The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-09-08

his engines IN obedience to the sharp
gong from above. And then both
Knutsen and McNab braced them
selves for the shock they knew would
come.
The craft seemed to leap in the wa
ter, shuddered like a living thing,
and the swath of the searchlight de-
scribed a long arc into the sleeet
and the storm. 1t may have been
that Knutsen shouted again-a mean
ingless sound that was lost quickly
in the wind-but for seconds that
seemed TO drag into interminable cen
turtles to drag absolutely without out
ward sign of motion. His great hands
clutched his wheel, the muscles were
set and punched, but it was as If the
man had died and was frozen rigid
in an instant of incredible tension. His
face utterly without expression, For
est crouched beside his engines.
There was-nothing that either of
them could do. The waves and wind
were a power no man could stay All
their efforts were as useless as Knut-
sens shout; already the little ship
was in the remorseless grasp of a
great billow that was hurting her to-
ward the ridge of white foam in front.
For another instant she seemed to-
hang suspended, as if suddenly taken
wing, and then there was a sheer drop.
a sense Of falling out of the world A
queer ripping, tearing sound, not loud
at all, not half so terrifying as the
buster of the wind. reached them from
the hold.
Cold sober, Knutsen turned in his
place and gonged down certain orders
to Forest In scarcely a moment. it
seemed they were pulling the bat
tens from the two little lifeboats on
the deck
Knutsen's brain was entirely clear
and sure as he gave his orders on
the deck. His hand was steady as
iron. His failure to master himself
had brought disaster, but he knew
how to master a ship at a time like
this From the instant the Charon
had struck the reef. he was the power
upon that storm swept deck. and
whatever hope McNab had lay in him.
Almost at once the four passengers
were on deck, waiting to take their
meager chance in the ufeboats. The
stress, the raging elements. those
angry seas that ever leaped higher
and nearer, as if coveting their NOR
tai lives, most of all the terror such
as had never previously touched
them, affected no two Of them alike.
OF the three women, Bess alone
moved forward, out Of the shelter of
the cabin, to be of what aid she
could. Her drawn, white face was
oddly childhke in the lantern light.
Mrs. Hardenworth had been stricken
and silenced by the nearing visage of
death; LenOre, almost unconscious
with terror, made strangling, sob
bling sounds that the wind carried
away. And in this moment of in.
finite travail Ned Cornet felt his man.
hood stirring within him.
Ned came up, and Knutsen's cold
gaze leaped over his face. Help me
here" he commanded. "McNab. YOU
help Forest and Julius launch the
larger boat"
There was not much launching to
do. Waves We're already bursting
over the deck. Knutsen turned once
more.
We want four people in each
boat" he directed sharply. "Cornet.
you and l and Miss Hardenworth in
this one. The other girl will have to
get in here, too. The other boats
Slightly larger-MIs. Hardenworth.
get in with McNab, Forest, and
julius"
Put Mrs. Hardenworth in your
boat. so she and Lenore can be to-
gether," Bes5 told Captain Knutsen.
IN get in the other"
The captain did not seem to hear.
He continued TO shout his orders.
In the work of lowering the lifeboat
he had cause to lift his lantern high.
and for a moment its yellow CLEAN
was bright upon Bess' drawn bag
gard face. Farther off it revealed
Ned, white-faced but erect Id the beat
of the storm.
In one instant's insight. single
glimpse between the storm and the
sea, he understood that she was TAX
ing him at his word
Get in with us he said shortly.
Don't be silly-as I was" Then.
lest she should mistake his sentiment:
Mrs. Hardenworth is twice your
weight, and this boat will be over.
loaded as it is"
The girl looked at him quietly. nod
ding her head
He helped her into the dory. Ju
Illus, who at the captains orders had
been rif1ing the cabins, threw blank
cts to her. Then tenderly. lending
her his strength. Ned helped Lenore
over the wind-swept deck into the bow
seat of the lifeboat, nearest to the
| seat he would take himself. Buck
up. my girl" he told her, deep.
throbbing note in his voice. III look
after you"
Already the deck was deserted. The
dim light showed that the larger
dory, containing McNab. Forest, Ju-
/ Illus. and Mrs. Hardenworth, had al.
ready been launched. There was no
| sign of them now. The darkness and
the storm had already dropped be-
| tween. They could not hear a shout
of directions between the three men,
not a scream of fear from the terri
| fed woman vino was their charge
| 1t was as if they had never been.
Only the Charon was left her decks
awash and soon to dive and vanish
beneath the waves-and their little
group in the dim CLEAN of the Ian
Itern. Knutsen and Ned took their
places at the oarlocks, Ned nearer the
bow Knutsen just behind. A great
wave seemed to catch them and 11url
them away.