I
T H E
TO) "TV Ti
t:-and instantly divided his forces.
Enid lie dispatched to make hot cocoa
1ji the quickest and most lavish man
ner possible. Constance was to give
each new arrival a small quantity of
stimulant (the lighthouse possessed a
dozen bottles of brandy and whisky)
and act as escort. The women and
children were to be allotted the two
bedrooms. Any bad cases of injury or
complete exhaustion could be disposed
of iu the visiting officer's room, while
ail the men fit to take care of them
selves were to be distributed between
the entrance, the coal room, the work
shop and the stairways. The kitchen,
storeroom and service room were to
be kept clear, and the storeroom door
looked. Eighty! Brand was already do
ing problems in simple arithmetic.
A similar problem, with a different
point to be determined, was occupying
the active mind of the "American
youngster" who had solved the knot
tiest proposition put forward during
that eventful night.
He watched the forwarding of the
shrieking, shuddering or inanimate wo
men. He timed the operation by his
watch, as the reflected light from the
lamp was quite sufficient for the pur
pose. Then he approached the captain.
"Say, skipper." he cried, "how long
do you give the remains of her to hold
out?"
"It is not high water yet," was the
answer. 'Terhaps half an hour. Forty
minutes at the utmost."
"Then you'll have to boost this thing
along a good deal faster," said the
cheerful one. "They're going up now
at the rate of one every two minutes.
That's thirty in half an hour. Fifty of
us will travel a heap quicker at the end
of that time if your calculation holds
good."
The captain, who appeared to be in a
stupor of grief, roused himself.
A few short and sharp orders chang
ed the aspect of affairs. Frightened
and protesting ladies were securely
tied together and hoisted, four at a
time, like so many bags of wheat
When it came to the men's turn even
less ceremony and greater expedition
.were used.
Indeed, already there were emphatic
warnings that much valuable time had
been lost in the early stage of the res
' cue. Though the wind was now only
blowing a stiff gale, the sea, lashed to
frenzy by the hurricane, was heavier
than ever. The ship was vanishing vis
ibly. A funnel fell with a hideous
crash and carried away a lifeboat.
The rest of the spar deck and nearly
the whole of the forward cabins were
torn out bodily. By repeated thumping
on the reef the vessel had settled back
almost on to an even keel, and the fore
mast, which had so providentially near
ed the summit of the lighthouse, was
now removed far beyond the possibility
of a rope being thrown.
The survivors on deck worked with
feverish energy. The time was draw
ing short. They did not know the sec
ond that some unusually tempestuous
wave would devour them utterly.
"Now. Mr. Pyne. you next," cried the
chief officer, addressing the young Phil
adelphiau, who, mirabile dictu, had
found and lighted a cigar.
"Guess I'll swing up along with the
captain," was the answer.
"Up with him!" shouted the captain
fiercely, himself helping to loop Pyno
to the fourth officer.
All others had gone. The officers
vr?r l;"r:r t';e ship in order of sen
iority, ilio juniors first. Just as the
quartet were about to swing clear of
the ship the captain grasped Pyne's
hand.
"Thank yon. lad." he said, and away
thoy wont.
There were left on the vessel the
third, second and first officers, the pur
ser and the captain. The others want
ed the captain to come with them. He
resisted, held out for his right to be the
last to quit a ship he had commanded
f or more Than twenty years and hoarse
ly forbade any further argument.
Very unwillingly they left him haul
ing alone at the rope, though their pred
ecessors, knowing the need of it, helped
vigorously from the gallery. Indeed,
It was with difficulty that ryne was
held back from returning with the de
scending rope. They told him he was
mad to dream of such a piece of folly,
and perforce he desisted.
But when the captain deliberately
cast off the deck pulley from which the
tope had been manipulated they knew
that the boy had read his soul. The
now useless cordage dangling from the
gallery was caught by the wind and
sea and sent whipping off to leeward.
Brand, brought from the lantern by
the hubbub of shouting, came out, fol
lowed by Constance. He suggested as
a last resource that they should en
deavor to fire a line across the vessel
by means of a rocket.
