SYNOPSIS. I N f The story opens with the Introduction of John Stephens, ndvunturer. u Massa chusetts man marooned by authorities nt Valparaiso, Chile. Heine Interested In mining operations In Uollvla, ho was de nounced by Chllo as an Insurrectionist find as a consequence was hiding. At his hotel his attention was attracted by an Knnllshmun and a yount; woman. Stephens rescued the youtiR woman from R drunken olllcer. Ho was thanked by her. Admiral of the Peruvian navy con fronted Stephens, told him that war hod been declared between Chile and Peru and offered him the oftlco of captain. Mo desired that that nlpht tho Esmeralda, a Chilean vessel, should bo captured. Stephens accepted the commlrslon. Stephens met a motley crow, to which ho was asstKtied. Ho jcavo them llnal In structions. They boarded tho vessel. They successfully captured the vessel supposed to bo tho Esmeralda, through strategy. Capt. Stephens Rave, directions for the, de parture, of the craft. He entered tho cab in and discovered tho English woman and her maid. Stephens quickly learned the wrong vessel had been captured. It was 1ird Darlington's private yacht, the lord's wife and maid being aboard, , He explained tho situation to her lady ship. Then First Mate Tuttle laid bare the plot, saying that the Sea Queen had been taken In order to go to tho Antarc tic circle. Tuttle explained that on a former voyage ho had learned that tho Donna Isabel was lost In 1753. Ho had found It frozen In a hugo cose of Ice on an Island and contained much gold. Stephens consented to be the captain of tho expedition. Ho told Lady Darlington. She was greatly alarmed, but expressed confidence In him. Tho Sea Queen encountered a vessel In tho fog. Stephens attempted to communicate. This caused a flcrco struggle and ho was overcome. Tuttle finally squaring the sit uation. Then the Sea Queen headed south .gain. Under Tuttle's guidance tho ves sel mnda progress toward Its goal. Do Nova, tho mate, told Stephens that life believed Tuttle, now acting as skipper, Insane because of his queer actions. Stephens was awakened by crashing of glass. Ho saw Tuttlo In tho grip of t spasm of religious mania nnd overenmu him. The sailor upon regaining Ills sense was taken 111. Tuttle committed sulclda by shooting. XJpon vote of tho crew Stephens assumed the leadership and the men decided to contlnuo tho treasure hunt, tho Islands being supposed to be enly 200 miles distant. CHAPTER XVI. Continued, i "Wo can make It easy In threp days, Ma Stephens," broko In Anderson, loudly. "If we only havo decent wcath or, tvo could rip up that" old hooker, copper tho swag and bo north-bound In that time." I nover glanced toward him, my eyes still on tho mate. "But tho women, De Nova?" lie was looking at them, and, fol lowing his eyes, I turned also. Celesto was bending eagerly forward, her dark eyes sparkling with excltemont; her mistress stood erect, grasping tho edge of tho longboat, her face flushed by tho keen wind, her Hps firmly pressed together. "I sink zat maybe zey vote wlz zo crew, monsieur," smiled the creolo, pleasantly. Lady Darlington reached one hand out for the rail, her skirts flapping, her hair blowing freo beneath her hat. "It will bo best for us to go on, Mr. Stephens," sho said, quietly. "Tho men will nover be satisfied otherwise; and I do not blame them. Too much has been risked already to turn back at tho Inst moment because of a llttlo additional peril. Nor am I willing it should bo done merely to spare us a few moro days of discomfort. Wo must take our chances, and, as for my self, I trust absolutely In your sua manship." Thero was a growl of appreciation from below, Anderson's voice shouting up hoarsely: "You're tho right stuff!" but I stood thero in silence, gazing at her in astonishment, feeling deserted by overy one, nnd realizing thnt tho on tire responsibility was now mine. More dourly than any among them I com prohendod the peril fronting us, tho desperato chanco wo were about to take, tho casting of dice with death. Yet what was thero left for mo to do? Absolutely nothing; the choice had been made. "Is it understood I am in com mand?" "Ay, ay, sir!" "Very well, then," I said, "you havo chosen