Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-18
CHAPTER v
The Wreck OF the Esmera'da

vryE PASSED the greater part of the day
w below, and long before night came n
heavy, sweeping rain set In ana kept us
there. | never recalled a more pllhuins'
disagreeable storm at this season OF the
wear and in those waters, although there
was very little wind or sea accompanying
it, The smother, however. made II sater
TO proceed at half-speed. and the loGkouts
forward were doubled. Every time l ven
tured TO peer through the glass or the com
panion | distinguished the burly form or
CAPTAIN Turner on the bridge his oilskins
glistening with moisture.
II seemed a long evening. as l was In no
spfrit for cards and discussion was alto
gether about the war and the projected
conner pool Darlington received several
messages in further proof that the aHai"
was already well under way, but he made
no other attempt to arouse my interest.
| had no expectation that the girl would
venture on deck in face OF the storm rag
ing. but her pledge to make her presence
known 10 those on board as soon as we
were safely at sea kept me up until late
hour, The possibility of her sudden appear
ance and explanation rendered me nervous
and sleepless, but my watchfulness Drought
no reward BY 1880 had retired to my
stateroom as decided that 1t was useless
70 Wait any longer Yet even there. and
when partly dsrobed. temptation to ex-
nlore the decks again assailed me. L un-
screwed the port and glanced out, the co'u
rain driving hard against my face. Nothing
could be seen I stared into an impene-
trahIa black wall. There was evidently
,'oth;no 70 do but remain where 1 was, and
7 closed the port and lay down In the
BERTH
sea 10 be kept awake by any haunting rear
Of possible accident There would be watch
fuI ewes aboard, on bridge and forecastle.
Ctn
surge of waters, through which we were
steaming slowly. To be sure. by now the
y,smeraida must be close within the ordi-
nary track Of the great liners bound Tor
northern Europe. and the thought or col
lison occurred to me, but was as instantly
d;smissed. Yet l remained restless, and 1t
,,mst have been considerably after mid
night when l finally fell asleep.
do not know what aroused me, but
cot nm suddenly. wide awake, strange, ILL
dsNned fear clutching at my heart. What
was IL 1 had heard2 cry. blow on the
or was 1t merely the echo or dreamY The
oto,arS.om was dark as Erebus. but I got
~ feet over the edge OF the berth and
sw;tched on the electric light, Even as
stood thus, my hand still on the switch.
some one ran swiftly across the deck di-
/ rectly overhead and voice wayereG Gas J.. ou''
rhsrs was a startling crash forward.
,,s awful sound of crushing iron and splin-
tarsS timbers. was flung headlong against
the partition, barely saving myself by out.
stratched hands, but falling bruised and
su,n,sss IN the deck. The electric flashed
ont instantly, but dull gleam from with
o,t streamed through the glass of the port.
Yt' ~ was a CHASTITY green light, and l rec
osnized it at once as the port lantern of
Inc ship which had rammed US. Before
trsn,hlins from the shock, the CHASTITY green
radiance began to recede Rage took the
nIaca OF fear-the damn murderer was
hac,sirg of. was leaving us to sink
clawed my way across the stateroom. seek
Ing to- gain view without. but could per-
csive little. The glass was dimmed with
| ,noisturs, ana through It could see merely
~ cirole or gro6p llGht reyealing thA out
~ =. M - ol>n< r'eeA -