They agreed to try, for the spectacle
of the captain, standing bareheaded on
all that was left of the bridge, moved
them to a pitch of frenzy not often
seen in an assemblage of Anglo-Saxons,
and especially of sailors.
Brand turned to procure the rocket,
bat a loud cry caused him to delay.
The expected ware had come," the Tea
Bel was smothered In a vortex of foam,
the toll toremtst tottered and fell, and
.when the water rabBlde again all teat
La IT
il l I
By ...
Lctris Tracy,
o Author of
$ -TKe
Wing
of tke
Mortutig"
Copyright. 1904. by
Edward J. Clode
"JT was wondering what had become of
you."
was visible of .the great steamer was
some portion of her hull and the sol
idly built bow, which was not wrench
ed from the keel plate until another
hour had passed.
The agonized cry of a strong man is
a woeful thing. Constance, by reason
of the gathering at the side of the gal
lery, was unable to see all that was
taking jilace, but the yell which went
up from the onlookers told, her that
something out of the common even on
this night of thrills had occurred.
"What Is it, dad?" she asked as her
father came to her.
"The end of the ship," he said. "The
captain has gone with her."
"Oh, dear, why wasn't he saved?"
"I think he refused to desert his ship.
His heart was broken, I expect Now,
Connie, duty first"
Indeed, she required no telling. As
each of the shipwrecked men entered
the lantern she handed him a glass of
spirits, asked if he were injured . and
told him exactly how many flights of
stairs he had to descend. But cocoa
and biscuits would be brought soon,
she explained. Greatly amazed, but
speechless for the most part, the men
obeyed her directions.
One of the last to claim her attention
was the young American, Mr. Pyne.
Her face lit up pleasurably when she
saw him.
"I .was wondering what had become
of you," she said. "My sister has ask
ed me several times if you had arrived,
and I imagined that I must have miss
ed you by some chance."
Now, all this was Greek to him, or
nearly so. Indeed, had it been Intel
ligible Greek, he might have guessed
Its purport more easily.
Holding the glass in bis hand, he
looked at her in frank, open eyed won
der. To be hailed so gleefully by a
good looking girl whom he had never
to his knowledge set eyes on was
somewhat of a mystery, and the puzzle
was made all the more difficult by the
fact that she had discarded the weath
er proof accouterments needed when
she first ventured forth on the gallery.
"I'm real glad you're pleased. My
name is Charles A. Pyne," he said
slowly.
It was Constance's turn to be bewil
dered. Then the exact situation dawn
ed on her.
"How stupid of me," she cried. "Of
course you don't recognize me again.
My sister and I happen to be alone
with my father on the rock tonight.
We were with him on the balcony
when you acted so bravely. You see,
the light shone clear on your face."
"I'm glad it's shining on yours now,"
he said.
"You must go two floors below this,"
said she severely. "I will bring you
some cocoa and a biscuit as quickly as
possible."
"I am not a bit tired," he comment
ed, still looking at her.
"That is more than I can say," she
answered, "but I am so delighted that
we managed to save so many poor peo
ple." "How many?"
"Seventy-eight But I dare not ask
you how many are lost It would make
me cry, and I have no time for tears.
Will you really help to carry a tray?"
"Just try me."
At the top of the stairs Constance
called to her father:
"Anything you want, dad?"
"Yes. dear. Find out the chief officer
and send him to me. He can eat and
drink here while we talk."
CHAPTER Yin.
P
LEASE be careful. These
stairs are very steep," said
Constance, swinging the lan
tern close to her companion's
feet as they climbed down the topmost
flight
"If I f all," "he assured her, "yon will
be the chief sufferer."
"All. the more reason why you should
not fall. .Walt here a moment I must
have a look at the hospitaL"
The visiting officer's room, which also
aerred the purposes of a library and
recreation roem In normal times, now
held fourteen Injured persona, Includ-
fcag"4vv wnan, ooe of them
Most of thie7" suaerers had" received
their wound3 either in the saloon or by
collision with the cornice of the light
house. The worst accident was a bro
ken arm, the most alarming a case of
cerebral concussion. Other injuries
consisted for the most part of cuts and
bruises. .