your bed, now you will lie In it. Mr. Do Nova, get tho stokers bo low and start tho lires. We'll push her for It hard. You men stand by for a doublo funeral In an hour; wo havo a dead man foro and aft. Now step live ly, my bullies!" I wntched them as they scattered like so many schoolboys at play, An derson and Do Nova driving thorn to their furious tasks. A hand touched my arm gontly. "I hope you are notj angry, Mr. Ste phens. Did 1 do bo very wrong?" I looked down Into her gray eyes filled with appeal, and felt my fuco 1 brighten. "Frankly, I do not know," I repllod, honestly. "Of course, I could not hope to oppose all tho crow, but wo are taking a terrible chanco. I appreciate your courago, Lady Darlington, and shall do ray best to Justify your con fidence in my seamanship. Dut you must go below, out of this wind. Per mit me to assist you down tho ladder." CHAPTER XVII. In Which We Bury Our Dead. Bluck smoke was already trailing from out our funnel in ever Increasing volume, the steadily revolving screw T-t I 3 CZZDl ? Her Voice Arose, Low Yet Distinct, T rembllng to tho Accent of Reverent Prayer. was driving tho yacht forward with I now power, and tho only hit of can vas showing was tho close-reefed jib, left as an aid to tho wheelsmen. I searched tho after-cabins thorough ly for a copy of tho Scriptures, or any book containing tho burial service. Ono might possibly havo beon discov ered hidden away in tho locked chests, but I did not feel authorized to break these open on such quest, and so re turned to tho deck with nothing to guldo mo in tho servlqcs to bo con ducted, Tho boatswain, assisted by two seamen, had prepared tho bodies for their last long voyage, and while tho crow gathered In a body on tho snow-covofed dock, tho dead, shrouded bonenth whlto sheets, woro silently borno forth from cabin and forecastle and placed reverently upon planks balanced across the rail. I should greatly havo preferred Lady Darlington to remain below dur ing tho ceremonies. There Is much de pression about such burial scones at sea, especially so In our circumstances and surroundings. But sho insisted upon being presont, and so at tho last moment I returned to tho cnbln and escorted both her and Celesto to tho deck. It was a dismal, melancholy scene, and I did not wonder at tho slight shiver with which her ladyship glanced about. The swiftly descending snow, the whitened docks, trampled beneath the feet of tho men, tho bare spars overhead; tho low-flying, dun colored clouds; the gray, tumbling waters; tho low growl of tho Ico as tho waves battered Us front; tho si lent semlctrclo of men standing mo tionless except for their shuffling feet; and those two white-draped figures ly ing extended across the rail all com bined to form a grim sea-plcturo tho memory of which can nover dissolve. Protected somewhat from tho shnrp wind by tho cabin tho men had flung asldo their mufflers, so that their weather-beaten faces, most of them heavily bearded, woro plainly revealed. I could not but bo Impressed with tho motley crowd, as tho lineaments of negro, Kanaka, and every variety of whlto degenerato woro thus exposed. Their uneasy, shuffling feet, nnd tho Impatience depicted on their faces, aroused me to tho requirements of tho moment. I advanced to the rail, stand lug beside the corpse of the mate, "Lads," I Bald, soberly, "when wo bury shipmates at sea thero Is u solemnity about tho simple ceremony unknown to tho land. Far awny from friends and home wo give tho body up to tho great ocean to keep for eterni ty. Yet wo aro sailors, long accus tomed to tho vicissitudes and perils of tho deep; wo have parted with ship mates beforo In many seas, and not a fow among you look forward to tho tlmo when comrades will bo called upon to perform a similar servlco of respect over your bodies, Evou now we sail forward Into great dangor, and none among us can prophesy what the morrow may bring of either Ufo or death. Yet tho sea is the sailor's sepulchor, tho roar of tho great waves his requiem. I am no sea preacher, ablo to address you upon tho hero after, or fitted to euloglzo tho spirits of those whoso hodlos wo aro about to bury. You doslro nothing of tho kind. Neither