[ A Sailor’s Wife__ j. r.„ tw.) _By Frank H. Shave |
1- —
wun fringed with steel colored, rag
ged clouds. The sun set In a be
wilderment of crimson and gold
and violet, and the afterglow held
a menacing yellowish light. The
barometer continued to fall with
merciless steadiness, and the sum
mit of the column of mercury grew
concave.
Brentwood, against ms_wi'u
judgment. Informed Maisie of the
fattening odds. "Hold on to life ae
tightly an you can, dear girl," lie
said thick throatedly. Maisie ruh
l«d her white lip* with a hand that
had lost its steadiness and, when
the color came, smiled.
"I’ve not felt so well for a week."
she lied bravely. "And if the pain is
bad somethin*. It's not more than
I can bear. Book, I'm laughing
The Wanama dived slowly injji
(he trough of a swell, and the jar
of the racing propeller shook the
woman where she lay. Brentwood
went on deck to make aych ar
rangements a* were In his porter
for the easement of the ship; and
bis wife had recovered from her
faint before he returned. Being an
experienced seaman, one very w’ise
in weather lore, the skipper of the
Wanainn refused to blind himself
to the ■possibilities. The indications
showed that the si earner was in tor
a gruelling. |*m»ibiy a* bad a bout
of weather as she had experienced
since first she left the launching
way with the spilled wine still wet
on her bow. He turned his face
tnwaida a sky from which hop* had
Ifcsti wiped as by a sponge, and
cursed himself in that he had ever
known sufficient folly to bring his
wife into sueh danger as now
threatened her. He blamed himself
for all the happening: but for ,his
selfish desire to share Maisie's com
lianv slie bad been snugly ashore,
within reach of skilled attention
slim fingered surgeons could have
ministered to tier, instead of a /nany
thumbed blunderer who had noth
ing blit deep love and willingness
as an equipment. There was so
little be could do—so little, except
to drive the ship h»adlorg towards
the port of salvation. This he vowed
to do—no mutter what liaiuened
in the result
Meantime, lie racked his brains to
dev is* means for ins wife - ess’
nu-nt The ship's store of drugs
was pitiful!} limited: he used the
pain killer* to the I sat of his ability
:lecasiouallv be opened the instru
ment case ami f rig* red the shining
'ools therein, wondering how any
human being could possess courage
srd skill sufficient to employ tin m
1„ their rightful work, wondering
whether the tine* would ever com*
when h* would be forced to «•*■>'
a task, the mere thought of which
turned li * Mood »« ice
That night, studying hi" wife's
sleeping fai e by the indifferent light
of a Shaded caudle, he tokl himself
that .l-albs eh:.-low rested there,
and he spent the hours '*f darkr.es*
lie-wc.’H the bridge and the engine
room, utt. rm* appeals to all men he
met lo do their damnedest—their
damnedest. because on them rested
,*u i f. of the suffering woman By
• dawn the Wanama was pitching
evilly into it Isiilltig head sea: and
there rut h moaning cadence in the
growing breexe tliat told a certatw
laie of the unleashed force* beyond
the trim blue r'm of the lifting
• .
The rMnnd engineer and tin- ' ui
pcnter between them ilevlunl a < ua
II IIK eot tlwat should so absorb the
shuddering vibrations of the racing
propeller ns to permit IhWt to lie
in somethin* approaching ease; and
the easement of her twin «wuw-.l her
fare to brighten and a tone of hope
„ enure into her voice. Brentwood
■inn.teed incoherent rewards as the
two inventors flushed and looked
ishamed. The chief engineer, dis
pleased With the youth of 'he
fourth, insisted oti keeping that
youngster s engine room wrat.-h hi
IM-rson. so that the throttle Plight
tie properly tended and the terrible
noing- that meant a ceitain loss
.f spsssb—t>e rvsilieed to h minimum
But the w-ether worsened stead
lty: the gale was now growing molt
M nous: its sr resin was »« the
s-rtani <>f laughing furies Hteady
lirorwarlnnr of while comhed waves
italkip&l over the Wnnantas
plunging forecastle head »n«l clean
swept her decks. White watei
swirled through the < hinking wash
ports; bitter spindrift rattled
against the bridge dodgers; the sky
veiled itself hi livhl. ragged edged
inusaes of cloud; from beneath
which the ferocious spualls .-ante
roaring, to lay irresistible hands on
the laboring fabric anil thrust her
ivaek whence she ctuue. presently
it become necessary, lest Irretncdi
able accident should arise to lessen
the impetuous Iveat of the engine
and slow down—tbs- Wantuua was
doing herself n;ore harm than good
l>y thrusimg into this < cashing
stnother.