Unfortunately, when the ship struck,
the surgeon , had gone aft to 'attend to
tn engineer whose hand was crushed
as the result of some frantic lurch
caused by the hurricane. Hence the
doctor was lost with the first batch of
victims. Enid discovered that among
die few steerage passengers saved was
a man who had gained some' experi
ence in a field hospital during the cam
paign in Cuba. Aided by the plain di
rections supplied with the meiicine
chest of the lighthouse, the ex-hospital
orderly had done wonders already.
"All I want, miss," he explained in
answer to Constance's question, "is
some water and some linen for band
ages. The lint outfit in the chest is not
half sufficient."
She vanished, to return quickly with
a sheet and a pair of scissors. .
"Now," she said to Mr. Pyne, "if you
come with me I will send you back
with a pail of water."
She took him to the. kitchen, where
Enid, aided by a sailor, pressed into
service, was dispensing cocoa and bis
cuits. Pyne, who remained in the
stairway, went off with the water and
Constance's lantern. The interior of
the lighthouse was utterly dark. To
move without a light and with no prior
knowledge of its internal arrangements
was positively dangerous. All told,
there were seven lamps of various
sizes available. Brand had one, four
were distributed throughout the apart
ments tenanted by the survivors of the
wreck, two were retained for transit
purposes, and the men shivering in the
entrance passage had no light at all.
Constance took Enid's lantern in or
der to discover the whereabouts of Mr.
Emmett, the first officer, the tray car
rying sailor offering to guide her to
him.
When Pyne came back he found
Enid in the dark and mistook her for
Constance.
"They want some more," he cried at
the door.
"Some more what?" she demanded.
It was no time for elegant diction.
Her heart jumped each time the sea
sprang at the rock. It seemed to be
so much worse in the dark.
"Water," said he.
"Dear me! I should have thought
everybody would be fully satisfied in
that respect."
He held up the lantern."
"Well, that's curious," he cried. "I
imagined you were the other young
lady. The water is needed in the hos
pital." "Why didn't you say so?" she .snap
ped, being in reality very angry with
herself for her flippancy. She gaye
him a full pail, and he quitted her.
Constance, having delivered her fa
ther's message to Mr. Emmett, was
greeted with a tart question when she
re-entered the kitchen.
"Why on earth didn't you . tell me
that young man was attending to the
Injured people? Is he a doctor?"
"I think not What happened?"
"He came for a second supply of wa
ter and nearly bit my head off."
"Oh. Enid! I am sure he did not
mean anything. Didn't you recognize
him? It was he who climbed the mast
and flung the rope to us."
"There." said Enid, "I've gone and
done it! Honestly, you know, it was
I who was rude. He will think me a
perfect cat."
"That isn't what people are saying,"
explained Mr. Pyne, whose approach
was deadened by the outer noise.
"There's a kind of general Idea floating
round that this locality is an annex of
heaven, with ministering angels in at
tendance." In the half light of the tiny lamps he
could not see Enid's scarlet face. There
was a moment's silence, and this very
self 'possessed youth spoke again.
"The nice things we all have to tell
you will keep," he said. "Would you
mind letting me know in which rooms
you have located the ladies?"
Constance, as major donio, gave the
information asked for:
"They are in the two bedrooms over
head. Poor things! I am at my wits'
end to know how to get their clothing
dried. You see, Mr. Pyne, my sister
and I have no spare clothes here. We
only came to the rock this afternoon
by the merest chance.".
"That is just what was troubling
me." he answered. "I am sort of in
terested in one of them."
"Oh." ;td Constance. "I do wish I
could help: but indeed, my own skirts
are wringing wet."
"From what I can make out, then,
my prospective step-aunt will catch a
very bad cold."
The queer phrase puzzled the girls,
but Constance, rarely for her, jumped
at a conclusion.
"Your prospective step-aunt You
mean, perhaps, your fiancee's aunt?"
she suggested.
"I don't know the lady. No, ma'am.
I was right first time. Mrs. Yansittart
is going to marry my uncle, so I keep
an eye on her stock to that extent"
"How stupid of me!" she explained,
while a delighted giggle from Enid did
not help to mend matters. So Con
stance became very stately.