can I read over theso forms tho usual burial servlco, for I can find no book containing It on board. Is thoro any ono among you, mates, who will volco n prayer beforo wo drop theso hodlos overboard?" I looked along tho seml-clrclo of fnces, oxpcctlng nothing from tho members of tho crow, yet faintly hope ful that somo ono or two might bo led to respond. No ono stirred, however, tho only sound on board tho wind whistling through tho rjgglng and tho heavy breathing of tho men. "Well, then," I added, rogrotfully, "nothing remains but to commit their bodies to tho deep, and may God havo mercy on their souls!" I lifted my hand in signal, but oven as I did so Lady Darlington spoke, the men who woro ubout to tilt tho planks pausing In wonderment. "Wait,- Mr. Stephens; not without ono word of prayer. Let mo speak it, If no one elso will." Sho came forward, throwing back her voil, and grasping my sleeve to retain stondy footing on tho heaving deck. For an Instant thero wus an Impressive sllonce; thon her volco arose, low, yet distinct, trembling to tho accont of roveront prayer. I know not what sho said; merely the Blmplo breathing upward of u petition to tho Almighty Father for pardon and guld anco; yet novor beforo did faith lay such mighty hold upon mo. It was short, only a fow faltering sentences, but tho honesty of It, the. faith so clearly oyldonced In both words and face, Impressed tho roughest thoro, She paused, her head still lowered; I heard somo ono say "Amen" solemnly, and raised my hand in signal. Noise lessly tho ends of tho planks woro up tilted, and tho two sheeted figures slid downward into tho gray water. In stantly thoy disappeared beneath the uufathomabla depths. So silently and expeditiously wus this accomplished that she even failed to note tho action, lifting her eyes wondorllngly to tho bare planks, and with u choking sob burying her. fuco In her hands. With out venturing a word I led her gently to the companion. Five minutes later 1 Btood again upon tho bridge, tho deck beneath throbbing to the pulso of tho rolensod onglne, us tho Soa Queen raced recklessly forward through tho Ice-girded wutcrs In des porato effort to attain her goal. It was not n durk night, for tho stars woro out such cold, doad stars the secmod and u llttlo later I know tho moon would come stealing up ubovo tho waste of wutors, yet thero was a hazo hovering all about us, as though tho entlro surrounding atmosphoro was thick with frost. 1 crouchod down behind the silent protection of tho tarpaulins, sweeping the horizon with my glosses, but discovering nothing to nwnkon alarm. I buw nothing of tho watch, except as I called for them. Thon thoy came, clawing their way out of tho snug holes where they hid from wind and water. However, thero was llttlo enough for nny of us to do; wo could simply hold on, trusting In the strength of tho keel under us, nnd sheering to eastward of tho Ice-pack. It was a wild, mad night, the wind froozlng to tho marrow, und ovory wnvo dashing its Icy spray hurtling against tho front of tho whoolhouso. At eight bells I went below again, ovory musclo of my body aching, and my fnco tingling as though pierced by a thousand needles. I sat down beforo tho red-hot stovo in tho cabin, think ing 1 should nover get tho cold thawed out of mo. Yet Insldo of ten minutes, with head resting on tho chnlr-back, and legs oxtendod to keep my bnlanco, I was Bound asleep. Whether a sudden leap of tho ves sel or somo unusual nolso aroused mo I cannot say. Dazed, confused, 1 sat upright, staring about me, for tho mo ment scarcely realizing whore I was. I could hear tho flcrco pounding of tho Ben without, tho shrieking of wind through tho cordnge, and tho rattlo nnd groaning of tho woodwork as tho struggling vessel dived Into tho hol lows nnd fought her way back to tho crests. A shower of hall lashed tho windows, rattling llkoi shot against tho shutters. As I glancod backward across my shouldor, I heard, nbovo all that hellish uproar, a hollow, unearthly groan, I was upon my foot in an Instant, grasping at tho edge of tho table, striving vainly to place tho sound, For some cause I could not koop my eyes oft Tuttlo'B door, ovory norvo pulsing with