Bandit Love

The rail swung loose at the same instant, and Tony, who had been

leaning heavily against it with his arms folded, was precipitated

backwards into the sea!

Screams of horror and consternation broke from all the women, and Myra

sprang to her feet and made a dash towards the side of the yacht.

Whether or not she intended to fling herself into the sea in the hope

of rescuing Tony, she could not afterwards have told. As it was, Don

Carlos seized her, hurled her aside, and flung off his coat.

"Man overboard!" he yelled at the top of his powerful voice, and as he

did so he dived overside.

His cry was heard and repeated instantly by several of the crew. There

was a clang of bells in the engine room as the chief officer on the

bridge shot over the indicator, signalling "Full Speed Astern," at the

same time shouting orders that sent men racing to swing out a boat from

the davits, while others ran with life-buoys to the stern of the

vessel, ready to fling them to the men in the water if the opportunity

presented itself.

The Killarney had been going full speed ahead when Standish went

overboard, and at first Myra, when she began to recover her scattered

wits, could see no trace of either Tony or Don Carlos. Then she

glimpsed a black head, and saw Don Carlos swimming strongly towards a

fair head, which she knew was Tony. A pair of hands shot up and the

fair head disappeared just when Don Carlos had almost reached it, and a

sob of anguish broke from Myra's white lips.

"He's gone down! He's drowning!" she gasped, and as the words passed

her lips Don Carlos also disappeared--to reappear, however, a minute

later, swimming on his back and supporting Tony.

He seemed to be having difficulty in keeping afloat, and it seemed to

all those anxiously watching that he might go under before help could

reach him. Again the engine-room bells clanged, and this time the

signal from the bridge was "Stop"; the boat, fully-manned, was lowered

with a run, and at the same time one of the sailors at the stern of the

yacht slung a lifebuoy overside with such force and accuracy that it

hit the water with a splash within ten yards of Don Carlos, who

propelled himself towards it, and with its aid succeeded in supporting

himself and Tony until the boat reached him and he and Tony were safely

hauled aboard.

Orders were shouted from the bridge, sailors scurried to let down the

accommodation ladder and stood by with ropes, awaiting the return of

the boat, which was being rapidly rowed back to the Killarney.