Show 66 ONi RABAN il AJL i albl by RANDALL PARRISH A war sea story abounding in adventure and high romance A C mcclurg co jjr JJ 1 THERE COMES A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT HOLLIS AND FERGUS MCANN RESCUE THE mysterious WOMAN FROM DROWNING AT NIGHT synopsis stobert who ho tells the story Is a guest on girard yacht 1 it Is supposed to lo ile 10 it a party nod nollis Is surprised on oil discovering a orann woman orn nn who w evidently allus ll us to remain unknown aboard tibo iud Il tilt next night succeeds in III having tin nn interview with ali lie iii nii slie site nicrola tolls tells him ter nallie Is vera vt rn carrington tells lit ills 4 guests of tire coming coining war ur und and that aliat lie li ji it copper pool CHAPTER IV I 1 1 the wreck of the esmeralda we passed tile greater part of tho the day below tin and long before night cattle a heavy sweeping ruin rain set lit in and kept us its here I 1 never recall recalled vil it more blind lafi disagreeable storm tit nt tills this season of the your and in those writers although there was very little wind or 9 eu accompanying it the smother 4 bowe vcr nindo biado it safer bufer to proceed ut tit half speed and tilt lookouts forward were doubled it a n long evening as I 1 was an in no spirit for curds cards und imd discus discussion slon wits altogether about tile war tile projected copper pool carrington received several messages lit in further proof that alint the was ILIr Cady well under wily but lio lie ninde matle no ito other oilier nt lat tempt to arouse my iny interest lly by ten tell thirty I 1 had retired to ray iny state stateroom roqui yet even there and when alien partly ills dla rolled it ii tu to explore the leeks decks again assailed tile nc I 1 unscrewed flie lio port aind glanced out the cold rain driving hard against ray iny face nothing could be sven seen I 1 into till nn ampon black wall arill there was evidently nothing to do but remain where i 1 wits ant and I 1 closed the port ana toy luy down in the berth I 1 do riot not know what alint aroused tile nic but J 1 I sat ant ill suddenly wide awake nanko n strange ill defined fear clutching nt at my heart alint wits it I 1 luid hall heard n cry it liow blow on oil the lie deck above blad I 1 really hear anything or wits it merely the echo of a dream the stateroom was dark clarl ns frebus erebus but I 1 rot got my lay feet over the edge of the berth and switched on oil the electric light even ns as I 1 stood thus my lay build band still on the switch someone in swiftly across tho deck directly overhead und aud a voice wavered out port sir I 1 hard bard aport my godl god I 1 there was a starting start ing erash crush forward tile awful sound of crushing iron and splintered timbers I 1 was waa hung flung liefie long against the partition barely hiving myself by outstretched hands but fulling bruised and helpless to tin the deck dech the electric hashed flashed out instantly but a dull gleam from without streamed through the glass clofas of 01 the port it was a n ghastly green light and I 1 recognized it at once as the port lantern of the ship which had rain rammed nied us before I 1 could get to my feet even still lazed dazed and trembling from the shock the gantly green radiance began to r T 4 1 I 1 was flugg headlong against the partition I 1 cedo hage ilage took the place of fear the dirty ulrey murderer was backlog backing ofal oarl was leaving us to fink I 1 I 1 clawed my any ross rosa the stateroom seeking to gain view ew without but could perceive little the glass was dimmed with moisture and through it I 1 could see gee merely the circle of green light reveal ang the outline of a high bow no other gleam was visible but alac tire nio 1 a man cursed hoarsely aud and then screamed reamed out some order which I 1 could riot not distinguish all this was the work of nn an instant Is stant what wha had occurred was RS Ps clear to my nind mind as though I 1 had actually wit messed the scene from tile the arck above A great steel steamer a tramp no doubt iron from its darkened derks decks hail had plunged out of the blackness and rammed ned her how flow straight into its tire tho contact must have been well forward i near the llie bridge we were going coln down by the head already I 1 could perceive vo the llo list the deck underfoot was ft as tilting the engines had ceased to throb as though tile alio inflow of water hail licul tho hollers bol lets feet scrambled along the duck overhead voices olica yelled idled and I 1 could hear licar the creaking of bout bent caillo ta chile working desperately in the dark scarcely able now to keel beep feet on the slanting plinks I 1 hastily liast ll drew on what bits of clothing I 1 could find tit at liand had and felt my lay wily way blindly to tit alio door it was jammed jain ined hut but I 1 kicked it open and ami stumbled forth into the iraln cubin cabin dinning to tile the door frame lit in order to ri re in fit my feet the llie doors stood wide open but oo 00 living being wits iia visible all who w survived that first shock must have hao led fled to the leek lit in mail mad struggle to escape ay bild there was is desperate need for me inc to join thein the alo ans going town already tier her forward hold was ai filled with water mater the bulkheads nione