Brent wood studied the last duv a
run with gloomy eyes. On the
average the ship had made a hare
la knots |«-r hour, and every suc
ceeding hour nieont s further dimi
nution lie turned from his caleu
lations to the barometer—there he
found not even the thinnest thread
of hope. If anything, the weather
would grow worse—they were in for
a gale that might become historical.
With .this knowledge in his soul
he went below and talked cheerfully
to the woman who was growing
dearer to him as hope receded. He
wets at the best a poor liar; but he
kept his face in shadow and averted
as he spoke a wonderful tale of
speed: of improving weather. All
that was really necessary was that
Maisie should keep in good heart
and have faith in her husband and
ids ship. She must not let her spir
its droop; he was convinced that
she had a better color and that her
eyes were brighter. He reBted his
hand on the side of the cot when be
made'T.hia statement; and when he
left the cabin Maisie laid her lips
on the spot where the damp of bis
lingers still remained.
Worn, salt soaked, haggard,
Brentwood discarded his useless oil
skins after an unbroken thirty six
hours on the bridge, what time he
had toiled like a maniac to bring
the Wanama from the gulping
throat of death to the sweeter open
ness of life; and, slipping off his sea
boots, tiptoed into the presence of
his dying wife. Hhe was dying, he
knew, when he saw her face. The
hours of his absence had brought
an affrighting change; though she
was now asleep it was. Indeed, a
sleep that was own brother to
death. He gulped sickly. But there
might still be a chance.^'gbe weath
er was still as l>ad as it had l<een at
it worst: 'but there were hopeful
signs of improvement on the mor
row. Given a spell of smooth water
and light winds he would drive the
Wanama in such a fashion as should
astound seafaring humanity.
He would permit nothing to stand
m the way of a successful issue to
ills agony. Only one thing mat
tered—tliis truth hammered into his
numbing brain with merciless
stroke* that shook him where h«
stood—that Maisie should be given
her chance. He had sj>ent racked
hours on the bridge remembering
tlie gul«Vs*i days of her health: mut
tering incoherent thanks to God for
the happine* that had been hie, and
— yes. Alai me v
In his own fashion he thought to
appease his Creator’s wrath by this
MCiifii-e. He had made vows. reoK
]*■■>«* vows—offering to sacrifice
«-ver> thing if only Maisie might b^*
saved. And he'd do it. too. by Hod!
Ian him have a chance and he'd
show what a man could do with 3
ship—the age of miracle* was not
yet passed. He repeated his vow«.
but brok^ off short in the re]»etitiou
as the bri.lge whistle sounded. M*»i
s.*e stirred uneasily; cursing. Hrent
wo*k1 *nat< b* 1 the whistle from the
tube.
Quiet, you fool!" he hisped.
*'rinn« up. sir. please.” said the
second mate, and there was a fresh
note in hi* voice to tell of some
t::*ext excitement. Krentwood wouH
have questioned further but for the
stirring of his wife; and this was
her first sound sleep for many hour*.
Muttering anathemas on the head
cf the inconsiderate officer be
I tasked into the outer cabin. d*»nn-d
hi« clammy oilskins and seat
•’’ashed hi* sou'wester earflaps un
der bis chin, and left the compara
tive calm nf the deck.
