The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-08-31
p II.
PAGE TEN
A Girl Out OF the Night.

this Halibut bayT' he asked
~ Captain Johnny.
1T is. But we're piled up on
the reef outside. She may hold fast. i
hope SO, for there's deep water astern.
and IL she slips of she's go down"
I'D like to save my horses" said the
younger man wistfully. Through all
the strain OF the past half hoDr or
more his uppermost thought had been
for them. But Brennan had no sym.
patty for such sentiments.
"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, the
sound OF his voice, were the signals
for a chorus OF eager whinnies and a
great stamping Of hoofs. Heads were
thrust toward him from the stalls,
alert ears were pricked forward. satin
muZzles rubbed against him as he
Gained their terror. This blind trust
made the mans throat tighten aching
ly. He loved animals as be loved
children. and above all he cared for
horses.
He cursed aloud and made his way
down the sloping deck TO the square
iron door or port through which he
had loaded them. But he found that It
was damned, or held fast by the pres
sure outside, and after a few moments
work In water above his knees he
climbed TO the starboard side. Here
the entrance was INSTRUCTED by q huge
pile of baled hay and grain In sacks.
1t would be no easy task TO clear II
away, and he fell to work with des-
perate energy, for the ship was slowly
changing her level. He was perspir.
ing ~furiously; the commotion 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 a 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
he wrapped In handkerchiefs before
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
woman-a girl-evidently drawn out
OF the darkness by the light which
streamed down across the sloping deck
from his stateroom. Plainly she had
but just awakened, for she was clothed
In a silken nightrobe which failed to
conceal the outlines Of her body. She
had flung a quilted dressing gown of
some sort over her shoulders and with
n bare arm and hand strove to hold
1t In place. He saw that her pink feet
were thrust into soft, heelless slippers,
that her hair. black In this light, cas-
d down to her waist, and that her
eyes. which were very dark and very
large, were fixed upon him with a
stare like that Of a sleepwalker.
1T Is SO dark-so strange-so stiilr'
she murmured. what has h~appened?"
God! Didn't they awaken your" he
cried In sharp surprise.
lis the ship-sinklngT" Her odd be.
wilderment Of voice and gaze puzzled
him.
he nodded. "We struck a rock. The
passengers have been taken or. We're
the only nes left. In heavens name.
where have you beenr
II was asleep"
He shook his head in astonishment
sHow you failed to hear that hub
bub"-
II heard something, but I was m
Ny head took something to ease the
PAIN
"Ah! Medicine! It hasn't worn or
yet. ] zee. You shouldn't have taken
It. Drugs are nothing but poison to
young people. Now, at my age there
might be some excuse for rcAcrting To
them, but you"- He was talking TO
cover the panic Of his thoughts, for his
own ~predicament had been serious
enough. and her presence rendered It