his voice, hurried and low, was drowned to any 
other ear than his in the din of the storm. 

" Let me go first at least, sir ! She would never 
forgive me if I stood by to see you perish." 

Strathmore started, and Nello could not tell whether 
the wordnetfear which passed over his face was one of  
or was but the wordnetfear of the flickering flash. He put 
him aside with a brief command : 

" I forbid you to peril your life !  and while you 
talk the wreck is ." 

Then, shaking himself free from the other men, 
he plunged without pause into the dark, seething 
breakers :  the wild, broken cry of a young voice 
rang out upon the night, as the waves closed over 
him, but in the crash of the tempest, and the tension 
of high-strung , none heard, or none re- 
garded it. 

In the glare from the rent skies, those clinging to 
the wreck saw him fling himself down into the boiling 
chasm of the seas to save them, and gave him one 
ringing cheer that pierced above the thunder and 
drowned the dying, stifled shriek of those who were 
washed at that instant into the darkness yawning 



62 STKATHMOEE. 

round. He knew that death was nigh ; he knew that 
the keenest skill,