Solid water surged |Wi*t his l*f
.is be Hosel the door behind him;
u sharp edge of wind hurled spr*v
clipped him painfully in the eyas
and teeth. The darkness was buf
fling; until a sharp hiz-xag of light
ning ran down the shrieking sky.
to show him his heariog*. He
• -hiwed at the hand rails of the
bridge and hauled himself up
thung. he th« ught in n detached
way that the second mate w«>uM
gt-t hi* walking ticket at tin' end
• »f the trip. He was a Weak nerved
voting idiot who thotight the weath
er w'a* growing a bit worse and
hadn't the pluck to see It out alone.
That was it—the terrible loneliness
of the itoi m had frightened him
He wap a steam trained sailor: not
one of your old stick and string
kind, shod rather die than admit
to ordinary human weaknesses.
*'Right enough. It Is blowing a
lilt." gulped Brentwood fle found
it necessary to drop on hands and
knees and crawl across the bridge
to the siather writer; to stand up
tight against the yelling ferocity
i>f the wind wru» beyond even his
Iron strength Then he hauled him
self upright behind the dodger, claw
ing at a human arm to aid him
self; he lawlnt Into a remote oar.
What’s wtong? tinting seasick?"
•’There!" Itawled hack the watch
officer There was a suggestion of
•in outflung pointing arm. Beyond
sheared an infinitely thin and un
real wisp of yellowish light that was
< limbing'—climbing, with a myste
rious wilderness of ragged cloud In
its faunnstlate vicinity Then the
elsp dis«pt*eared greater darkness
fell, to be relieved by a falling trail
of vividly colored star*.
Hardly had the last star burst
and died than a trail of ragged
light, almost blinding in its inten
sity, shattered the gloom. The ter
rible lightning appeared to hang
suspended between sea and sky; for
appreciable seconds the horrible
pall of night was parted. A ghostly
sheen ran along the boiling tumble
of wave crests, and the blackness on
either side appeared even more in
tense by contract. It was. Brent
wood thought dully, as if the gates
of the pit Itself bad suddenly opened
to reveal the horrors beyond. He
was raising his dripping hands to
rub his dazzled eyes when the watch
officer tugged at his arm.
Tnere, Mir—mere: ne yenea. ins
ship was plain to behold. stagger
ing there in the hissing, bcltowing
hell broth. A Mailing ship, evident
to the seared .night; for even after
the monstrous brilliancy of the light
ning ixid vanished, the picture* itself
was photographed on the watcher*’
retinas. Their brains had been sen
sitive plates, recording realities for
future guidance. A sailing ship in
sorry case, with main and mizzen
masts gone by the board, helpless
on her beam ends, with huge watery'
avalanches streaminig and thunder
ing over h*-r: she stood for all an
embodiment of all the tragedies the
devouring sea had ever consummat
ed. Forlorn she was, piteously help
less. Cass hardened as he was to
the rigors of de« p water, troubled to
the deep* of his soul by his own
private agonies, Brent word knew a
wave of pity shiver through him;
he gulped.
“Poor devils! My God: Then the
darkness fell like a solid thing: it
was a* though the Wanama plowed
her tortured way through solid in
oigo. There was now rvo single glim
mer in all the ravening gloom, save
for the sudden sparkle of spindrift
as it came flying into the glow of
the swinging masthead light. Until
a pallid blue flicker showed ahead,
died down, gathcr-d strehgtli, blazed
• »ut, illuminating the upleaping
wave top* and adding to their mon
strous memo***.
“Blie light!” said the second
mate. "She* &>»en us. sir. Shall I—
shall I answer?*’ He was answering
the Instinct <*f the sea. that bids
a man .strive to the uttermost to
succor his fellows on whom the
greater trouble has fallen: the Mess
ed spirit which laughs at danger
and difficulty and forgets to doubt
human ability. There are no human
limitations re^gnised by the real
sailor wl»en precious lives are at
stake. #
He commenced to w*arp himself
towards the wbeelhoooe where *h
signal r»vk« ts w»*re at owed, but
Brentwood** hand closed viedike on
his atiffeued arm.
