The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-12-01
CHAPTER XVIII.


Xix ilt OulliuEc VI tie SNUOOirt
stranded upon the edge of the ice field.
Baptiste drove his vessel straight
toward it. running upon the gale. The
little group upon the deck watched in
terror as the flames spread. until IL
could be seen that they enwrapped the
entire fore part of DuDont's sci, 0ner.
Dupont. In his madness. evadng
Brousseau. had set fire to the lumber
with the aid of the petroleum kegs
which he carried In the hold. And
Brousseau, at the wheel. was striving
desperately to run the burning vessel
back into open water and cast her
upon the ice-free shore of the south
passage. beyond the point In his
fear he had forgotten Madeleine and
Hilary.
AS Madeleine crouched on the Ice,
still frantlcally endeavoring to recall
Hilary TO consciousness, the thinning
mists rolled back. Looming up out of
the darkness. and approaching rapidly.
was the second schooner. At the same
time voices hailed them. They had
been seen.
Brousseau. upon the poop, yelled in
answer. And he began to run TO and
fro In his excitement possessed only
by the fear of death by fire.
The flames spread. The cabin was
now involved. and a great column of
smoke was shooting skyward, carrying
with fiery spark cloud.
DupOn came out OF the smoke, his
face allght with fanatic madness He
caught him by the arm.
"See the fine fire :" he shouted. "He
won't get out of that in hurry. I
told her that would give her his life
for the name but l have not goe- the
name. The name! What is It? The
namev
His voice rang out across the heav-
ing water, and, as he called Baptiste
swung down the wheel, and the second
ship glided alongside and passed
1t drove Off into the distance, driven
by the whipping wind, but not before
Dupont's words had been heard.
From the group upon Baptiste's ship
figure disengaged herself and
stepped forward. 1t was Marie Du-
pont. She poised herself upon the
deck. and her voice rang out above
the gale and the sea.
II give you the NAME" she cried.
at Is Edouard Brousseau. 1t Is he,
and give you my secret which / have
borne all my life. Take 1t"
She fell back into Baptiste's arms
And Ii seemed as If. with the breaking
of the inhibition, her past life. with
its fears and terrors. was melted into
the life OF happiness that was to be.
Dupont had heard her. For mo-
ment they could see the tall figure OF
the old man, with his wind-tossed hair
and beard. standing as II petrified
upon his blazing deck. Then he cried
out like screaming sea-bird. and his
arms closed about the man at his side.
AS Baptlste turned and tackled II
could be seen that the old man was
holding Brousseau with one arm. as
easily as If he held a child while his
free hand controlled the wheel again.
What reservoir of strength he drew
upon. what miracle of seamanship,
could never be known. But, as II ma
ture were aiding him, veering gust
caught the sails, and with backward
movement the schooner began to glide
through the entrance of the ice field
into open water.
The fire was all about them. Screams
came from the doomed ship. but they
came from BrOusseau, struggling in
Dupont's arms. Not sound came
from the captains lips.
The vessel gained her freedom. she
turned and began to drive eastward,
toward the Gulf and its open water.
Faster and faster she went as the wind
compelled her. The Mortified watchers
upon the deck of Baptiste's schooner
saw the blazing vessel glide into the
distance. blazing comet, and Dupont,
black against the heart of the fire, and
Brousseau In his arms.
Little was afterward remembered
concerning the rescue. But from that
night legends began to spread along
both shores or Baptiste's seamanship,
and Of Hilary who sinQlo-handpd