Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-03-22

yarn 10 bis pocket and the marine
spike hung from his neck, stepped out
on the foot rope, passed his hands
along the jackstay TO pull himself far
ther and felt The foot rope sink 10 the
sound VI swapping strands. The jack
stay was torn from his grasp, and he
fell face downward into the black void
beneath.
An Involuntary shrtek began on his
lips. but was not flushed. He felt
that the last atom OF air was Jared
from his lungs by what be know was
the topgallsnt yard, four feet below
the royal. and, unable TO bold 90, with
freezing cold In bis veins and at the
hair roots. he experienced In its full
ness the terrible sensation Of falling
whirllng downward-clutching wildly
at vacancy with stiffened fingers.
The nrst horror past. bis mind took
on a strange contemplativeness. Fear
OF death gave way TO mild curiosity as
to the manner Of It. Would be strike
on the lee quarter. or would he 60
overboardf And might be not catch
somethingf There was rigging below
him. The lee royal backstay stretched
fartbest out from the mast, and II he
brushed II there was a possible chance.
He was now face upward and with
the utmost difficulty moved his eyes
be could not yet. by any exercise OF
viii or muscle. move his hcad-and
there. almost within reach. was dark
line, which be knew was the royal
backstay. Farther In toward the spars
was another. the topgallant backstay.
and within this two other ropes which
be knew for the t0pgallant rigging.
though be could see no ratlines, nor
! could be distinguish the lay Of the
strands. The ropes appeared like solid
bars This. with the fact that he was
still but few feet below the topgal-
liant yard. surprised him. until 1t came
to him that falling bodies travel over
sixteen feet in the nrst second Of de-
| scent, which IL al O rate too fast for
distinct vision. and that the apparent
slowness Of his falling was but rela.
hind. which could not wait on a slug
gisb optic nerve and more sluggish
| retina.
Yet he wondered why he could not
reach out and grasp the backstay. 1t
aeemed as though invisible fetters
bound every muscle and joint, though
| not completely. An intense effort of
| will resulted In the slow extension OF
all the fingers Of bis right hand and
little Strengthening OF the arm toward
the backstay. but not until he had
fallen to the level Of the upper topsail
yard was this result reached. II did
no good; the backstay was now far
ther away. As II led In a straight line
from the royal masthead to the rail.
| this meant that he would fall over
board. and the thought comfOrted him.
The conciission would kill him. Of
course. but no self pity afflicted him
now. He merely considered that she.
who had relented. would be spared
the sight of him crushed TO a pulp on
| the deck.
As be dtifted slowly down past the
expanse Of upper topsail he noticed
that his head was sinking ami his body
turning 80 that he would ultimately
| face forward. But still his arms and
legs held their extended position. like
those or q speared frog. and the
| thought recalled to him an incident OF
Ills infancy-a frog hunt with an older
| playmate. his prOwess. success. wet
feet and consequent Illness. II had
been forgotten for years. but the chain
was started and led to other memories.
long dead. which rose before him. His
childhood passed In review. with its
| pleasures and griefs; his school days.
with their sports. conflicts. friends and
enemies; college. where he had ac-
| quired the polish TO make him petted
| Of all but one--and abhorrent TO her
Almost every person, man or woman
boy or girl. with whom he had con.
versed In his whole life came back
and repeated the scene. and as he
passed the lower topsail yard. nearly
head downward, he was ,muttering
commonplaces to brown faced. gray
eyed girl. who listened and looked him
through and through and seemed to be
wondering why he existed.
And as he traversed the depth Of
tho lower topsail, turning gradually on
his axis, he lived It over-next to his
Hrst voyage. the most narrowing pc
riod Of his life-the short two months
during which he had striven mainly to
impress this simple natured sailor giri
with his good qualities. ending at last
with his frantic declaration Of love
that she did not want.
"But it's not the least use. John,
she said to him. ~ do not love you
and I cannot. You are gentleman
as they say. and as such | like you
well enough. but never can love you
nor any one like you. I've been among
| men, real men all nv life and perhaps