Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-29
West Wind Drift
By GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON
THIS STARTS THE STORY
Copyright, 1880. BY George Barr MoCttoheon

ssodD7GT DOTutNos ~tVoO e'oNPPD"'U'sSOt
.sxiic bound from a South Amerfcdn
p~s' pns 10 the Cnsted states 10Th $50
y1ssengers. 1os mystery to q
'"ssfsd toorld. After the vesset leaves
sorf AIgernon Adonis Perotpdl, an
American, Is brought before ooptatn
.,o,gsg,cav. The captain questions him
a. 10 hoto he boarded the pessel and
- ,wforuned that he came aboard ds n
noai oasser. He toants to return to the
yfsitsd states, and erpldtns that rob-
Lars haze taken all his ntoney. The
Ssrds have teoped from the ship and
ns suspects plot to toreok the vessel
p.,oi,dl Is put to toork under guard.
Nsrt morning the totroless operator
yenorts his trdnsmitter out Of order.
Some carry drottnd Their 5epeb for
"I - Is capacity pith. bank notes and
coid0 While at tcork Percivdl ts roo.
gortred by Ruth Clinton, q debutdnte
Wuohter Of q banker. She met Perot-
sai at dance. Shortly after no 10 reo-
conised sertes Of explosions occur.
ssnoers and making the great ship a
xoosiess derefict. She remains ddodt,
Ho,pspcr. and the captain decides to
t,,isf 10 the fortunes Of the sea "Out
oyfhe silent hulk came the Voice Of the
xrst oDfoer. and other vofces repeated
ftG commands lTOVt UuIIOho puTt6 Oy
ia ship--com n'dnds to tho encfrclirg
,pit o. the totsps."
AND HERE 1T CONTINUES
F,HE word came down to the scores who
filled the boats that they were to lie
" until sunrise. keeping In close con
act with each other. and at no great
Instance from the ship The most thor
Iush, careful examination OF the steamer
vas in progress. II 1t was found that
he was In no danger of foundering-
Ind the word was most reassuring-ail
n them would be taken aboard In the
norning Nothing could be done at pres
mi. A few hours more would tell the
ale.
And then, for the first time since the
disaster. tho note Of the croaker was
.srd. Each and every boat contained
Il least one individual who knew exactly
rhat ought to be done in a crisis like
his.
Mr. Iandover addressed the benumbed
nressting occupants Of the boat into
which he had climbed with commend
.b,e reluctance as one Of the last per-
IONS to leave the ship. y.
"why don't they begin sending out
calls? what's the wireless for,
not to be used at a time like thisY
say youl Yell UP there to some OF
hose damned muddle headed idiots ana
oil them what to do. Tell them that
say for them to send out calls for help
what's that7 What did you say?'
The steward In charge Of the boat re-
heated his remark and Mr.. Landover at
bnce said he would report him to Cap.
ain Trigger.
blamed the banker despairingly. CAP
ain Trigger hasn't the backbone OF a
ishworm. He'd let you tell him to go to
beii and never think Of lacking you up
or II, No wonder we're In the hx were
n now. II he'd had the sense Of Jelly.
bsh, he'd have Here Sit still
you'll upset the boat, you fool! what
What are you going to do with that oarI
I'm going to crack you over the oeai a,
aid about Captain Trigger" said the
bteward, earnestly. Take It oacK' 10
you hear me2" ,,.,.
would YOU murder mo for little
Mr.. Nicklestick aroused himself from
The torpor Of despair.
TAKE II back, Mr.. Landover-please
DO. II he misses you, he'll get me sure,
is 60 dark, and I get nothing but the
heepest respect for Captain Trigger. lie
a wonderful man. steward. Don't make
kny mistake. You hear me say he Is q
Wonderful man? VEIL
oh, shut up. Nicklestick." grated Lam
Herman addressed.
The steward sat down. I'D do 1t In
minute II II wasn't for the women and
children In this boat"
'I intend to have every officer ON thar
teamer arrested for criminal negligence
The instant ! set foot In New YORK,
doomed the banker. II call upon every
bne of you, my fellow passengers, L
testify to the utter lack of precaution
aiken by the men In charge OF that ship
And what efforts are they making to
bring help to US now? BY CAD, " ! was
IN command Of that vessel I'd be shoot.
ng the wireless calls to every GFea'
'-That's a rocket" roared the steward
Great Scott I" gasped the exasperated
banker. Are we having a celebration
With fireworks?" go
The dull hapless occupants Of the life
boat watched with fascinated eyes the
lrst of the giant rockets that whizzed
md roared it's way from the deck OF the
hip, an endless arrow of fire piercing
he night A loud report, the scattering
bf a hundred stars, and then--denser
lackness than before.
Morning came. Up out OF the east
nto pink. and then. suddenly, the sea
Fas blue and smiling. In the heart OF
he dancing Gordon lay the weirdly cam
bufaged lorraine, inert, sinister. as still
md cold as death. No smoke Issued from
Ter stacks to cheer the wretchCd watch
Ia tNad nlar
mighty bow, She was a great, lifeless
hing. Waves Tapped gently against her
Ridas and fed away only to come bach
bgain In playful scorn for the vast object
hat had rent and baffled them 80 long
bn high futtered the Stars and Stripes
fay in the presence OF death. a sprightiy
harbinger OF hope Haunting defiance In
The face OF despair.
Men, stripped to the waist. grimy and
bhin'ng with the sweat of hours, moving
about in knots OF three and four-al-
Ways In knots of three or four as "
Rfraid to disintegrate-l"aned upon the
rail and watched the approach or the
provided boats. looked down into pallid
knguished faces with their eager. hun
kry eyes. eyes that devoured the groups
hlong the rail- Now and then a glad
khout of Joy went up from one OF the
boats, and a figure In the huddled mass
was transformed into a responsive thing
bf life.
In each Of the square, black openings
In the hull of the ship stood men will
ropes Ind ladders. The great steel doors
Jay fiat against the sides. swung wide
10 admit this time human cargo From
he interior Of the vessel came the brisk
s"nA epn' c'atter OF hammers aea'ns
wood and steel frNm the decks broke the
loud. commanding voices Of men callins
put directions; from the gliding, slap
ping boats went up the hearty shouts oi
tline of boat-hooks. the grinding Of oar
in the locks the murnur Of voices re
vived.
"women and children first !" was the
Bhrill. oft-repeated exhorta tion from one
pf the boats
And I'm In the centar Of anothar snra N q