"I will ask Mrs. Yansittart .to come
out and speak to you" 6he began.
"No, no! I don't wish that You
might tell her I am all right That Is
the limit And may I make a sug
gestion?" "Pray do"
"It will help considerably If the wom
en folk take It in turn to get into the
beds or bunks. Then some of their
linen could be dried at the stove. -1
will take charge of that part of the
business If I may; otherwise some of
them win die."
Tbtglrir agreed that tUtvw cap
ttaltde& Orastasw&tL'.ftBstalEa.
In the first room she"I!rjaiJedf
"Is Mrs. Vansittart here?"
"Yes," said a sweet but rather queru
lous voice.
A lady who had already appropriated
the lower bunk raised herself on an el
bow.. The little apartment like every part
of the building save the rooms reserved
by Brand's directions, was packed al
most to suffocation. This, if harmful
hi one respect was beneficial in an
other. The mere animal warmUl of so
many human beings was grateful aft
er the freezing effect of the gale on
people literally soaked to the skin.
The girl, not unmoved by curiosity,
held the light so that it illumined Mrs.
Vansittart A woman of forty, no mat
ter how good looking and well pre
served she may be, is in sorry plight
under such conditions. Constance saw
a beautiful face, deathly white and
haggard, yet animated and clearly
chiseled. The eyes were large and lus
trous, the mouth firm, the nose and
chin those of a Greek statue. Just
now there were deep lines across the
base of the high forehead. The thin
lips, allied to a transient hawklike
gleam in the prominent eyes, gave a
momentary glimpse of a harsh, per
haps cruel disposition. A charming
smile promptly dispelled this fleeting
impression. Instantly Constance was
aware of having seen Mrs. Vansittart
before. So vivid was the fanciful idea
that she became tongue tied.
"Do you want me?" asked the stran
ger, with a new interest and still smil
ing. Constance found herself wonder
ing If the smile were not cultivated to
hide that faintly caught suggestion of
the bird of prey. But the question re
stored her mental poise.
"Only to say that Mr. Pyne" she
began.
."Charlie is he saved?"
Mrs. Vansittart certainly had the
faculty of betraying intense interest
The girl attributed the nervous start
the quick color which tinged the white
cheeks, to the natural anxiety of a wo
man who stood in such approximate
degree of kin to the young American.
"Oh, yes," said the girl, with ready
sympathy. "Don't you know that all
of you owe your lives to his daring?
He asked me to to say he was all
right, and that he hoped you were not
utterly collapsed."
The addendum was a kindly one.
No doubt Mr. Pyne had meant her to
convey such a message. Mrs. Vansit
tart, it was evident, had received a
shock. Perhaps she was a timorous,
shrinking woman, averse to the sudden
stare of others.
"I know nothing," she murmured.
"It was all so horrible. O God, shall
I ever forget that scene In the saloon?
How the people fought They were
not human. They were tigers, fierce
tigers, with the howls and the baleful
eyes of wild beasts."
This outburst was as unexpected as
her staccato question. Constance bent
over her and placed a gentle hand on
her forehead.
"You must try to forget all that," she
said soothingly. "Indeed, it must have
been very terrible. It was dreadful
enough for us, looking down at things
through a mist of foam. For you
But there! You are one of the few
who escaped. That is everything. God
has been very good to you!"
She was stooping low and holding the
lantern in her left hand.
Suddenly Mrs. Vansittart's eyes
gleamed again with that lambent light
so oddly at variance with her smile.
The slight flush of excitement yielded
to a ghostly pallor. With surprising
energy she caught the girl's arm.
"Who are you?" she whispered. "Tell
me, child, who are you?"
"My father is the lighthouse keeper,"
said Constance. "I am here quite by
chance. I"
"But your name! What is your
name?"
"Constance Brand."
"Brand did you say? And your
father's name?"