"Waitr* Almost More he under -
stood his **wn a«*tion, lens than half
ranedou* of what be whj* doing, the
•<kip|*er moved to the switch box
and extinguished mast head and
side tights. The lurid danger of
the strugglers out there l»eyond had
not sufficiently impressed it -*lf on
his conscious l»rain to lend the sub
conscious mentality of the root idea
of many days- lb was working
to gain time—he was racing against
denth; every minute counted.
••Mustn't raise false hop*—- - int
|K>snil>tr—can't «k> anything!" he
heard himself shouting against a
covered ear. Speaking, he under
stood that he was justifying hrs
action to himself more than to his
subordinate, if it hadn't l«'en for
Msisie—out there was Maisie!
"Can't you see?" he roared. "Itn
p iseilde! In this seaway—b —t •'*>uld
not live—it couldn't live. Kight
time.” He spat the acr.d salt front
his lips with an oath.
"We could try." There was in
dignant repioach in the junior's
tones, unnaturally raised as they
were. This was entirely against the
law of 11re as he had learned it
through the strenuous days of his
youth. He was not long since out of
sail himself, spite of Brentwood's
belief that he was merely a steam
trained man. He could picture and
understand the agonies that werw
being suffered out in the void of
night. Another blue light biased
out; by its flare intimate details
of the wreck couM be observed.
Jlurlng the existence of the unnat
ural sheen the watchers saw the
single remaining mast crash over
sale and saw high, white water
leap up trinm»d»ant!y to smother the
sheer hulk.
"Wic'a going—too tate? gasped
Brentwood, wondering dully why
the sensation <.d relief in his heart
should lie so pronounced But after
a lapse of momenta the green blue
light showed again; the windjammer
was still alive, still hattling fur
iously against the appalling olds
"Aren't you going to try?" the
second mate asked indignantly.
"We can't do anything—you’re
young—don't understand lnsupei
able difficulty—risking other lives
foolishly—'• Brentwood did not
Know what he was saying, except
that It was necesmry to convince
this skeptic of the entire unreason
of his mad brained suggestions To
stop the Wanama. to spend preclou*
hours in an utterly futile attempt at
a rescue -hat no hum in l»c.- s co M
effect, while his wife was hanging on
to dear life minute by minute—he
must convince the youngster.
He yelled explanations. He even
explained why he had extinguished
the steaming lights and failed to
reply to the distress signals. "No
use arousing false hopes,” he said
again and again. •'The thing's out
of the question-—clean out of the
question- A madman wouldn't try
—he daren't.”
I dare, tne youngster saw ocu
antly. “At least, w« can stop and
answer—stand by till daylight. Lea ?
lng them like this—it’s hellish—
hellish!" In fancy the lad saw him
self dragging the perishing men
from death, ere the closing Jaws
locked tf>gether in their final snap.
The romantic element in him was
alive and mingling with the desire
to succor: personal danger was lost
sight of completely. He wanted to
do something: this harsh indiffer
ence to the re-eds of fellow seamen
stirred hot wrath in his soul.
"We can’t—and there's-my wife.
You've forgotten her.” The young
ster ceased bt* protests suddenly,
understanding glimmering at last
He had forgotten dying Malsie and
her need. But that smoldering re
sentment against circumstance did
not cease to tear him.
“It’s hard, sir—it's hard.”
“All life’s hard, my son. If
there’d been a single chance we
might—” Brentwood decided not to
carry on with that line of argu
ment because he was uneasfly aware
that there was a fighting chance.
