The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-03-29

sembIed the Picture Of Benjamin
Corvet. ~ 80 ss5E; 81 Fl, &s..jE$ ~: 3.
sembled the picture Of Benjamin Cor
vet; that. which had been in the pic
ture, that strange sensation OF some
thing haunting him, was upon this
mans face, a , thousand times intensi-
fed; but instead Of distorting the fea-
lures away from all likeness to the
picture, it made 1t grotesquely iden-
teal. - - t.'s.s
: And Burr was hearing something
something distinct and terrifying; but
he seemed not surprised, but rather
satisfied that Alan had not heard. He
nodded his head at Alan's denial, and.
without reply to. Alan's demand, he
stood listening. Something bent him
forward; he Strengthened; again the
something came; again he straight
ened. Four times Alan counted the
motions. Burr was hearing again the
four long blasts of distress But there
was no noise but the gale. "The four
blasts!' He recalled old Burl's terror
outside the radio cabin. The old man
was herring blasts which We're not
blowlf! 81 81 % IS r, y = sY ~ ~ Z
He moved on. and took the wheel.
He was a. good wheelsnan; the vessel
seemed to be steadier On her course
and, somellow,sto steer easier when the,
old man steered. His Illusions Of hear
ing could DO no -frnrhf.s s4lant consid-
cred;. they We're of 'eoncern only to
Burr and to him. !. q ,5.J, :
/. Alan foushtstos keep hissthousht oil
to his duty; they must BE- now very
nearly at the position where the Rich
ardson last had heard the four. long
blnsts; searchingGforSa al ship or for
boats, in that snow, was almost hope
less. With sight even along the search
lights beam shortened to a few hun
dred yards, only Incident, could bring
Number % up for rescue, only chance
could carry the ship where the shouts
or the blasts Of distress If the wreck
still tiOated and had steam---wOtlld be
hsard - ~ II g sJ Il k.tsF'Sfa r. Z
They were meeting frequent and
heavy foes, and Alan gave warning Of
these by halls to the bridge the bridge
answered and when possible the steamT
er yoided the tloesi.when 1T scouIdnot
do that 1t cut through them. The wind
rowcd ice beating and crushing under
the bows took strange distorted. glis-
tenins shapes. Now another such shape
appeared before them; where the glare
disslpated to a bure glow In the swirl
ing snow, he snwYa vague sha dow. The
man moving the searchlight failed to
see 1t, for he swung the beam on The
shadow was SO dim, so ghOstly, that
Alan sought for 1t again before he
hailed; he4could see nothing now, yet
he was surer, somehow, that he had
seem 25,kf 5ss,,.s ~, ..se2
Something dead ahead, sir! y he
Shouted back tothe bridge.
The bridge answered the hail as the
searchllght pointed forward again., A
gust carried tile. snow in n fierce furry
which the light failed 10 pierce; from
the furry suddenly, silently, spar by
spar, a shadow emergetl---the shadow
of "a ship, Twas q steamer, Alan saw,
n long, l6W-lymg old vessel without
lights and without smoke from the fun
mel slaating~eup just-Sesaiar4a--eG,t the
after deekllo,lse: it rolled in,the trough
of the Sen. atri,e sides andstH the lower
works sleamsd An sgAostly phosphores-
cence, 1t was refrpction Of the search
light beam from the Ice sheathihS oil
the ship, Alan's br,rfn told him; but
the sight of that souTdless, shimmering
ship materializing from behind the
screen Of snow struck q tremor through
him. ~
Z "Shipl" he hailed. "Ahead!. Dead
ahead, sir. Ship!"
y The shout of quick commands
echoed to him from the bridge I'm
derfoot he could feelfa new tumult Of
the deck; the engines, instantly
stopped. were being set full speed as
tern. But Number = % = instead Of
steering OF to right or left to avoid the
collision,s steered straight on.