agony. Wns It Imagination, Illusion? By all tho gods, I beheld n whlto visionary form glldo noiselessly forth nnd disappear as though dissolved In mist. It was cer tainly there, yet, In another Instant, had vanished, I know not how. I stnred about into tho dim corners, then leaped toward tho door, seeking to open It. It was locked; of course It was, for tho koy was In my own pocket. Many tlmos I havo known fear, but not such fear us this which now snioto mq. Iloro was something Intangible, something I could not rennh and thrbt- tlo, a dim, frightful shade, coming from God alone know whonco. I prossed my hands to my hood, and en deavored to laugh, to woo back my courago. Great heavens, wus I nlso losing my mind? Was I to bo haunted and pursued by evil fancies? Had tho curso of this ship now descended upon mo? , I staggered to my foot, holding on desperately to the tablo, seized tho decanter from off tho swinging shelf and drank deeply. Lord, what grim fancies a man may havo whon tho physical organism Is unstrung! I glanced at my watch, discovering I still had two hours below, und crossed over to my Btaterooni, nerving mysolf to piny tho man, yet glancing about fearfully Into tho dancing shadows. I laughed as I .closed tho door, but shot tho bolt hurd, and lay thoro for an hour listening, overy nervo n-tlnglo, beforo fatlguo finally closed my oyeu. CHAPTER XVIII. In Which We Lay the Ghost. Tho conilm: of night found odr situ ntion less promising a thick veil of clouds obscuring ull glaum of stars, the wind voorlnc moro to tho west. ward und growing blttorly cold. Tho barometer was falling slowly, pres aging tho approach of storm: vet nothing oponly threatened with tho oxcoption of theso thickening cloud masses scudding up from out the southwest, their wildnesH rnflGo.tnd In tho darkonlng soa, and the continuous tnunuor or waves along tho Ice-front blocking our passage. I visited tho cnglno and boiler rooms, ordered half speed and prompt nttcnt on to slcnal took ono laBt Bearchlng glanco about tho dimming horizon, and finally threw myself, without undressing, on my uuiiK lor a brief rest below. As 1 lay thero, thinking of that wild scono witJiout, I discovered sloop lin possible. Was 1 doing right thus to hold on for further southing? My conscience wus not altogether clear for I realized that It would bo luck rather than scamanshln that would tuko us through und bring us safely out ugain. only somo mystery of Providence had thus far given us passage, had hold tho wind to anoth er point of tho compass, boating back tho Invading floes und yielding to us an opon sea. But would such fortune lust a day, two duys, moro? Wo could race northward with tho Ico, but what about that vast field stretching to tho northwest? If by somo shift of wind It woro to closo In, tho helpless Sea Queen would bo crushed llko an eggsholl. And Lady Darlington had saw sue trusted mo Implicitly. Was I showing mysolf worthy by thus push Ing tho yacht deepor Into dangerT (TO UE CONTINUED.) ON HIS LAST RUNlcl(MENT telegraph poles; VETERAN ENGINEER MET WITH FIRST MISHAP. Fate's Ungenerous Action Toward El- bridge E. Reynolds, Veteran of the Throttle Half a Century ( In the Service. ,- Elbrldgo K. Reynolds, n locomotive engineer of Elkhart, liul., fought the battles of life for more than half a century. On his Inst run, nt tho nnd of which wns n pension for tho 70-ycnr-old votor nu, tho Injector went wrong, tho engine flow past n block signal nnd crashed Into n freight train, snys n Chicago dispatch. Discharged, In stead of honor nblo retirement, wns tho com pany's reply, In accord with strict rules. Reynolds hold his head high, sold tho compnny was right, nlwnyB was right, ho had erred, nnd tho pen alty was merited. Thon tho officials who had known tho engineer for decades and had known his record, with not oue black mark against Jt until that Inst mis hap, reviewed their ruling. Techni cally Reynolds had boon rotlrod bo- fore thnt final run and honco ho could not bo dlschnrgod, they said. Tho en gineer wns placed on tho "rotlrod with honor" list nnd his ponslon was given him. And Reynolds? VVcll, ho Bald ngnln tho compnny nlwnyB was right but ho did wish ho could got back