keeping tier lier alfont they gave way sho would sink like a stone I 1 crossed the cabin on hands and knees clawing my wily way desperately through the litter altti r until I 1 atla attained ined thu the stalls stairs those no longer led lip ill but forward foi ard beyond was utter litter blackness silence sll eiHO and through the shattered door drops of rain splashed it was not until I 1 hall had made my iny way avay to tin the outer dick and felt the night air and rain on my iny face faco that eliat I 1 trul truly awoke t tr tile dat igei ger the tilt of tile aliu yacht I 1 was so sharp I 1 dare not retell hae my iny grasp of tho the rail I 1 could i scarcely see bee anything an thing not a light burned not ever a distant star sifer glimmered tho the blinded tile me and soaked through m my shirt to tin tilt skin I 1 scarcely dared move for to release my iny grip wits to town down into the black writer into the riffia of oc spars and ropes forward it was ill all horror and death that wily but front aft unter under the awning it a sound of recited voices reached my iny ears curs and tilt the rasp of boat tackle no doubt till nil on oil board leonrd who lived were there seeking to escape they lind sprung for the open dock deck nt at the lie first alarm riot not even wilting walting to dress ant and if I 1 would join thorn them there was riot not nn an Ins instant trint to lose loie lo ie the after bulkhead could not hold long ion any moment any unusual roll of the seat ben would rend it asunder and the would sink life hung on oil seconds nor would those frightened v wretches bretches it to learn the fate of any others ou on board clinging to every projection of the cabin I 1 attained tile port rail but oen even as I 1 attempted the first step a voice culled called to tile mo from out the black depths below and I 1 hung there staring behind tuo ni unable to perceive it 11 thing excepting a litter of tangled w wreckage dont leave niel met give roo me a han who are you mccann you are hollas a int you soul yes tire you sou hurt I 1 no bruised it bit no doubt my foot Is caught under a spar alone alio the second mate fell with me hes bes town down below dead I 1 guess it was no small job getting to him using the slippery rail for at a ladder and I 1 was knee deep lit in water when I 1 finally found foothold in tile lie and rolled the spur spar oft on tile the imprisoned limb no fie was mis lying tint flat on oil tile deck ills his head barfly barely free of the waves but was able to clutch the nearest stanchion and baul himself up to tho the protection of tile rail ills face wits but a blurred outline although I 1 could perceive the gli glimmer miner of a white shirt I 1 stared beyond him into the block black silence you say seeley Is down dawn there 1 I fell ou on top of him the words scarcely audible ile he was trying to get into the cabin when lie he lost ills his grip gilp I 1 tried to catch him and lie he took tile me along say lie ho was ans breathing hard do you sou know it if aber wits was a girl on board yes there Is I 1 met glicr ter night be bc foro last on deck did seeley tell you where slie she was hid hidden deril in a storeroom next to the stewards pantry lie he said tho the door was locked 11 desperate as our own situation was all thought of personal danger I 1 left me in it a sudden realization of tile awful horror fronting her almost under our nir very ery feet I 1 gripped mcclunn mccann by the arm we roust must get her out of there I 1 cried come on with me where downtown Down down there yes of course you are a man I 1 take it tile lantern Is still burning and we have a chance como come now wako wake up Afe Canti we are americans Amerl tans and it Is women first you ion know it if lie he v was as a coward lie ho lind no wish to let it be known although the suddenness of disaster had broken ills his nerve the words spoken the tone ot of my voice olce touched ills his pride ills his real manhood ali ah youre right lie he said heartily and the grip gilp of his hand tightened tighten eJ im no scallion boaman I 1 linte hato the sen sea but no one ever eer called a mccann a quitter ril ill go 0 o us as far as you and well get that girl out or drown together I 1 was clini climbing bing the rail before lit lie nn ila islieb reckless of cf all else except tilt the task us the face of tilt alio girl whose hand I 1 had told in mine ader tin the light of the stars to rise before me tier eyes pleading for jelp the 1 he vision urged ine 1110 forward I 1 know riot not what strength or skill enabled me to swing from the roll and grip the cabin front but I 1 lomg lung there with one hand my feet finding slight blight support on the slippery slope of the deck and reaching back gave mccann support while lie IK also inside lie sperate passage to the safety of the companion an instant inter hiter I 1 wits beside him anil and we vo crept together down tile the inverted stairs the of our position mord moio evident eld its as we advanced tile dead bodies the fernl ture tuio the horrid swaying of the he hulk bulk beneath us suspended wo tint and to use tile forward wall us a floor door crawling tile tho litter sonde made us feel that hat certain death must end the rid venture there wits was it a hoo lbook 1 lit in I 1 1 lie il 1 dee deck ic b below ea ow for what