He had. in youth, engaged in rescue
work no less difficult than this: he
had taken part and lot in perform
ii.g some of those ocean miracles
of which the placid, earthhound
world knows so little. Nothing was
impossible at sea. when the cool
daring of seamen of the right sort—
such men as manned the Wanama—
was taken into account. Another
blue light flared out and remained
unanswered: as though thowe on the
wreck had given up hope of imme
diate assistance, a rocket soared
afresh into the lowering clouds.
Fearful lest a further lightning flash
should sizzle across the night and
reveal the full plight of the saihng
ship, afraid lest his iron resolution
should waver. Captain Brentwood
issued curt instruction* to hi* Junior
to proceed on his course, and went
below wearily to his cabin.
With the screaming outer clamor
deadened by closed doors, his great
er thought turned immediate iy to
his wife. He had done r.ght.
••Whom. G>*d hath Joined-” It
was laid down in Holy Writ that
nothing must erne between man
and the wife of hi* bosom. Those
sufferers were strangers, user, he
would have passed unnoticed in the
streets, but Maisie—she was Ma;s:e
the most precious possession he had
ever known. Yes: he was quite
right, he decided. as he ridded him
self of the oil skins and sea boots
and tiptoed into the inner cabin.
Very quietly, holding his breath, lie
moved to the side of the cot where
*he lay. She was awake her eyes
fixed themselves on his face. She
reached up a thin hand and touched
his sleeve.
My man' ' sh« whisoercd. aud.
speakinp. her ltps laSstrf with the
pain wakefulness had l.rouphr, Re
.-lurched that matters hand as
thouph he would crush the bones,
his chest heated spasmodically.
‘ What is it dear?" she asked.
He licked his salted lips and
stared hard at a picture on a dist.i!.
l.ulkhead. whilst his heart stops' 1
furiously in his breast.
‘Nothinp.” he said. *‘Ba<l
weather makes a man anxious You.
too—I'd hoped you would sleep esc.
ripht throuph the nipht. Cheer Bp
—we're doir.p a little better now—
hurryinp. *h? Well have you
home and in safe hands before you
know-”
He was thinktnp that he had d tie
ripht. It mattered more that this
one woman should he saved—he
was sure that she would be saved—
than that all those unknown men
out in the nicht's wildness should
he drapped from death's teeth
Windjammer men they were—nt -
who hardly mattered in the pr
s-dieme of -thine* If their It', d
were mred they'd simply pvt
drunk
Arpuroent after arpument pm
sented Itself to his brain. And it
was Impossible that any one should
know of the Wanama's action in
the matter No one rould tell that
it was the Wanama that had passed
shadowlike throuph the nipht. There
need be no entry in the ship's lop
—he would see to it. Lookinp at
t from that point of view, the
thinp arms safe as house*. And the
weather was certainly too atrocious
to permit of an attempt at rescue.
Ry ds.wu that weather mipht ahate
and then he could above the Wane
nut throuph It for all she was
worth: make up lost ttminp—pet
home In time. Re'd done ripht—
any other man in his position
would assuredly have done the
same
"What is it?” The thin hand
• chtened on hi« sleeve ” 1 .o'l at
me. There'* something wrong-"•
"It’* nothing. How’s a woman go
ing to understand? It's nothing *
Under the tan and the sea. grimo
hi* face flushed, embarrassment
showed in hi* manner. Not for
nothing had lie said that Maittie
could read him like an open book,
and the agony of ber body ap
peared to giva her soul a greater
detachment still. "You »ee, with
this hod weather, sweetheart—fear
of being too late—" He sthmmered,
tried to release his cuff from the de
taining finger*, cursing his telltale
face.
■'What's the real truth?”
With cold sweat beads mingling
with the undried brine on bis fore
head, he told the troth, against hi*
better judgement. In the telling—
and be was curtne** itself as he
spoke—he endeavored to make light
of the tragedy. ''There'll be another
ship coming along—we're right in
the Lack. Beside*, that ship isn’t
a* bad as she think* she »*. They’ve
lost their heads.*" His voir* failed
to carry conviction. He repeated
hi* words, with even lees conviction,
because of the accusation in ‘
M iisie * ■ ye*.
