The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1917-12-06

Va aAsotAAtA DllOkCt jus nv
believed that he had left the sea devils
behind.
He cast his eyes u1ong the horizon
There was no sign Of the F55. He,
turned toward Ida.
AS he bent over her her eyes opened.
She looked at him intently and sighed.
The horrors Of that day seemed tenn
porarily to have benumbed her mind
and robbed her Of memory. And DON
aid did what he had never dared to do
before.
He raised her In his arms and kissed
her.
II love you. dear" he said. IF We
come out of this-as we shalt want
you always. viii you have me, Ida?"
She raised her lips to his for answer.
And In the happiness of tina mo-
ment, which atoned for all that they
had endured. Donald perceived that
the boat had begun to move again.
The respite had been of brief duration.
Incredibly pertinacious. and cruel
beyond belief, the monsters had once
more taken up the chase. But in the
unhuman forms were minds as shrewd
as his. organizing them for one SUI
preme purpose, the elemental one of
food.
They were swimming beside the
boat. Donald could see the agitated
churnings of the water. Were they
pushing Or pulling? Taking the oar
in his hand. Donald went to the bow
and drove 1t down into the sea. But
he struck only the jellylike medium in
which the boat was travelling.
He went to the stern, stepping yer
the body of the girl. who had re-
lapsed into Inconsistencies, This
time, as he thrust, there was a scurry
among the waves, and he felt the
yielding, blubbery form, and the same
sensation of a burst balloon. The boat
stopped. Donald thrust out furiously,
feeling always the contact with slip
perry flesh.
The monsters were pushing the
boat, not pulling 1T.
And gradually there followed the
same s%tupendous incarnation into Wis
ible being, the shadowy shape that
grew and crystallized into the milky,
~opalescent body. He heard the school
precipitate themselves upon their
prey, and saw 1t ren and dismem-
bered before his eyes.
Through the increasing darkness
their pupils glared as the monsters
strove together.
Donald went back to where Ida lay
and placed her in the bottom of the
boat, her head against a thwart. They
were moving swiftly.
Suddenly the boat began t. tilt up
ward at the bow. Donald heard the
scraping OF the fiippers against the
stern. Then, as If a heavy dog had
scrambled in, the boat tipped high into
the air and righted itself. Another of
the monsters had gained entrance.
Donald seized the oar and brought
1t down upon the beasts head. The
a splintered; he heard the cracking
of bone. and q splash followed.
The edge of the boat was dragged
beneath the waves. 1t filled and over
turned. Donald found himself strug-
Cling to save Ida In the sea Of jelly
that sucked him down. Somehow he
caught her and dragged himself to the
keel. He shouted. and the brutes sour
ried away, leaping and falling with re-
sounding : s~plashes, like sharks at
play.
Donald felt Ida's arms seek his neck.
She turned to him ~instinctively, not as
her rescuer alone, but as her lover. .
He filed his lungs and siinutad -
To his amazsment he heard an an
swering shout. He strained his eyes
through the darkness. Surely that
was q human cry! He shouted again,
and the answer came once more; and
there was no longer any doubt.
Inc coming tower or the F55 came
drifting out of the night. She ran
awash, with matches off, and Davies
was standing on the deck among a
group of sailors.
where are your" he shouted.
"Herel" Donald cried. Reverse
engines. Davies! Coming aboard"
The engines stopped and the sub
marine grazed the sides of the over
turned boat. Donald grasped Ida in
bis arms and clambered to the deck.
And Donald found himself shaking
a mans hand as II he were his brother,
instead Of merely Sam Clouts, able sea-
man In the navy, trying to keep his
hands from straying toward his
mouth organ.
I'VE were trying to make Fair
island when we spotted you, sir" said
Davies. II thought we'd pick you up
in the morning when the fog cleared.
It's been hard work making anywhere.
There's something the matter with the
sea-"
"How, Dav!esf"
'We're only able to make a knot
and a half. sir. 1t isn't the engines.
At least there doesn't seem to be any
thing the matter with them. It's as
II the sea's-well.. turned to jelly, or
SIX