Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-24

moon was now plowing her way at con-
stantly increasing speed.
The other members of tho ships com
pany, all unmindful of the battle that Mt
another time would have commanded their
undivided attention, stood with eyes glued
upon the wild channel toward which the
brigantlne's nose was pointed. They saw
now what Skipper Simms had failed to see
the little cove beyond, and the chance Tor
safety that the bold stroke offered IL II
proved successful.
With steady muscles and giant sinews
the mucker stood by the wheel, nursing the
erratlc wreck as no one would have supposed
It was In him to do. Behind him Barbara
Harding watched FIRST Therlere and Simms,
and then Byrne and the swirlinB waters
toward which he was heading the ship.
Even the strain Of the moment did not
prevent her from wondering at tho strange
contradictions Of the burly young ruttian
who could at one moment show such traits
of cowardliness and the next rise so coolly
TO the highest plnnaoles Of courage, AS
she watched him occasionally she noted
for the first time the leonne contour OF
his head, and she was surprised, also
to note that his features were regular and
fine
Then she recalled Billy Mallory and the
cowardly kick that she had seen delivered
in the face of tho unconscious Theriere
with little shudder of disgust she turned
away from the man at tho wheel.
Theriere by this time had managed to
get on top of Skipper Simms, but that
worthy still clung to him with the despera-
tion of drowning man.
The Halfmoon was rising on q great
wave that would bear her we'll into the
maestrom of the cove's entrance. The
wind had increased to tho proportions Of
a gale, 80 the brigantine was fairly rae
ing either to her doom or her salvation
who could tell which?
Halfway through the entrance tho wave
dropped the ship, and with q mighty crash
that threw Barbara Harding from her feet,
the vessel struck full amidships upon a
sunken reef. Like thing of glass, she
broke in two with the terrific impact, and
in another instant the waters about her
were filled with screaming men.
Barbara Harding felt herself hurtled
from the deck as though shot from a
catapult The swirling water engulfed her.
She knew that her end had come: only
the most powerful Of swimmers might hope
to win through that lashing hell of waters
to the beach beyond For n girl to do
It was too hopeless even to contemplate.
But she recalled Therieres words OF a
short time ago: There ia no hope I fear (;
but. pardleu, shall go down fighting" and
with the recollection came like resolve
on her part--to go down fighting.
So she struck out against she powerful
waters that swirled her hither and thither,
now periously close to the rocky sides
of the entrance, and now into the mad
chaos of the channels centre. Would to
heaven that Theriere were near her, she
thought, for II any could save her It
would be he.
Since she had come to believe IN the
mans friendship and sincerity, Barbara
Harding had felt renewed hope OF eventual
salvation, and with the hope had come a
desire to live which had almost been lack
Ing for the greater part OF her detention
upon the Halfmoon.
Bravely she battled now against the
awful odds OF the mighty Pacific, but soon
she felt her strength waning. More and
moro ineffective became her puny efforts,
and at last she ceased almost entirely the
futile struggle.
And then she felt srrong hand grasp
her arm, and with a sudden surge she was
swung over broad shoulder. Quickly she
grasped the rough shirt that covered the
back of her would-be rescuer, and then
commenced a battle with the waves that
for many minutes. that seemed hours to
the frightened girl. hung in the balance
But the swimmer beneath her forged
steadily and persistently toward the sandy
beach, to founder out at last with an
unconscious burden in his mighty arms.
As the man staged up out Of reach of
the water. Barbara Harding opened her
eyes to look up in astonishment into the
face of-the mucker.