Part 24 (1/2)

CHAPTER XX

INTO THE INFINITE

The ned It was, however, the co day had culminated in a fierce tropical downpour--a cloud-burst--when the very heavens had see forward at half speed, had come almost to a stop; struck by the ered beneath the impact Now she lay motionless, while every shroud and line dripped; the darkness had becoht from cabin hich lay on the wet deck like shafts of silver relieved that Ci it had received--a faint undertone, however, that beca onwith a hatch or iron compartment door inadvertently left open, or one of the ventilatorsThe captain, as he hastened down a corily beneath his breath about water in the stoke room The decks, in the vicinity of the cabins, seeure that had looh one of the trails of light Gliding stealthily toward the stern, this person drew near the rail, and, peering cautiously over, looked down on one of the s party at dawn

”Mademoiselle,” he breathed low

”Is that you, Francois?” ca ”Is all in readiness?”

”Quite! Make haste”

The person above, about to swing himself over the rail, paused; a cabin door, near by, had been thrown open and a streaht shot near him

Some one came out; moreover, she--for the some one was a wo to draw hi quickly forward spoke She thought him, no doubt, one of the sailors He did not answer, perhaps was too frightened to do so, and his silence caused her to draw nearer

More sharply she started to address him in her own native Russian but the words abruptly ceased; a sudden exclamation fell from her lips He, as if made desperate by what the woman, now at the rail, saw or divined, seeth The success or failure of the enterprise hung on how he ency Heroic, if needs be, brutal einov was strong and resisted like a tigress Perhaps she thought he ed to call out once Fortunately for the youth, the ha below continued, but whether she had made herself heard or not was uncertain

Confronted by a dire possibility, he exerted hi voice In frenzied haste he seized the heavy scarf she had thrown around her shoulders upon leaving the cabin and wound it about her face and head The sinuous body seerow limp in his arms His was not a pleasant task but a necessary one This woirl to the prince in the first place; would now atteht come on deck and discover them

”Quick! Why don't you come?” Betty Dalrymple's anxious voice ascended from the darkness

The youth kneell that no time must be lost, but what to do? He could not leave the wo unconsciousness And anyway they would soon find her and learn the truth That would ht he heard a footstep descending froth for one of Francois' slender build, he swung the figure of the woman over the side, dropped her into the boat and followed himself A breathlessfootsteps came on; then paused, and turned the other way The youth waited no longer The little boat at the side was lowered softly; it touched the water and floated away from the _Nevski_ like a leaf Then the darkness sed it

”How far are we from the yacht now, Francois?”

”Only a few h away at daybreak so they can't see us?”

”Have no fear, Mademoiselle” The voice of Francois in the stern, thrilled ”There's a fair sailing wind”

”Isn't it strange”--Betty Dalryarded the motionless form in the bottom of the boat--”that she, of all persons, and I, should be thus thrust together, in such a tiny craft, on such an enormous sea?”

”I really couldn't help it, Made her with us There was no alternative”

”Oh, I'irl's eyes again fell ”She is unconscious a long time, Francois”

The youth's reply was lost amid the sound of the waters Only the sea talked noildly, ht

The boat took the waves laboriously and ca

She seemed ludicrously minute amid that vast unrest The youth steered steadily; to Betty Dalry toward a black blanket with nothing beyond It was all very wonderful and awe-inspiring as well as somewhat fearsome The waves had a cruel sound if one listened to the ti but audible expression:

”Do you think there's any doubt about our being able to make one of the islands, Francois?”

”None whatever!” cahtest doubt in the world, Made one of them at daybreak”