Evening star., 1924-01-27

lips were parted. l caught the CLEAN
Of her white teeth, her wide9open
eyes, the carven lines Of ChafIey's
Suddenly stung to action by reali-
zation OF Hansen's perilous position
officer of the watch, alone on the
bridge-I stepped abruptly forward.
AS I did so Hansen bent lower over
the girl, and she put up one hand onto
his neck. Magnetized, 1 stopped.
What made me whip round / don't
know. Some amazing instinct bred
by the sea made me turn my head
sharply, to have my senses stunned
by the sight Of the side and mast
mead lights of big ship dt was our
sister ship. the huge Benaris, out
ward bound to New York; dead ahead
Of US barely 500 yards away. driving
directly at US. At the same second
that my ear caught the boom of her
siren, Hansen was at the bridge rail
in one bound. In forty seconds we
should meet
Forty seconds.
Hansen's shout cut through the
scream OF the wind and electrified
the helmsman into feverish motion.
Hard apor helmt. Full astern
starboard engines."
Remembering simultaneously that
| the third was off the bridge, he drove
past me like whiriwind, and crash.
| the telegraph handles swung to Full
astern" as he wrenched them. Like
flash he was back at the siren Ian
yard and sounded two piercing blasts
Am turning to starboard"
The little telegraph bell tineIed as
| the engine room answered. The
helmsman had the wheel hard over
to port. Our bow began TO swing
minutely, as If she would never
answer the helm and engines.
Then l felt the bridge under me
rock and tremble s the great shin
| answered the tremendous pull of en-
gines and rudder. ] wonder the ship
didn't split in two-you cannot real
| ize the terrific strain of such a sud
| den and violent turn. The Benaria's
lights changed angle, and her big
sharp bow began to swing away
| from US Would we miss her.
| thought of the thousands asleep be-
| low on each ship. No boat could live
| minute in the raging seas, no
steamer would have dared approach
near us; even RATS would have
smashed TO Splinters.
The bows of the two ships swung
apart. The bows would miss, but
| could we straighten back far enough
to prevent Benaria shearing through
our stern? Turn too soon. and we
| should ram the other ship-turn too
late and her great bow would cut
through our stern like cheese.
! Hansen'S voice rang out AGAIN
strong and steady, as calm as the
death that faced US all.
! keep your head, quartermaster
Stand by. now" The bows of the two
| ships were nearly abreast and not
| fifty yards apart. Helm midships. -
Helm midships, sir"
Hansen jerked the starboard teie-
graph to stop"
"Starboard ten"
"starboard ten. sir
And ten
And ten, sir"
= * = x
LIE rang tho telegraph to half
ahead. We swung and I saw
the black sea ahead of US again. omen
seamanship. Upon that narrow
bridge eighty-feet above the water
| line. a mans brain had triumphed.
even over himself.
Hansen rang for full speed again.
Resume course, Quartermaster," f"
His words were quiet. and his in
| Election steady.
AYE. aye, SIR
Hansen brushed r-sI me back to
the head of the companion. The girl
was still there, her expression as de-
tached in the face of the terrible
disaster she had nearly caused as
though she was watching a picture.
Her eyes rested on Charley's with
out blink.
He strode right UP to her.
"Are you satisfied?" His voice vas
like steel. "I have just nearly lost
my ship! Get to hell off the bridget"
She jumped the remaining step
onto the bridge and faced him like
a tiger. Defiant, insolent, she meas
ured him with her scornful eyes.
When she spoke her deep contralto
voice was vibrant with contempt.
"So-you have lost your nerve, eh,
Hansen? Instead of your ship! And
am to be ordered to hell from any
where by you?"
! He made no answer, but appeared
to consider her moment. Then he
stepped deliberately back and struck
her across the mouth with all his
strength. Though 1t was his open
palm, she would have been hurled to
the deck below had she not been
holding on with both hands.
"Now," he said evenly. get to hell
loff the bridge, will you?"
Cowed as beaten dog, she re-