on n fast run with a big cnglno humming and hissing beneath his touch. Reynolds wont to work for tho Lako Shore railroad at Elkhart way back In 18C8. On January 30 last, his seven tieth birthday, ho wns tho dean of tho COO engineers who work out from Elk hart. His record was nbsolutoly clear, hla sight, hcnrlng nnd physical condition perfect, as Indicated by so- voro testB. January 29 ho'rocolvcd n letter from his superintendent onthuslnsttcnlly compllmontlng him, but tolling him thnt ho would bo retired on Fcbrunry 1 In compliance with tho now rules of tho compnny providing for tho pen sioning of nil employes over 70 years of nge. On January 31 ho started on his last run in a locomotlvo cub. Somo thing went wrong with tho Injector nnd tho wuter begun running back out of tho boilers under tho pressuro of 200 pounds of stenm to tho squaro inoli. Ho Jumped to rectify It, nnd In tho lnlnuto's nbsenco from his post, flow past a block signal. As ho re turned to his scat a freight train loomed up nhentl. Tho flroman jumped. Reynolds shut off tho steam, threw on tho brnkos, and held tho throttle whllo tho onglne plowed through tho cabooBO, a fow freight cars, and rolled over down tho embankment. On February 1 Roynolds appeared at tho coroner's Inquest, and disregard ing tho dofoctlvo Injector, forgetting tho failure of tho llremnn to koop a look out whllo ho was working on It, bollovlng that it meant no pension nnd n clouded end of n spotless career, took on his own shoulders all blame for tho uccldont. On Fobrunry 2 Reynolds wns dis charged. Instead of bitterness toward tho railroad company, Roynolds expressed only whole hearted admiration and nffectlon for It, respect for Its ofllcors, and bellof In the wisdom and justlco of all Its actions. Ho hud got hla re ward out I of his ltfo in the living of It, had formed his opinions of "tho company" during his 42 years' serv ice, and tho Incidents of Jnuuary 31 and Fobrunry 2, whatovor tholr out como could not shift his position by a halr'B breadth. Ho had only ono regret, this 70 year-old veteran, with a cdmfortnblo pension, with grown son and daughtor, living In ono of tho most pleasant houses In Elkhart, tho muster of a modern automobile, ono of tho lend Ing citizens of tho city. "I suppose you uro going to enjoy a good rest now?" ho was asked. "I'm going to have n rest," ho ro piled. "But I won't enjoy It. I loved my work, nnd if thoro was any plnco In tho United States where I know I could get a Job on n big, fast locomo tlvo, 1 would pull up hero and go for It. "I lovod tho work from tho first day I worked as flremuh on ono of thoso old engines thnt look llko watch charms compared with thoso of to day, I loved tho work overy day and overy night since then. "I was warned nbout thnt last dny uy railroad men. My daughter, Geor gia, says it Ib superstitious, but number of old tlmors havo told me that tholr Inst runs woro tho worst of tholr lives. "But no amount of warning could havo mado mo glvo up that run on January 31. I wus moro anxious to run thnt day, tho day after I was 70 years old, tho last day that tho rules of tho road would lot mo run; I want ed moro to mako a good run that day than any day stneo I rodo in a cab." It's almost moro than most men can do not to claim tho credit for fine weather. Railroads Will Soon Be Using Them,; According to a Weil-Known Con sulting Engineer. . "Tho tlmo Is not far off," said Rich- nrd I Humphrey of Philadelphia president of the Nntlonnl Association; of Cement Users, "whon you will soe no moro wooden telegrnph 'poles nnd fonco posts nlong tho right of way' '. of tho big railroads. "Right now somo of tho great rail road systems nru planning to ttBO.ce--ntont polos on which to string their tplcgrnph wires, nnd the big telegrnph. companion likewise havo discussed tho. advisability of employing cement for! Ihelr wires. Good telegraph poles are' becoming scarce, hut It Is not solely-' becauso of the scarcity that tho rati-; roads aro going to uso ccmont. Rati, road experts recognize thnt a content pole will bo better In ninny ways. An n minor consideration, thoy can bo mnde more sightly,? bu tho chief rea sons nro tho paving of money nnd tho durability of