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

down.
l held the lantern behind my body,
and stared out through the void at the
PARKWAY spark-it was no more than
a pin-prick, barely visible across
miles of open water, and growing
fainter each second. I read the whole
meaning, despair clutching my heart
The vessel had waited and picked up
the Esmeralda's boats believing she
then had on board all who lived, she
had resumed her voyage. We were
alone, deserted, in the midst Of the
dead, possibly without even a chance
to save ourselves from going down
with the sodden wreck.
But If there should be a chance there
remained not an instant to lose.
flashed the light about into the face
Of Mccain and the girl, the man white
and haggard, his eyes as dull as though
he had taken an opiate, absolutely stu
pefed with fear. But the girl! In
the CLEAN Of the lantern her eyes met
mine, full Of questioning, but fearless.
She must have seen, and understood
also. for she called to me, clinging to
the rail to keep her footing, her loos-
ened hair Tapping in the wind.
"They are leaving US, Mr.. HOllis1 Is
not that the steamer out there?"
"Ay, the last glimpse Wen ever have
of her" / answered bitterly, forgetting
myself in anger. 1.-THE d brutes
think more of a few dollars than our
lives. But We'll MAKE a fight just the
same. Come. wake up, Mccain Aft
with you-oh, yes, you can; crawl
along the rail once beyond the cabin
there's good foothold. Now, my lady,
I'll not let you fall-good! You are
the better sailor of the two"
l held the lantern In my teeth, and
clambered after them. 1t was a thirty
foot climb, but the rail stanchions
made a fair ladder, giving good hand
and foot hold, although occasionally
the hulk beneath US rolled so heavily
in the sea as to bring US to a pause,
I clinging grimly to the tarred rope In
order to retain our balance. Twice l
o thought the doomed yacht was actu-
ally going down, as under the blow Of
I some swell she leaned heavily to star
board, giving glimpse Of the black
e water Just below where we chung so
desperately. Yet with sodden, sick
ening motion, like the last pain'1 eff
fort of a dying creature. she managed
lie to right herself once more. every tim
sr Der groaning in agony, the salt spnme
L of the sea blown into u faces.
" Once beyond the overreach on he
RI cabin we found opportunity to stand
ID erect. gripping the iron supports which
d. had sustained the awning above the
IS after deck. In the dim rays Of the Ian
1t tern the scene was one of utter wreck
lie and d%esOlation. There had been four
tn boats hung in davits above the rails /;
Id two Of them were gone n hung trail
ing overheard. half submerged, with
Id the bow still swinging TO the tackle ;
no the fourth had been smashed into kin
IT. ding. l staggered across to where l
ay could look down at the dangling craft,
IS, holding my lantern out over the rail.
ly It was broken amidships and useless,
but TANNED under a thwart lay a
Ist mans body the CLEAN Of light rested
on the upturned face, and I recognized
Id with horror the features Of FOsdick.
to Sickened. covering my eyes with one
arm, 1 chung to the shattered rail, com.
he pletely unnerved. The voice Of the
ar girl aroused me. brought me back tC
en- manhood.
DID, "Mr. Hollis, the dory is still here
tut 1 swept the lantern about, confused
he and unable to locate the sound. Nc
va Cam was crOuching against the cabin
or but the woman, aided by the hal
locker, had crept aft, and now leane'
not out over the stern rail and was point
be ing eagerly down into the black water
At 1 worked my way cautiously forwarI
to where she chung, the lantern swun
der oversize, its small ring Of light givin
me view of the whole uptilted sterI
The dory. which had evidently bee
left trailing astern, was actually afoa.
the although half filed, and her oar
the TANNED securely under a thwarti Yer
yet. still in place.
had The position Of the vessel, the watel
ned logged condition Of the smaller Graf
for told me at a glance the whole stor,
ade What was left of the crew Of the E
I a meralda. together with those guest
was who had lived TO attain the deck, ha
for made their escape in the two missin
mid boats-they would hold twenty eacI
he'd and were strong and seaworthy. \
D II doubt the smashed one there had bee
lowered first. but the tackle jamme
tlv and in the wreck FOsdick had bee
as killed. The others had clambere
aboard the two left, leaving hi
ort crushed behind.