Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-04

cabin boy turned the lights low in the
dingY saloon, yaWned and disappeared.
The ship was quiet, save for the duil
throb of her engines.
Sidney arose softly, tiptoed her way
through the gloomy cabin and went
on deck again. There was despair
IN her heart vet she was afre with
resolution to do something-she knew
not what Something must be done.
She walked to the stern and looked
out into the darkness. Nd longer was
the hulk visible yet she knew 1t was
there by the heavy. laboring ~ o2reSS
Of the steamship and the Groaning OF
the hawser that disappeared into the
night. 1t was holding her sick man
from Galveston; clutching at him
from behind like some sinister and
giant hand.
Perhaps it was killing him.
She shuddered, turned quickly and
walked forward There was dim
figure on the bridge. She climbed
the ladder without hesitation and con-
fronted the second officer. For an in
slant he peered at her uncertainty,
then recognized his visitor and sa-
luted awkwardly.
Sidney talked swiftly and earnestly,
her hands clasped tightly at her
breast, her eyes alight with pleading
and determination. The officer lis
tened and shook his head several
times.
Sorry. miss. I'd like to help you,
but / can't
1T must be done."' she exclaimed
with a sob.
It'd mean my job. miss. Besides,
you heard the captains orders. 80,
miss, l can't cut it adrift.
She pleaded again, almost hysteri-
cally. The second officer shifted un-
easily on his feet, but continued To
shake his head
mo use. miss. 1t can't be done.
And | think you'd better go below;
there's a bit of weather coming
Sidney's heart sank.
Another cyclone?" she gasped.
Not that, miss; but a squall. We've
had lightning some time. Feel The
air? tn blow some. 1t amt likely
to last long. but | expect it'll he sharp
I'm real sorry for you, miss"
And you won't-cut it adrift?'
The officer merely shook his head
and turned to resume his pacing.
She erept down from the bridge to
the deck and made her. way slowly
aft. Everybody was against her. And
another storm coming Perhaps they
would never reach Galveston; at least
for days and days. And by then he
might be dead.
She scarcely noted dazzling flash
Of lightning that shot across the sky.
nor seemed to hear the clatter of
thunder that followed swiftly. Near
the entrance to the cabin she paused
and leaned heavily against the Geek
house She felt that she could not
go below and sit idly by the bedside
of her man: there seemed to be
something criminal in inaction. Yet
she knew not what to do.
For several minutes she stood
there, her mind trying to grapple
with a problem that seemed fairly
tragic.
Not until the ship shivered per-
ceptibly did she awaken to the fact
that the sQuall was upon them.
There was a sudden shrek of
wind. whitening of the black sea. a
binding electric flash that lighted the
deck as if by day. and then a torrent
of rain. Instinctively she grippcd the
handrail and chung to it.
Full in the face the suual struck
the tramp, and it came like the blow
OF a giant sledge. The ship staggered.
paused and hung irresolute. For sew.
eral seconds the screaming wind held
her almost motionless, despite the
steady threshing of her screw. Then,
as # rallying from the first onslaught.
the vessel plunged forward again.
Ihere was second shock Some
where from out in the darkness came
sharp. ominous noise. like the bark
OF quick.firing gun. An instant
later sinuous snakelike. object
Whlzzed within a foot of the girls
mead and dashed viciously at the deck.
The lightning came again and Sid
ney, shrinking in terror against the
deckhouse, saw at her feet the thing
that had leaped at her out of the
darkness
Ii was a broken hawser.
The ship was flashing into the squall
now, and gathering speed at each
turn of her screw. The Nemesis
astern was gone.
Even with her slight knowledge of
the sea, Sidney understood in an in.
slant. The first blast of thu souaIl
had checked the slowly moving
steamer and held her motionless long
enough TO slacken the towing line
The derelict, not yet reached bv the
WIND, had crawled sluggishly forward
OF her own momentum. Then. freed
from the drag Of her burden. the
tramp had gathered speed.
ana when the line tautened again
IT snapped.
Sidney, clinging TO the handrail
murmured a swift PRAYER Of thanks.
giving, then CROPPED her way toward
the entrance to the cabin
me captain, leaping up the steps.
prushed her roughly aside. scarcely
seeing her. She heard him growing
an oath as he passed and disappeared
on deck
mere was wild hour aboard the
tramp Then the squat blew itself
out as suddenly as it came. leaving
as memory only d steady downpour
OF soft, warm rain The salvage Job
was over. Of in the darkness miles
astern, perhaps. lay NailowinG derp.
nct. 1t was useless 10 search for il.
by morning it would be. hopelessly
gone.
While the squall lasted it was i'm.
possible To stop the steamships en-.
glnes. And now il was too late.
At dawn the girl was sitting by the
bedside of Trask, who had fallen into
a. stupor. his forehead still burning
with fever, his lips still muttcring
things that her ear could not catch
She had ignored the futile storming of
the captain. The derelict was gone:
the ship was moving faster She cared
for nothing else save the heavily
breathing form of the man who lay
in the berth, his eyes closed, his
cheeks scarlet with a fire that rage1
within.
The day passed thus, and at night
fall land was sighted. 1t was as if
Sidney's prayer for q quick passage
had been answered. She gave a cry
Of Thanksgiving as she looked
through the erimy little portfolio that
lighted the cabin and realized that
they were making harbeg at last.