purpose it hall been placed there I 1 do riot not labow but it gave me inc foothold enabling me to kneel here mccann climb to my iny shoulders I 1 ordered and tako take down till the lantern quick now ill told hold you ou till all right ills illi ill i face was ghastly and lie he ns as though lie moved lit in ills sloop lvery in mo me felt the strain but I 1 told held him hills straightening out my body and balancing myself in self until ills ida uplifted hands gripped the light illano you ou got it I 1 yes let me down slowly 11 all right hang on to it for your life now my aly arms gave under tinder the strain and a sudden surge or of the sodden wreck but lie ho held to an end of the overturned the light still burning feebly threatening every cery instant to flicker out I 1 caught unil and steadied it turning up the wick rind casting tile lie faint glimmer along tile passage lending leading to the stewards pantry I 1 slipped down gripping the file lantern thi the dim dial smoky glow of which made tho visible the pantry door stood open indeed I 1 doubt it if it had a door but everything else was closed macarin was mas just above me and I 1 sung out to him to hold fust then tho the lantern w avle c gripped in my teeth I 1 lowered myself tho the full length of my lay arms this brought the water to my aneca while the lodged choirs chairs were a foot fool or t two 0 below As I 1 hung there dreading the bange pange my iny eyes were directed opposite iho he pantry and the gleam of the lantern glittered on the blade of a n hatchet just inside the door never was a i tool more tight above there I 1 managed to ejaculate through closed lips what are you ou going to do swing lit in toward tho door on the right thero Is a hatchet lia lying there with feet braced against tho the opposite wall wait I 1 forced my way across making three efforts before my fingers finally the hatchet handle clinging with one hand I 1 thrust the tool into my belt fully prepared now to let go i CHAPTER V the rescue of vera rake tills this lantern I 1 mccann I 1 called and held it up to him ill ril if n need cod both my iny bonds free hold it as low as possible now kow liere here goes P 1 I 1 did not pray audibly but a prayer was lit in my joy heart us as I 1 released my grip on the rug and took the plunge the first chair crumpled beneath my weight but by rood good luck the second held just long enough eno to enable ine 1110 to grip the latch of the hie door and cling tight the slant of tho the deck gave one groping foot precarious purchase on the threshold although water swept nearly to my waist aud and for a moment I 1 tottered filtered there helpless to do more than merely sustain my position tion the colne made by this struggle must have been heard within for I 1 bec became itice aware of water splashing slid and a u fist pounded the door I 1 Is that you mr seley no I 1 answered nerved to now effort by the sound of lier her voice and tho the knowledge that I 1 had indeed located the right r spot pot and found tier her still alive tills this la Is El ollis Is the door lock locked edt yes mr seeley has the key you must bo be quick the water Is already above my waist 11 so ho tario for keys beys then I 1 said stand ladt bacic until I 1 cut a way in throw your light down mccann ay bettor bett ert 1 the latch of the loor floor was forward I 1 could cling to it and have my right hand free with which to wield the hatchet hoth feet wedged on the threshold the light was the mpr est glimmer Rl linnier yet sufficient clent to reveal the paneling of the lie door and I 1 lacked hacked at this flor fiercely cely exerting the full fall strength of my iny arin A dozen splintered the upper panel and then I 1 sent tile iho keen blade crushing downword gouging out great chunks and splinters until it jagg cd passage enss ago ila liall been ninde sufficiently laro large for the passage of a body tile the water wits deeper lit in tile cabin than in the opening drenching drench lg me dearly to tile the arm ann pus pits lit in warning ills his voice ice cracked with a terror ho be could no longer control walt wait ill be there in a minute 1 I 1 shouted back my only fear test lost lie desert us tilt the bulkhead still held field this torrent wits was water which hall had found other entrances no doubt it would eventually increase in volume nod and sink mink the vessel essl yet iet there was still ample time fur for us ua to escape there would be no sudden plunge while that bulkhead iteld are you ou nil right miss vera I 1 asked noxiously anilou sli where tire arc you ou cnn ann you ou see tile inc yes I 1 am clinging to the berth ller voice loke wits was excited but clear the aitor Is up to my shoulders Is tile the opening lent for you sou I 1 think if you clin can ninke make it alone I 1 should have love to knock out another other panel to get through myself there is no onto for that and no need iu ini col coming lillig now watch out our two bodies so obscured the faint glow of the lantern dangling from mccanns liand hand above that I 1 could see sea nothing yet I 1 managed to grapple tier lier arm und thus assist in dragging tier her into tile the jagged in goa opening tile the water surging to the sodden roll of the doomed yacht acht and now dani dammed nied hi by tier her body poured over us both in |