The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-01-18
A DIVERS
STORY
BY HOWARD C. BEACH

""ANa 10 SdICuldleu, WHeu oLc 10 LII IL
to chill ones blood. One is up in the
air, the other under water.
l have never been up in the air, but
have been under water many times.
am. or, rather, was, professional
diver. | didn't adopt the calling be-
cause l considered it dangerous, for
when properly done diving in armor is
not dangerous. The same may be said
OF aviation. | became u diver in order
to make living, J ceased to be a
diver after receiving shock under
water.
l was hired to go down to examine
a yacht that had been overturned and
sunk in gale with a view to learning
where the chains were to go under her
to lift her. | was told that the owner
was scientific man. great student.
an investigator. He had invented a
number of scientific devices that had
made him a great reputation. The
Wfecklng company told me that he was
determined to go down with me, rath-
er for the sensation of breathing under
water than for being of service.
When we stood on the wrecking boat
putting on the divers uniform | cast
a glance at my diving companion. on
whose head they were about to put
The helmet. Why did not then and
there refuse to go down with him l
don't know. | suppose it was dis
like to do something unpleasant. Sin
Hon eIn wilt limo
to risk horrible death rather than do
something unpleasant. However, |
presume it is the same feeling that
compelS a man to expose himself in
battle to certain death because he is
expected to do so.
Mr.. Cheney. my diving companion,
went down by one ladder. | by an
other some twenty feet distant from
his. The water was clear, and the
sun was shining upon it, so that l
could see about me to a comparatively
long distance. kept an eye on Mr..
Cheney. who struck the yacht at the
bow. | amidships. She had settled on
her keel. and her masts were nearly
perpendicular. | was about to drop
over the side to hunt for a place to
get Il support under her when my at
tention WAS attracted to Mr. Cheney.
He had mounted the gunWale and
stood with one hand On the ratlines.
Then he began to go up hand over
hand. He stopped a short distance
from the surface and began to drop.
sliding his hand along the upright
ropes.
This was certainly not making in
vestiSations. 1t seemed to me that
he was amusing himself as a child
mi"ht do goin@ up and down. being
nearly balanced by the density of the
water Not liking his actions. | stood
where was, and when he had gone
up and down a few times he let him
self down on the deck and came to-
ward me.
Divers usually carry a knife. since
there is a probability of needing one
At any rate. | had one in a pocket in
my diving suit. aud Mr.. Cheney had
been provided with une. He was
obliged to move slowly through the
water, and meanwhile was wonder
ing what his intention was in coming
to me. As soon as be reached me he
gave me push aud at the same time
made a grab for my signal line In the
tussle that followed | lost it. and he
grasped it.
l would not have believed that so
much strength and agility could be
utilized under water. My antagonist
got his arms around my body. and.
pulling his knife from his belt. cut the
rope connecting my waist with the
men above. Then he began to dance
about on the deck. evidently delighted
that he could jump so high and come
down so gently.
l was some thirty feet under water.
with neither life nor signal line. at the
mercy of a mailman. for his actions
confirmed that glitter in his eye had
noticed just before his helmet was put
on. Why the others had not noticed it
l do not know. except that there are
things which. though plain to some.
are invisible to others. The only arti-
Gle connecting me with the world
dDoNS was IIC was SelltlIS5
plenty of air. but the maniac had prov
ed himself stronger than l-probably
on account of his madness and if he
interfered with the supply of air I
would suffOcate.
Having danced to his satisfaction,
Mr.. Cheney started for me again.
could see by the way he held his head
that he was observing my air tube to
see where he could cut it. for he held
his knife still in his hand. evidently
quite pleased whenever beam of SUM-
light glittered on it through the water.
l drew my own knife. determined. if
necessary. to save my life by killing
him. When he came within few feet
Of me he jumped and, catching the
tube above my head. severed it.
He must have pulled on his signal
line, for saw him rise rapidly. There
was enough air in my helmet to pre-
vent instant suffocation. | saw above
me one chance for escape, the feet of
my would be destroyer. | was just in
time. by a spring, to reach an ankle
with one hand. He tried to kick me off,
but 1 not only hung on, clutched the
other ankle with my other hand. With
death grip l was drawn to the sur
face