The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-20


that he was in full dress suit wear
ing a silk hat.
"Sh!-sh!" | heard coming from
the depths of the chair at my side
|-"Sh!"
''Who Is that manT l asked.
''Do you know?' :
BE quiet!-lt's Slippery Slim"
He came along in the darkness,
slipping along quietly, not making
a single noise. Then, all at once
1t came to newly the kids called
him that. 1t was because he Could
slip" along in The darkness so
ncise!ess!y. so soundlessly. They
! probably had seen him from their
own cabin windows on other
nights.
On and on, he came-nearer and,
nearer. Once he stumbled over
chair.
Gosh hang! De dam ting! To
h wit YER" he swore. Then all
was as silent as before. (See, I'm
poet.)
Closer and closer-nearer and
nearer-fifty feet from us, then
forty-five, twenty-five, fifteen. four
teen, ten feet-then, five feet!
Now, I'm not going to say 'contin-
ued next week'-just yet-there's
still some more coming.
PART III.
Not sound from either Of US.
Not a movement Of any kind. AS
he approached, saw that he was a
Misunderstanding, stumbling and
falling, all over himself-plum full,
musta' been! AS he ran against
the chair at my side he gave one
look at the pale, frightened face,
then screamed!
Gee, 1t was an awful sound.
Marge jumped up in the chair,
gave one leap, then disappeared
to her stateroom, | suppose. AS
for me: | looked down at the
crumpled figure at my feet. 1t
gave tremor or two, then all was
quiet. The next moment a tramp
ing and pattering of feet were
heard, coming to the ladder lead
ing from the upper deck. Voices
and screams wer eheard, too, yell
ing, crying and praying with all
their might. Scores and crowds of
women and children stampeded the
deck. | saw my father, mother,
Dorothy, and lot of their guests,
sweeping down the passage way
then cry.
1t was a terrifying cry, rising
high above the noise and tumult.
Thrill after thrill went through
me and | drew back into the
shadows.
All the decks were crowded now:
full of men, sailors, officers. wo-
men, boys, girls, clfildren-oyery-
bOdy-not a soul stayed behind.
All were shuddering and crying
some praying, some screaming! It'll
was just as If the whole yacht had
gone wild. The life boats were
ridden OF their covering, and were
gotten ready for departure. Women
and children climbed in, and cried
out to please lower them quick. |
Then again, rose the cry-that cry
still echoes in my ears. 1t was the
cry that made men shudder, wo-
men faint and children scream.
Then slancing around, | saw
Marjorie Clarell standing in the
center OF all this as If dezed. At
the same moment ] again heard the
cry:
FIRE"
Fire. Fire!" thrice repeated in
the air. Then l rushed toward
Marge Clarell and yelled, Come
qulck-quick!" and, running, II
grabbed her up in my arms, carried
her to the rail. She leaned there
for time, while ran down the
companion.Way to the passage
leading to my stateroom. Grabbing
up a few necessary articles from |
the dresser, | grasped a revolver
off the chiffonier, and tore out into
the passage again. The far end
was going to destruction. The fire ,
had already gotten up that far. On
the other hand, the yacht had be-
gun to sink. The floor was slant
ing fearfully to the starboard side.
The water was coming down.