THE SURVIVORS When the _Sirdar_ parted amidships, the floor of the saloon heaved up in the center with a mighty crash of rending woodwork and iron.

Men and women, too stupefied to sob out a prayer, were pitched headlong into chaos.

Iris, torn from the terrified grasp of her maid, fell through a corridor, and would have gone down with the ship had not a sailor, clinging to a companion ladder, caught her as she whirled along the steep slope of the deck.
He did not know what had happened.

With the instinct of self-preservation he seized the nearest support when the vessel struck.
It was the mere impulse of ready helpfulness that caused him to stretch out his left arm and clasp the girl's waist as she fluttered past.

By idle chance they were on the port side, and the ship, after pausing for one awful second, fell over to starboard.
The man was not prepared for this second gyration.