"Stephen Brand. Really Mrs. Yan
sittart, you must try to compose your
self. You are overwrought and"
She was about to say "feverish." In
deed, that was a mild word. The
strange glare in Mrs. Vansittart's eyes
amazed her. She shrank away, but
only for an instant With a deep sigh,
the lady sank back on the pillow and
fainted.
Constance was then frightened be
yond question. She feared that the sei
zure might be a serious one under the
circumstances. To her great relief an
other woman, who could not help over
hearing the conversation and witness
ing its sequel, came fb the rescue.
"Don't be alarmed," she said. "Mrs.
Vansittart Is very highly strung. She
fainted in the saloon. She does not
realize that Mr. Pyne not only saved
her, but nearly every woman hare,
when the door was broken open. Now,
don't you worry, my dear. I will look
after her. You have a great deal to do,
I am sure."
Constance realized that the advice
was good. She could not attend to one
and neglect many.
Telling the women of the plan to dry
their underclothing in sections, she ask
ed them to help her by arranging mat
ters so that their garments should be
divided into lots. Then she went to the
second bedroom and made the same
suggestion. The case of the sufferers
In the hospital required more drastic
measures. The little girl she stripped
with her own hands and clothed her in
one of Brand's flannel 6hirts and a
commandeered reefer jacket
Two of Brand's spare suits and a
couple of blankets enabled the two in
jured women, who were able to walk,
to get rid of their wet garments In the
crowded room beneath, and the lockers
of Jackson and Bates made It possible
for the men who most needed attention
to be made comfortable by the invalu
able hospital orderly.
Constance was kept busy flying up
and .down to the. kitchen. whlfe SnM.
bavtng met all immediate 'demanas "in
the matter of a hot beverage and some
thing to- eat supplemented her labors.
Pyne worked like a Trojan. As each
pile of sodden garments was delivered
to him he squeezed out as much water
as possible with his hands and then
applied himself to the task of baking
them dry. He did this, too, in a very
efficient way, speedily converting the
kitchen into a miniature Turkish bath.
At the end of an hour he had succeeded
so well that more than one-half of the
females were supplied with tolerably
dry and warm .underclothing. With
their heavier garments of course noth
ing could be done.
Once, on the stairs, Enid detained
Constance for a moment's chat
' "Mrs. Yansittart is odd," she said."
Constance, so taken up was she with
many errands, had forgotten the lady.
"How thoughtless of me," she cried.
"Is she better?"
"Yes, but when I went in just now
to give her her clothes she said to me,
'Are you the sister of the other of
Constance Brand?' It was no time for
explanations, so I just said 'Yes.' She
gave me such a queor look and then
smiled quite pleasantly, apologizing
for troubling me."
Constance laughed.
"Perhaps she knew dad years ago,"
she said.
"What do you think Mr. Pyne said
about her?" '
"How can I tell? Did you speak of
her to him?".
"I told him she had fainted when you
delivered his message. He said, 'Guess
she can faint as easy as I can fall off
a house.' Isn't he funny?"
"I think he is splendid," said Con
stance. The wreck was now wholly demolish
ed. The first big wave of the retreat
ing tide enveloped the lighthouse and
smote it with thunderous malice;
Screams came from the women's quar
ters. "Go, Enid," said Constance. "Tell
them they have nothing to fear. They
must expect these things to happen for
nearly two hours. Tell them what dad
said. Twenty-five years, you know."
Brave hearts! What infinite penetra
tion inspired the man who first said,
"Noblesse oblige !"N
Constance looked In at the kitchen.
Pyne loomed through a' fog of steam.
"Pay no heed to these" she was in
terrupted by another mighty thump
and cataract roar "these blows of
Thor's hammer," she cried.
"Play me for an anvil," he returned.
She descended to the depths to reas
sure the men. Talking with shrill
cheerfulness at each doorway was
easy. It helped her to go down, down,
feeling stone and iron trembling as
every surge . was hurled many feet
above her head. At last she stood on
the lowest floor. Beneath her feet was
naught but granite and iron bars. Here
was solidity. How grateful to know
of this firm base, rooted in tie very
world. Her heart leaped to her mouth,
but not with fear. She was proud of
the lighthouse, strong in the knowledge
of its majestic strength.
