Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1924-12-31
CHAPTER II
THE SURVIVORS

the floor of the saloon heaVeo up III
the center with a mighty crash or
vending woodwork and iron. Men ana
women too stupefed to sob out
nraver. were pitched headlong INTO
chaos Iris. torn from the terrified
orasn of her maid, fell through cor
ridor. and would have gone down Win
the ship had not a sailor, cl1nglng TO
a companion ladder, caught her as she
whirled along the steep slope OF the
deck. -
He did not know what had hap
nnned With the instinct OF selt-pre-
seryation he seized the nearest sup
mort when the Vessel struck. 1t was
fine mere impulse of ready helpful
ness that caused him to stretch out
his left arm and clasp the girls waist
as she futtered past. By idle chance
thev were on the port side, and the
ship, after pausing for one awful sec
ond. fell over to starboard.
The man was not prepared for this
second gyration. Even as the stairway
canted he lost his balance; they were
both thrown violently through the OPP
en- hatchway, and swept off into the
boiling surf. Under such conditions
Thought itself was impossible. A series
of impressions, a number OF fantastlc
mixtures. were received by the be-
numbed faculties, and afterwards
nainfully sorted out by the memory.
Fear. anguish, amaZement-none or
these could exist. All he knew was
that the lifeless form of a woman
for Iris had happily fainted-must be
held until death itself wrenched her
from him. Then there came the mead
long plunge into the swirling sea, fol-
lowed by an indefinite period of gasp
ing oblivion. Something that felt ike
moving rock rose up beneath MS
feet He was driven clear out of the
water and seemed to recognize ia
miliar object rising rigid and bright
close at hand. Tt was the pinnacle pill
lar, screwed to a portion of the deck
which came away from the charthouse
and was rent from the upper frame
work by contact with the reef.
He seized this unlooked-for support
with his disengaged hand. For one
feet instant he had a confused vision
of the destruction of the ship. Both
the fore and aft portions were burst
asunder by the force of compressed
air. Wreckage and human forms were
tossing about foolishly. The sea
pounded upon the opposing rocks
with the noise of ten thousand mighty
steam-hammers.
A uniformed figure-he thought it
was the captain-stretched out an I'M
awaiting arm to clasp the queer raft
which supported the sailor and the
girl. But jealous wave rose under
the platform with devilish energy and
turned it completely over, hurting the
man with his inanimate burthen into
the depths. He rose, fighting madly
for his life. Now surely he was
doomed! But again, as If human ex-
istence depended on naught more SER
ious than the spinning of a coin, his
knees rested on the same few staunch
timbers, now the ceiling of the music
room, and he was given brief re-
spite. His greatest difficulty was to
get his breath, so dense was the
spray through which he was driven.
Even in that terrible moment he kept
his senses. The girl, utterly uncon-
scious, showed by the convulsiVe
heaving of her breast that she was
choking. With wild effort he swung
her head around to shield her from
the flying scud with his own form.
The tiny air-space thus provided
gave her some relief, and in that in
slant the sailor seemed to recognize
her He was not remotely capable OF
a definite idea. Just as he vaguely re-
allied the identity of the woman in
his arms the unsteady support on
which he rested toppled over. Again
he renewed the unequal contest. A
strong resolute man and typhoon
sea wrestled for supremacy.
This time his feet plunged against
something gratefully solid. He was
dashed forward, still battling with the
raging turmoil Of water, and a second
time he felt the same firm yet smooth
surface His dormant faculties awoke.
1t was sand With frenzied desperation,
buoyed now by the inspiring hope of
safety. ne fought his way onward like
a maniac.
Otter he fell, three times did the
backwash try to drag him to the
swirling death behind, but he stag
gered blindly on, on, until even the
tearing gale ceased to be laden with
the suffocating foam, and his falter-
ing feet sank in deep fost white sand.
Then he fell, not to rise again. With
last weak flicker of exhausted
strength he drew the girl closely to
him, and the two lay, clasped tightly
together, needless now of all things.
How long the man remained pros
trate he could only guess subsequent
ly. The Sirdar struck soon after day
break and the sailor awoke to haZy
consciousness of his surroundings to
find q shaft of sunshine Pickering
through the clouds banked up in the
east. The gale was already passing
away. Although the wind still whistled
with Shrill violence it was more blus-
tering than threatening. The sea, too, |
though running very high, had re-
treated many yards from the spot
where he had finally dropped, and its
surface was no longer scourged with
venomous spray
Slowly and painfully he raised him
self to a sitting posture, for he was
bruised and stiff. With his first move
ment he became violently ill. He had
swallowed much salt water, and it
was not until the spasm of sickness |
had passed that he thought of the girl. |
She had slipped from his breast as
he rose. and was lying face down |
wards, in the sand The memory of |
much that had happened surged into |
his brain with horrifying suddenness.
"She cannot be dead" he hoarsely |
murmered, feebly trying to lift her. |
st rely Providence would not desert |