Part 3 (1/2)

His door had been flung widely open. Before he could reach the turning of the corridor, the one electric bulb, left glowing for the night, abruptly blackened. But he knew the way to Elaine.

He seemed to be plunging through a torture hall, so hurtling full was the darkness of fearful cries and confusion. The broken hulk of the steamer slightly lurched, as the plates broke yet farther apart.

Sidney was flung against a cabin wall, but he righted and pitched more rapidly down the already canted pa.s.sage.

”Elaine!” he called. ”Elaine!”

”Yes!” she answered. ”Yes! I can't get out!” She was not at all in a panic.

Someone, a man, rushed headlong by and nearly bowled Grenville over.

He was spilling golf clubs from a bag and calling for the steward.

Grenville caught at the k.n.o.b of Elaine's hard-fastened door and threw his weight upon it. A stubborn resistance met his effort. The frame had been distorted by the splitting of plates and ribs. The wedging was complete.

”Stand back!” he called out sharply. ”I must break it in at once!”

He knew they were late already--that swarms of beings, nearer the exits, were wildly pouring from the s.h.i.+p's interior, to be first to the boats, so fatally reduced in numbers.

With all his might he hurled his shoulder against the door, that merely creaked at his impotent a.s.sault. The hall was narrow. He could gain no momentum for his blow. The second and third attack made no impression.

A clammy sweat exuded from his forehead. That the sea was tumbling torrentially into the helpless vessel he knew by countless indications.

Elaine must perish helplessly in her trap, could he not immediately force the barrier. He suddenly got down, full length, upon the floor, braced his shoulders against the opposite cabin, and, with knees slightly raised, placed both his feet against the door. Then he strained with superhuman strength. The door remained immovable, but its paneling slightly cracked.

Meantime the shrieks, the shouts, the roaring of steam, and the terrible chaos of destruction had increased to a horrifying chorus.

The corridor was filling with hot, moist vapor from the burst pipes. A dozen stokers had perished. Fire had attacked a portion of the vessel abaft the mids.h.i.+ps section.

Once more, with a wild, fanatic conjuring of energy, Grenville spent himself upon the door--and a panel snapped out, flinging little splinters on Elaine. In a fury of desperate activity the man on the floor beat out more with his driving feet.

”It's large enough! It's large enough!” cried the girl as the orifice widened. ”Don't wait to break it larger!”

She was now fully dressed, having swiftly prepared for any sort of emergency. A candle, provided from her bag, was glowing in her hand.

This she thrust forth for Grenville to take, and then, with deliberate care, she wormed her way out through the jagged hole with the confident skill of a child.

”Not there!” called Grenville, as she hastened ahead to gain the forward companionway. ”Everybody's there, all fighting for their lives!”

He caught her actively about the waist, as a further lurch and settling of the ”Inca” would have hurled her to the floor. Down through a shorter pa.s.sage and up a strangely tilted stair he drew her rapidly, his heart a.s.sailed by a sickening fear of what their delay might have cost them. Yet less than five minutes had actually pa.s.sed since the first vast shock of disaster.

They emerged to a portion of the slanted deck that seemed to be utterly deserted. A gust of wind blew out the candle. The sky was clear. An uneven fragment of the aging moon shone dully on the broken s.h.i.+p, whence fearful sounds continued to arise.

Only one of the boats had been dropped to the tide--to be instantly whirled _inside_ the parting steamer, on the torrent filling her mighty belly, where the latest lurch had laid her widely open.

Grenville ran to the starboard rail for a glance towards the struggle farther forward. There, about the impotent crew, laboring hotly with people, boats and davits no longer adjusted to normal working order, the wildest confusion existed.

A boat that hung out above the sea was filled with screaming beings.

Some madman arose and slashed with maniacal fury at the rope of the blocks, to hasten the craft's descent. Of a sudden its bow shot perpendicularly downward, its stern still high in the air. Its cargo dropped out like leaden weights, while the empty sh.e.l.l, like a pendulum, swayed to and fro above the smothered cries.

To join such a throng would be but to choose a larger company in which to perish. Grenville saw that the steamer must presently drop from her rock and sound illimitable depths. This could hardly be delayed for more than ten minutes longer.