The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1920-01-06
Rainbow S End
A Novel by REX BEACH
Author of sThe Iron TrsII.- THE
spoiIers,- "Heart of the Sunset
Etc.
Copyright by Harper & Broth
ers. Publishers)

CHAPTER XXX.-CoNTINCE
The wire. cut into short pieces.
served as nails and staples with which
to draw together the gaping seams.
Old rags from the house and parts
OF the mems clothing supplied cslkins.
upon which the tar was smeared.
While one man shaped mast and oar..
another cut Esteban's shelter tent
into a sail, and fitted 1t. A sutf. sun
dried cowhide was wet. then stretched
and nailed to the gunwales at the
bow. forming a sort OF forward deck
TO shelter the sickman from the sun
and rain. Jacket climbed the nearby
cocoa palms and threw down a plenti-
full supply OF nuts for food and water
on the voyage.
With so many hands the work went
fast. and late that evening the crazy
craft was launched. 1t was necessary
to handle her gingerly. and when she
took the water she leaked abominably.
But during the nisht she swelled and
in the morning II was possible TO bail
/ her out.
o'Reilly had to acknowledge him.
self poorly pleased with the boat
, Branch called her a coffin and declared
I il was suicide to venture to sea IN
: her. an opinion shared by the Cubans.
but the girls were enchanted. To them
/ this fragile bark looked stout and
I worthy; they were in a fever to be
gone.
On the second afternoon the trade
wind died to a gentle zephyr. so the
cocoanuts and other food were quickly
put aboard, a bed OF bows was rig
4 ged beneath the rawhide forecastle
and Esteban was laid upon it, Then
adieux were said and a start was
made.
From the point of leaving it was
perhaps five miles across the sound
/ to the fringe OF keys which in this
| neighborhood bordered the old Bahia
ma Channel with its unplumbed
| depths Of blue water. Here il was
calm, so the run was soon made. The
boat handled well enough. all things
considered: nevertheless. to O'Reilly.
her navigator. it was an anxious hour.
Not only was he forced to keep a
boats. but he feared he was doing
wrong in committing his precious
freight to the uncertainties OF the
Atlantic. Even had he been alone.
with a crew Of able sailors under him.
| this voyage would have daunted him.
for it was without doubt the widest
adventure in which he had ever par
ticipated. When he limited at these
| fears and put the matter before his
companions for a final test, Branch
| refused to speak, but Esteban and
the girls were ernestly in favor of
pushing on. Jacket, of course, loudly
seconded them.
At sunset they entered a pass and
ran between low mangrove banks.
The tide was ebbing and IL hurried
them through and out into the open
sea, where 1hey felt the lift of the
mighty ocean swell. over these slow
undulations the sailboat plowed. head
| ing toward the empty northern hori-
zon, with the kindling Pole Star As
a beacon. The sky was clear, the
sea was gently roughened by the
night breeze. the consultations grew
bright and appeared to hang low.
When the coastline of Cuba had be-
come a blur astern Rosa icrept back
and seated herself beside her husband.
| 81 breathe freely for the first time
since that day when Don Mario came
to offer me marriage" she told him
THE past is beginning to seem like
a bad, bad dream and feel a great
hope. a great gladness. am reborn,
O'Rail-ye."
"A few hours more and we can all
! breathe easy" He smiled down al
her. She laid her small palm over his
fingers which grasped the steering
oar, whereupon he cried with pre-
tended sternness: "Avast there
Don't distract the attention of the
skipper or he'll sail his boat In cir
cles. Look out or hen send you be-
low"
(To Be Continued.)