Part 22 (1/2)
Graha with the movement of the steamer He was bareheaded and the spray lashed his face, but there was soirl in his tranquillity
It was useless to speak The voice would have been drowned by the roar of the gale, while wire-shroud and chain-guy shrilled in wild har the quick, tense movements of the crew
Presently Grahaainst the deckhouse, pointed toward the sea Following his gesture, Evelyn saw a blurred object leap out of the dark It grew suddenly into definite forht: a s before the hurricane
Fluttering rags shohere her maintopsail had blown from the ropes; curved ribands, held fast at head and foot, ures dotted the yards, struggling futilely with clewed-up canvas that bulged out as if inflated hard She had a torn jib and topsails set--strips of sail that looked absurdly small by co her on at trehtly ale, they had had no ti her head to sea She must run hat canvas was left her until the tornado broke, unless she broached to and her heavy deckload rolled her over
So far, Evelyn had not feltin the ht of personal danger She was overwhelht of the helpless shi+p had a daunting effect Belted with leaping foa a snowy furrow through the torlad that she had gone She wondered what could be done in this eather if the _Enchantress_ would not come round But she had confidence in Grahaly raised his hand
Two men scrambled forward and a dark patch rose at the bows It swelled and eled forward to help the others The sail ht stand if they could hoist it before it split
It ran higher up the stay; the _Enchantress_ slowly fell off before the wind, and then leaped ahead with her bows lifted out of the foam
Evelyn drew a deep breath of relief, for the iht run out of the worst of the storm Cliffe nodded when she looked at him, and with some trouble they made their way into the house, where, with the door shut, they could hear themselves speak
Evelyn ith spray, but there was a high color in her face and her eyes shone As she sat down, the house shook beneath a blow, and there was a savage flapping on the roof Then so seemed driven across it, and they could hear only the wind and the sea again
”The awning!” Cliffe said ”They've uess Grahaht her head-on, but he won't haveto Were you scared?”
”No,” Evelyn answered thoughtfully ”I suppose it was so appalling that I couldn't realize the danger I really feel that I'd be sorry if I'd n of comprehension
”Well, this is the first ti It's an illuet it Soht of theth and nerve Anyhoas glad to feel that Grahame knew his business”
Evelyn was silent for a few ed, but the tension on her nerves had not slackenedto be alone Besides, there was a ht the storent to her, he was often marked by a certain reserve, which she had noticed her mother never tried to penetrate
”I wonder why you decided to cross in this little boat, e could have gone by one of the big passenger liners?” she said
”Saved waiting, for one thing,” Cliffe answered in a deprecatory tone
”Then I'll confess that I felt I'd like to do sohed
”It isn't a wish one would suspect you of”
”Well,” Cliffe said with a twinkle, ”I guess it was boyish, but we all have our weaknesses, though I don't often indulge mine I find it doesn't pay I'm a sober business man, but there's a streak of foolishness in me Sometie”
”Then you must have exercised so ht in the office, straighten out a business that had got rather complicated, and expand it if possible It wasn't quite all I wanted to do, but I'd a notion that I could o
It took ht, the pile was harder to make than I reckoned, and your mother had a use for all the h up in the social scale--and she's done it”
”So you stifled your longings and went on e!” Evelyn said with a guilty feeling ”I feel ashamed when I realize it”
”I've been repaid,” Cliffe replied ”Then, after a tiot hold of me The work became a habit; I didn't really want to break away” He paused and resumed with a humorous air: ”It's only at odddifferent I knoould jarold”