tho cement pole. RnlU rond and telegraph companies suffer much less when windstorms como nlong and sweep down miles of tholr poles. Tho wooden polo rots nnd Is enslly broken. A cement polo would not have to be replaced In 2C years. It will stand nil manner of climatic conditions, growing harder nnd strong ns It gets older. "Especially In tho west, whero tho ' railroads often havo prnlrlo llroB to encounter, will you find In n few years tho fenco post of content In general use. Tho right of way of tho big rail road now Is fenced off with barbell wlro strung on wooden posts. Along comes a fire and many iootn nro dot stroyed. Whon tho cement post Is In; uso Ilro will have no offect nnd tho caving to tho railroad company will bo Immense. "Tics for tho rondbod nroyto bo mado of cement, Thoy will outlast tho wooden tlo many years and will bo stronger and glvo tho rnlls a moro solid foundation. Hundreds of con croto passenger stations nro being built by tho railroads, nnd coraont is to bo used In tho construction of the groat freight depots of tho future Tho loading railroad men know tho value of guarding against future cost, nnd they nro going to ndopt content as tho mntorlal' for tholr bridges," tela graph poles, fonco posts, ties nnd tholr buildings." SAFETY IS OBJECT SOUGHT Avoiding Wrecks Now the Greatest Problem of Railroads A Re cent Device. Tho Erlo railroad has Instituted a 12-mllo experimental section of an olectrlcal automatic railroad Hafoty, slgnnl Bysttun thnt promlseo for tho snfoty of railroad travel, Tho cnglno, nccoroing to Colllor'B Weekly, has a brush nfrangomont that connects with tho third rail. In tho cab aro Instru ments thnt will bring tho train to n stop tho tnomout It enters it block on which there Is another train or a broken rnll or nny othor obstruction, v Tho trntn Is stopped automatically. Thon tho engineer tukes down his telephone and calls up tho nearest; station nnd nskn what Is tho matter. Ho can also talk with tho othor en gineers on tho lino. A tlmo motor; similar to tho paper disk time clock of tho watchman In big buildings, ren ders It Impossible far him to mnkc n fnlsn report as to tho tlmo ho re eolved tho danger slgnnl nnd , what ho did. Another slgnnl In tho engin eer's cnb Is n groon light that burn as long as tho track is clear, but goes, da k as soon ns a danger zone Is en tered. A push button In overy station will stop nny train along tho traclc for miles. As soon ns tho station ngont pushes this button tho train comes to a stop.. Tho englneor calls back to find what It Ib nil nbout. Tim agent explains und gives' orders. ) Aside from Its first nnd primary lin portnnco as a safety devlco, it can bo oporated In connection with local and long-distance telephone sorvlcu. On tho first experiments mndo a fow days ngo tho englneor and n messenger on a fust-moving train In Now Jorsoy telephoned to tho editorial rooms of n Now York city newspaper and could, thoy declaro, havo ub easily talked with Chicago, That this Bort of a system may bo generally adopted and applied to rail road sorvlco seems to bo likely, as Itn Installation and operation will bo less costly to a railroad than tho loss of rolling stock thnt Is being constantly smashed up In tho wrocks thnt havo becomo so frequent they hardly count any mure oven as Important Itema ot news. 1 Train Saved by Woman. By tho courageous and lntolllgont action of a woman, a serious uccl dont wns provented on tho Caledonian lino at West Ferry, Scotland. In tho courso of a florco gale a largo treo on tho railroad embankmant wns uproot ed and thrown across tho track. For tunatoly, tho full of tho tree wns no ticed by a young woman In a cottage In tho neighborhood, nnd sho, reali zing tho danger to passing trains, hur ried to tho nearest signal box, which was about half u mllo distant.) Tho signal man, thanks to tho Information ho received, wus nblo to stop two passenger trains, duo from Glasgow, until a gang ot plato layers was sum moned to clear tho lino. This work was accomplished In about an hour's tlmo, Tho woman, Mrs. Boll, has beon presented with a handsome acknowl edgement by tho railroad company. ; Husbands nro the masters at homt la everything but fact.