American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-06-12
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Rescue,

The Rescue.
Out of the darkness little light be-
gan to glow. 1t shone and sparkled,
and suddenly raced skyward, dlsclos.
ing the outlines of the schooner
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 II
could be seen that they enwrapAed the
entire fore part Of Dupont's schooner.
Dupont, In his madness. evadlng
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-frec shore Of the south
passage, beyond the point. In his
fear he had forgotten Madeleine and
Hilary.
As Madeleine crouched on the ice,
still frantically 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 great column Of
smoke was shooting skyward. carrying
with a fiery spark cloud.
Dupon came ont OF the smoke, his
face alight with fanatic madness. He
caught him by the arm.
"See the fine fire !" he shouted. HE
won't get out Of that In hurry. l
told her that would give her his life
for the name. but I have not got the
name. The name! What is itf The
name !"
His voice rang out across the heav-
, ing water and, us he called, Baptiste
swung down the wheel, and the second
ship glided alongside and passed.
1t drove Off into the distance, driven
ny the whipping wind, but not before
Dupont's words had been heard.
From the group upon Baptistes 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.
~ give you the name" she cried.
1T Is Edouard Brousseau. 1t Is he.
and I give you my secret which have
borne all my life. Take I'll"
She fell back into Baptiste's arms.
And II seemed as II, 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 n screaming sea-bird. and his
arms closed about the man at his side.
As Baptiste turned and tackled IL
could be seen that the old man was
holding Brousseau with one arm, as
easily as II he held child, while his
free hand controlled the wheel again.
Whit reservoir of strength he drew
upon, what miracle Of seamnnshlp.
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 Held
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.
Foster and faster she went as the wind
compelled her. The Mortified watchers
unon the deck of Baptiste's schooner
saw the blaalsg vessel glide into the
distance. a blazing comet, and Dupont,
black against the heart OF the hre' ana
Brousseau in his arms
Little was afterward remembered
concerning the rescue. But from that
night legends began to spread along
hoth shores OF Baptiste's seamanshlp'
and of Hilary, who, slngle-handeu'
! saved the helress of the selgnory from
Brousseau and the two outlaws
But none of the principals In these
events care oyermuch 10 dwell upon