The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-08-16

u " ~ y set.se 81
to the Danger. The Tho The yacht
forward was 50 sharp, I.dare not re:
lease my grasp Of the rail. ! could
scarcely see anything; not a light
burned, not even distant star glim.
mered; the driving rain blinded me,
and soaked through my shirt to the
skim
I 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 ait, un'
der the awning, 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 l 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 1t asunders and the
Esmeralda would sink. Life hung on
seconds; nor would those frightened
wretches wait to learn the fate Of any
others Oh board. r
!; Clinging to every projections Of the
cabin, / attained the port rail, but
even as l attempted the first step, a
voice called to me from out the black
depths below, and l hung there, star
ing behind me, unahb to perceive a
thing, excepting litter of tangled
Wreckage. it..>
''Dont leave me! Give me a hand"
"Who are you"
"McCann; you are Hollis, amt you7"
"Yes; are you hurt?"
. NO bruised bit, no doubt; my
foot Is caught under q SPAR"
"Alone?"
'The second mate fell with me; he's
down belOw-dead, I guess"
y. 1t was no small Job getting to him,
using the slippery rail for ladder,
and was knee deep In water when
finally found 1oothold in the rifle,
and rolled the spar off the imprisoned
limb. He was lying fiat on the deck,
his head barely free Of the waves, but
was able to clutch the nearest stan
chion and haul himself up to the pro-
lection of the rail. His face was but
a blurred outline, although l could
perceive the glimmer of white shirt.
I stared beyond him into the black
silence,
"You say Seeley is down there?"
II fell on top Of him." the words
scarcely audible. HE was trying to
get into the cabin, when he lost his
grip. I tried to catch him, and he took
me along. Say" he was breathing
hard, do you know If there was a girl
on board?"
"Yes, there is. I met her night be-
fore last on deck. Did Seeley tell you
where she was hidden?"
) In storeroom, next to the stew
ards pantry; he said the door was
locked"
Desperate as our own situation was,
all thought of personal danger left
me ina sudden realization of the awful
horror fronting her, almost under our
very feet. I gripped Mccain by the
arm.
"".We must get her out Of there" /
cried. '"'Come on with me-"
:"Where? Downtown there?"
."Yes, of course, you are a man, l
take it. The lantern is still burning,
and we have a chance. Come now,
wake up, McCann--we are Americans,
and it Is women first, you know" B
If he was q coward, he had no wish
to let it be known, although the sud
denness of disaster had broken his
nerve. The words spoken, the tone Of
my voice. touched his pride, his real
manhood. 49,. d.
"Ah. you're right, Hollis" he said
heartily, and the grip of his hand
frightened. I'm no seaman; I hate the
sea, but no one ever called a Mccain
a gutter. I'll 60 as far as you, and
We'll get that girl out, or drown to
gether."
!; was climbing the rail before he 6n'
AShod r>cL1oso ~ oil o1ao oYoont tha