The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1931-10-23
The Vale of Araeon
BY Fred Mclaughlin
e-4utbor Of "Tbe Blade Of Picaray"
Copyright Bd Merrill Service
lutbor Of 'Ibe Blade Of Peanay"

Family came the sound of another
rending crash, and 1 imagined that the
foremost had gone, for the laboring
vessel, after heeling perilously, whipped
back to an even keel again.
While / crouched in the protection
of the after-deck, the spirit of youth
took hold of me, spoke to me-and the
spirit of love also. She had come to
see me, had glorified my prison, had
let me feast my eyes upon the beauty
of her face.
Spurred by sudden resolve to find
her, to save her, or to sink to the
depths with her in my arms, I left
my place of refuge and made my way
by eccentric stages forward. STUN
bled over a battened companion and
rode the crest of a tumbling wave half
the length Of the deck. My outspread
arms came in contact with rail STAN
passed on.
In the piled-up masses of foam that
beat over me felt the clinging touch
of dress, my fingers found slim
arm, and I heard shrill scream that
rose above the roar Of the tempest.
The SenOrita Dulce! In the semi
darkness she recognized me. A light
of happiness took the place of the ter
ror that had filled her eyes.
"Senor.'' she cried, the frail voice
in q
been searching"
I placed one arm around her, hold
ing her close. "Are you afraid?"
NO." she said, smiling bravely, and
smiling. tainted.
Well, it was better. &c. holding her,
1 waited for the storm to destroy us.
l drew an abiding consolation from
the thought that, if the sea claimed
us, should have her all my own to
the last instant of my life.
Even as l waited thus the great ship
stopped suddenly, as though it had
met an invisible wall. The stern
lifted skyward, and the mainmast,
sheared clean at the partners, fell
forward, tearing great gap in the
rail. Now the stern went down again
with sickening lurch and the bow
spirit pointed toward the boiling clouds.
While the Santa Lucrecia, balanc-
ing upon a submerged reef that had
caught her amidships, teetered like
sparrow on twig, the rain ceased as
suddenly as it had come, and the wind
abated somewhat, though it still blew
half q gale.
With the aid of the stanchiOn and
the rail, l got to my feet and, stag
gering under the burden of the Senor-
tia Dulce, went forward slowly along
the plunging deck toward four men
who were working at the davits of
starboard boat. A tall figure of the
four resembled Francisco, so 1 bent
my steps toward the larboard rail,
where another group showed in the
fading twilight.
Polito's anxious smile was CHASTITY
thing, for one side of his face was
smeared with blood. He took his SIS
ter in his arms and turned to place
swung upon me with a dubbed pistol
l tried to dodge the blow and failed.
The barrel of the weapon graZed my
head and sent me spinning, and the
fitting deck slipped from under my
feet. Stumbling, reached futilely for
things to stay my descent, rolled, went
through a wide space in the rail that
the falling foremost had made, and
fell for what seemed to my half
dazed senses Unreasonable distances.
The plunge into the raging sea re-
vived me instantly. l have always
been at home in the water, so the dam
ger of drowning was remote. Wind
and the waves carried me swiftly land
ward as the short tropical twilight
faded into a starless gloom. A float
ing spar touched me and, holding to
it for support, waited.
In the murk towering mass Of
darkness passed me, passed me 81
lently, like a lifeless derelict riding
before a storm. 1t passed on, and l
was left alone in the turbulent sea, a
prey to doubts, to bitter diSappoint-
ments and vague fears.
l heard at last the sounds Of contact
of the lashing sea upon the land. 1t
was not the booming note of breakers
on reef, nor yet the rasping hiss of
waves that rode along sloping beach;
it was more like the rush of mighty
wind through the forest, whereat I
wondered even more until a giant
wave. receding, left me stranded in a
tree. l held on while other waves
rushed past and over me, held until
the storm had spent its fury, until the
water had subsidized.
ITO BE CONTINUED.l