"It means losing you," he con
cluded gaspingly.
•’Now. tell me the real truth If
I wasn't here what would you do?"
"Try my damnedest?" be said,
speaking on impulse And there was
a note in his voice that caused
Mamie to smile quietly.
"So you've been been—lying?"
"It i*n't lying. I've you to think
of. You mightn't understand ail
you mean to roe—and its pretty
nearly impossible,”
"It is altogether impossible. Look
at me. Watt." She raised b- -self
on an elbow and drew h*r face
< l(«er to hi* face, her eye* search
ing hi* unsteady eyes After a mo
ment Brentwood- looked away.
"Go and try," aaid Ma>si- sulk
ing back on the pillows "You've
got to try."
"I won t—I can't. I won t do it.
Your life means more to me than
everything el**- Things up on dec-k
are worse ;has I t<-ld you. And
every minute counts for you. Think
I'm going to lo*-' you so long a*
there s a living chance? I won't—"
"You re p,ing to let roe stand ia
the way -«f your duty! Simme on
you' What would men think of
you? I'm only one woman—we've
no children. Go and do your ie-st.”
"You don't know what your*
saving It nught take hours—days.
La}!*: "ere rut r.-r.g against une -
am :i is—every hour tells. We can't
try anything b-fore daylight, and
’hat's '.X b- ur« away. We re poinff
on."
But his voi-e was »*< cra g and
XI ’..sir laughed a little.
"You re going to rescue thosa
men. fctishand mine." she salt, quiet
ly tr.umphant. T>» you think it
would help me to know thtt my
life had been Lught at the prtca
f theirs? CssiM you look people ia
the face afterwar-.L knowing that
' it'd left men to dr"WnT"
"If I hnd you -eife. res." he said
'Thai s ail you lrr..». I knew you
than you knew y-urwlf Go
• ad try.- And. after many wya
ln-i ' s. Brentwood went tnd tried.
Tb- r. krt that shot upntdi
from the M anama * bridge was an
swered by another rwtir: fcvn !fc«
a reek. »esh blue lights flared,
a ear barrel was ignited.
M»rsc | no—; her* 15 Is* wunebody
aboard able to read it—(hat well
stand by and try retsue at f rst its
portunity." sard (he skipper into
the second mate's ear. The nay
'amp dotted and dashed in *' be dir pro
to th- liand on the key. After an
eternity of waitirg there came a
reply that would have been
grotesque under other oirv-um
ftlnwa. I'nfitted with samahnC
gear. romyelM to :taphai» with
a wavering w! lamp and a scrap if
sail ok '.h. the sailing ship said.
■'Pont hurry. but w» re drown
ing.'*
Brent* ond. forgetting hi- own
personal angvt sfc n* w in the clean
seaman's .leatre to save life. de
•ertniited. iwet embarked on tha
venture, to teiiiiarr tbe destroying
sea. look tbe Winama ehwely to
windward of the wreck. that she
might benefit by the shelter of bis
5ee K.41cwed a pernd of sailing
inaction, until that' inactio- leva®*
unbearable. By ism all hauls of
the Wanama were clustered on or
under tlte leslpe drawn out if their
bunks by the adventure that prom
ised.
1ewk> to ax* as i,Ihr oa isn't
quite *s h«sl as it was th- - if *“
male rsmaml after a w title
Actually that »a ora* boii.-f
asacist tom. iraiiss M* to Jeo-rilo
in written worvia drown front a
sUct o*v*ry coatioled hy wen who
have never witnessed the ulti'M!*
wrath of ocean.
• » ,th a drop Of Oil-" satil
Rreotwoed: alt the uBn n.w.
hml you couk. mu •-i*r
"I'm wiliiny to try. ttive me a
lee .s' nr.sh as you car aaU Itoe.
— - ■ >'*'■ an •» '•
■v.