Nevertheless in this place, the source
of her own sense of security, she found
uneasiness among the men. They were
all sailors in this lowest habitable
region. Their preconceived ideas had
been rudely reversed. The ship, .the
noble structure which defied the storm
by yielding to its utmost fury, had for
them no terrors. But the stark pillar
which flinched from no assault be
wildered them. It was impossible to
believe that it could withstand the
strain. Ha! " Listen to that The bat
tering ram of ocean applied to a thin
shaft of stone. Surely It must be
pounded into fragments.
Said one with indefinite bellow amid
the black turmoil: "I can't stand this,
mates."
."Ho. aj.oft. for me!" cried another.
The Kind You Have Always
in use for ovei 30 years,
and
f fT'&tCs&'Zi A Ilr.-esr
All Counterfeits, Imitations and Just-as-good ' are but
Experiments that trifle -with and endanger the health of
Infants and Children Experience against Experiment
hat is C
Castoria is a harmless substitute for Castor Oil, Pare
gorie, Drops and Soothing Syrups. It is Pleasant. It
contains neither Opium, Morphine nor other Narcoti
substance. Its age is its guarantee. It destroys Worms
and allays Feverishness. It cures Diarrhoea and Wind
Colic. It relieves Teething Troubles, cures Constipation
and Flatulency. It assimilates the Food, regulates the
Stomach and Bowels, giving healthy and natural sleep
The Cuildreirs Panacea The Mother's Friend.
GENUINE
the
s7
The Kind You Hp Always Bought
In Use For Over 30 Years.
aVe vput'' ie.. whispered.
"Let's die with bur eyes open, any
how," chimed In a third.
But a light flashed In the rolling orbs
of the man who was already on the
stairs. Astounded, he drew back.
Constance stood in their midst, a mere
girl, radiant, smilingly unconcerned,
addressing them in calm words broken
: only by the fitful noises. . '.
, "Sorry your quarters so very un
' pleasant. Only last a couple of hours.
. Tventy-five years far worse gales.
Want any more cocoa?"
"Thank you kindly, miss, we're quite
comfortable." This from the man who
wished to die with his .eyes open.
"Please, miss, may we smoke?" said
! he who couldn't stand it.
Constance "hesitated. Blithely uncon
scious tfiat a whiff of mutiny had
swept through the storm tossed fold,
, she pondered the problem. She saw no
harm in it.
"Yes," che said. "Smoke by all
! means. I will ask my father, and If It
should be dangerous I will come back
and let you know. In a few hours It
will be daylight and if the sea falls he
will come and open the door."
By sheer inspiration she had uttered
the formula destined to annihilate the
necromantic bluster of the hammering
waves. Open the door! So this pon
derous racket was a mere tidal trick,
a bogy, which "each passing minute
would expose more thoroughly.
"All right miss, an' Gawd bless yer!"
growled one who had not spoken hith
erto. There was a chorus of approval.
Constance gave a little gulp. The cul
tured and delicate lady lying In the
bunk above had not spoken so.
"Indeed," she gasped, "God has
blessed some of us this night"
Then she fled, further utterance fall
ing her.
Nearer the sky Brand tended the
lamp and discussed matters with Chief
Officer Emmett The sailor, with the
terse directness of his class, told how
the Chinook had made an excellent
voyage from New York until she ran
into bad weather about 400 miles west
of the Lizard.
"It seems to me," he said, "as If we
dropped on to the track of that hurri
cane after it had curved away to the
norrard and that the blamed thing
swooped down on us again when we
were abreast of the Bishop light"
Brand nodded. This surmise agreed
with his own theory of the storm as
indicated by the sea.
Mr. Emmett held out a clinched fist
with thumb jerked toward the reef.
"I wouldn't breathe a word if he
wasn't gone," he said, "but the old man
was drivln her too hard. I' knew it
and Hw ch!of knew It" jcpint. tb
Continued on second page 3
for eA!M'vn 'vttt,
"Bought, and which has been
nas borne the signature of
has been made under his per-
rs ft osift tr fflonftivft von in this.
ASTORIA
TOR I A ALWAYS
Signature of