American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-09-28

uhol SuOCh muSL nave ueu 10 the
deck in mad struggle to escape. Ay,
and there was desperate need for me
to join them. The Esmeralda was go
ing down; already her forward hold
was filled with water, the bulkheads
alone keeping her a1oat; once they
gave way, she would sink like a stone.
/ crossed the cabin on hands and
knees, clawing my way desperately
through the litter until 1 attained the
stairs. These ne longer led up, but
forward. Beyond was utter blackness,
silence; and through the shattered door
drops Of rain splashed.
1t was not until 1 had made my way
to the outer deck, and felt the night air
and rain on my face, that 1 truly awoke
to the danger. The tilt of the yacht
forward was sc sharp, 1 dare not re-
lease my grasp of the rail. 1 could
scarcely see anything; not a light
burned, not even a distant star glim-
mered; the driving rain blinded me,
and soaked through my shirt to the
skin.
scarcely dared move, for to release
my grip was to slide down into the
black water, into the rifle of spars
and ropes forward. 1t was all horror
and death that way, but from aft, I'M
der the awning, a sound of excited
voices reached my ears, and the rasp
of boat tackle. No doubt all on board,
who lived, were there. seeking to
escape. They had sprung for the open
deck at the first alarm, not even wait
ing to dress, and, if 1 would join them,
there was not an instant to lose. The
after bulkhead could not hold long
any moment, any unusual roll of the
sea, would rend it asunder, and the
Esmeralda would sink. Life hung on
seconds; nor would those frightened
wretches wait TO learn the fate of any
others or board.
Clinging to every projection of the
cabin, l attained the port rail, but
even as l attempted the first step, 9
voice called to me from out the blacl
depths below, and l hung there, star
ing behind me, unable to perceive {
thing, excepting a litter of tangled
wreckage.
Don't leave mel Give me a hand.
"Who are your
Mccain; you are Hollis, amt your
Eyes are you hurt?"
mo; bruised a bit, no doubt; m,
foot is caught under a SPAR"
"AlOne?"
1.-THE second mate fell with me; he
y 1870 - l.,l -,rnrrfr
1t was no small job getting to hin
: using the slippery rail for a ladder
> and l was knee deep in water whe
1 finally found foothold in the rifn,
and rolled the spar off the imprisone
limb. He was lying fiat on the decl
! his head barely free of the waves, bu
was able to clutch the neares star
, chlon and haul himself up to the pr,
lection of the rail. His face was bJ
n blurred outline, although l coul
7 perceive the glimmer of a white shir
l stared beyond him into the blac
silence.
"You say Seeley is down thereT'
: 81 fell on top of him." the wore
scarcely audible. HE was trying
get into the cabin, when he lost h
\ grip. tried to catch him, and he toe
\ me along. Say" he was breathir
hard. "do you know If there was a 81
l on bOard?'
y Eyes. there is. l met her night b
= fore last on deck. Did Seeley tell yC
: where she was hidden?'
In a storeroom, next to the ste'
ards pantry; he said the door WI
d locked"
4 Desperate as our own situation wa
~ all thought of personal danger lie
me in a sudden realization of the awf
/. horror fronting her, almost under Of
- very feet. l gripped Mccain by Il
NJ arm.
a 1--WE must get her out of there"
- cried. Come on with me-
= "Wheref Downtown there?
"Yes. of course; you are a man.,
take it. The lantern is still burnir
m and we have a chance. Come no
wake up, McCann-we are American
~ and it is women first, you know"