The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-08-24

bows. attempting to climb and save
their helpless comrades.
II The shots and cries and tramplint
went on. and the girl shuddered at the
sounds. Who wss winning. what hst
happened to her friends, she could no,
tell But slowly there was a stir IN the
bow-thwarts. A tall man arose, rub
bling his eyes as II awakened from q
dispiriting sleep. He stared about-she
could just see him dimly In the star.
light. and then he climbed awkwardly,
with frantic haste but slowly after all
to the boarding ladders.
He got rel the rail with some diff
Guilty, and then stopped as II consider
Ing what he should do next Louise's
startled eyes could not make out his
face but his uncouth movements
seemed familiar. . . II she could only
see his eyes-whether they were light
or dark-or the contour Of his face,
perhaps, she could know. . j.. then he
staggered and fell.
The girl upstarted. The cries and
imprecations seemed growing in vol
0A'~f ~OAhtAB hCnA CAt 40 IL ~ dlldlhCio
were being driven back. But she began
to climb the nearer boarding ladder.
When she came over the rail she saw
first an indistinct group Of struggling
men forward. with here and there the
flash Of fire and then. near her on the
deck, under the dim light by the main
companionway. a nan crawling along.
At the companionway he got to his
feet with some trouble and disap-
peared below. The girl ran back of the
after-housing to get away from a dying
Spaniard at her feet. There she found
three other bodies, and the smooth
planks were slippery under her feet.
She fed the other way from these hor-
rors and then found herself by the
open skylight of the main cabin
1t was brilliantly lighted there. APP
parently all the fury Of the two bat
ties for the SeraphIne had never pene-
trated to the heavy splendor Of rose
wood, silken tapestries and ormolu en-
cased mirrors Of the e~mperor's suite.
For at the emperor's table sat the
ragged man she had seen there once
before. He was In the huge, carved, pre-
tentious chair at the head Of the board.
He rather shone with blood from a
scalp wound under his matted hair.
Also. she saw that he appeared to be
picking over the bones of some rem
nants of a dish that must have been
prepared for Crackley's ~lieutenants
earlier In the day. At any rate the
lone guest showed disappointment. He
reached for the cognac, and then lit a
long reed pipe he found on the board.
Then he sat back and smoked, listening
to the distant sounds of the battle for
ward and above on the decks Of the
Napoleon ship.
Mademoiselle Lestron turned away
with fearful curiosity. She encoun-
tered a hurrying group coming past the
.ain-mast. Painting, stumbling, smoke
men, among whom she saw the
tall Sazarac. He sprang to the side
If to see to the safety Of the Eng
fish woman left In the longboat.
Monsieur !" she cried. and ran to
frightenedly.
There is no nan of them left In
he shouted. with a Frightening
we. 1.-The port watch went overheard
our rush, swimming for their boats.s
Beluche Is tumbling their wounded to a
7awl that remains. Mademoiselle," he
bowed to her, you will go below away
these abominable sights. Come
he Seraphine Is won
Mono 7" she gasped In horror still.
'No-not yeti"
Sazarac turned from her for an In
tant to the wheel where an alterca-
ion seemed arising. Old Dominique
lad taken It; he was shouting. with
lis eyes aloft. "She is drawing at the
the fat seaman bawled. "A
to her shroudsl A man-give
ne one man."
A silence had come, strangely 81
ent, after the fury. A groan or two,
coughing fellow forward In the lee
cuppers. Dominique was bowling
nee more. ,
"D-ni She's drawingl Wen be q
n the sands with thisl A seaman G
or Dominiquei Where are We allr" a
The Count de Almonaster suddenly }
ppeared past the tangle Of cordage :
long the s%tarboard rail where dead v
len were twisted into rope and a
rimed sail cloth. He threw away a c
roken small sword and came on. :
"Mademoiselle !" t
al am not hurt" she said family. /
You-Monsieuri" .
The roaring of Dominique, the al q
of New Orleans, cut him OF. h
Course me ~l-fat-heavy as a lout- n
nd here a sea fight such as my old y
yes have dreamedl A ship o. bloodf
ship O. death twice In one day 8
as she been cleared o. the dead louis :,
lllen on heri" 81
Forward, indeed, a man was heav- a
z corpses TO the phosphorescent y
aters. Yet the ship seemed curious Il
still. She was drawing on, with g
ominique hauling at the wheel; Is
owly. and with q signing fill Of limp 81
Invas, a weary clatter Of blocks b.
. . sailing. somehow, in unseaman- W
re disorder, but out of the ripplIng 81