deck
O'Neil felt for the little bracket lamp
on the wall of his stateroom and lit it
! He dragged life preserver from the
}, rack overhead and slipped the tapes
about his shoulders, rejecting that
Alaskan waters are disagreeably cold.
Then he opened his travelling bags and
dumped their contents upon the white
counterpart Of his berth. selecting out
Of the confusion certain documents and
: trinkets. The latter he thrust into his
pockets as he found them, the former
lie NldpDtu III ldutlhSlNuiSiS ptlOl o
l slowing them away.
All at once he whirled and faced the
door with an exclamation of astonish-
ment. for a voice had addressed him.
There. clinging to the casing. stood a
y woman-a girl-evidently drawn out
" Of the darkness by the light which
q streamed down across the sloping deck
: from his stateroom. Plainly she had
but just awakened, for she was clothed
t in a silken nightrobe which failed to
8 conceal the outlines of her body She
had flung a quilted dressing gown OF
$ some sort over her shoulders and with
Il one bare arm and hand strove to hold
it in place. He saw that her pink feet
y we're thrust into soft. heelless slippers,
q that her hair. black in this light cas-
L raded down to her waist. and that her
u eyes, which were very dark and very
large, were fixed upon him with q
IS stare like that of a sleepwalker.
1T is so dark-so strange-so still"'
she murmured. What has happened?'
~ God. Didn't they awaken you?" he
cried in sharp surprise.
rs the ship-sinking: Her odd be.
wilderment of voice and gaze puzzled
him.
He nodded. I'VE struck a rock The
passengers have been taken off. We're
the only ones left. In heavens name
,, ;, where have you been:"
" Il was asleep"
He shook his head in astonishment
" How you failed to hear that hub
} bub"-
y Il heard Something hut l was ILL.,
. Ny head-I took something to ease the
1 pain"
II All. Medicine. 1t hasn't worn of
~ yet. I see. You shouldn't have taken
&C it. Drugs are nothing but poison tc
" young people. Now. at my age there
'e might be some excuse for resorting tC
- them, but you He was talking tC
II cover the panic of his thoughts. for his
It own predicament had been serious
L. enough, and her presence rendered II
II doubly embarrassing. What in the
i world to do with der he scarcely knew
u His lips We're smiling. but his eyes
II were grave as they roved over the cab
l. in and out into the backness of the
rs night.
Is Are we going to DROWN she asked
Or duly.
III "Nonsense" He laughed in appar
re ent amusement, showing his large
IS strong teeth.
III I'm wretchedly afraid" she whis
lie pered through white lips
10 None of that" he said brusouely
III see that nothing happens to you.
n He slipped out of his life preservel
and adjusted it over her shoulders
so first drawing her arms through the
i sleeves of her dressing gown and knot
- ting the cord snugly around her waist
l. Just as matter of precaution." he
IT assured her. I'VE may get wet. Car
t. you swim?"
% She shook her head
s Never mind: | can" He found an
e other life belt, fitted it to his own form
and led her out upon the deck. The
e scuppers were awash now, and she
e gasped as the sea licked her bare feet.
a Slipping his arm about her. he Dor,
1t her to the door of the main cabin ant
10 entered. She had clasped his neck 81
tightly that he could scarcely breathe
"a but, lowering her until her feet wer'
l. on the dry carpet, he gently loosed he
q, arms.
New, nv Gear child" he told her