Nebraska advertiser., 1882-04-27

hour. Her eyes were heavy with tears,
but she was calm and assured.
al thank God, DOCTOR" she said; al
thank God most humbly for preserving
this precious bottle and this letter ofmy
dear Rex-my poor Rex-and | thank
you, too, and your brother officers, whom
he loved, and who were always good to
him, for bringing IL home to me. For
now L know where he Is, and where to
look for him, and now l understand 1t
ALL"
I" If he is living we will find him."
said the doctor. "Be sure that we will
find him"
eve will find him." she echoed.
Yes, we will find him Now, doctor,
consider. You remember how they got
into the boatp''
"Yes-off the wreck The letter tells
us that"
"Dick told us that two months ago,
but we could not altogether understand
it, How long were they in the boat?"
"Why, no one knows"
"Yes, Dick knows, and he has told
us. Consider. They were left, when
this bottle was sent forth, like the raven
out of the Ark, with no food. They sat
in the boat, waiting for death. But they
did not die. They drifted-you saw
that they made no attempt TO row-for
awhile they grew hungry and thirsty;
they passed two or three days with moth
ing to eat. 1t could not have been more,
because they were not so far exhausted
but that, when land appeared in sight,
they still had strength to row."
"Go on" cried the Doctor. "You
are cleverer than all of us
"lt is because love him." she re-
piled, land because have thought day
and night where he can be. You know
the latitude and longitude of the wreck;
you must allow for currents and wind;
you know how many days elapsed be-
tween the wreck and the writing of the
letter. Now let us look at the chart and
work it all out"
She brought the chart to the table,
and pointed with her finger.
"They were wrecked" she said,
"there. Now allow five days for drift
ing. Where would they landP Re-
member he says that the wind was
S. W."
why" said the doctor, ''they may
have landed on one of the most wester-
ly of the Caroline Islands, unless the
current carried them to The Pelews.
There are islands enough in those
seas"
Yes she replied; lit is here that
we shall look for him. Now come with
me TO the Captains room"
She walked in, head erect and paper
in hand, followed by the doctor, and
stood at Captain Richardson's right
her usual place when she visited the
Captains in the evening
" You who are my friends" said Lal,
bearing in one hand chart and in the
other the precious letter, "will rejoice
with me, for l have had letter from
Rex"
when was it Nrote, and where
fromP asked Captain Zachariasen.
1T is nearly three years old. 1t has
been tossing on the sea. driven hither
and thither, and preserved by kind
Heaven to show that Rex is living still,
and where he is"
Captain Wattles whistled gently. 1t
sounded like an involuntary note of in
creduiity.
Lal spread the chart before Captain
Zachariasen.
"You can follow the voyage" she
said, ''while read you his letter. 1t is
on the back of one from me. 1t is
written with lead pencil, very small
because he had great deal to say and
not much space to say it in-my ReXm
Her voice broke down for mo-
ment, but she steadied herself and went
M rp hn hn
:" Anyone who picks this up it be-
gins, will oblige me by sending it to
Miss Rydquist, Seven Houses. Rother-
hithe, because it tells her of the ship
wreck and perhaps the death'-But you
know all of YOU" Lal interposed, "that
he survived and got to land, else how
was Dick able to get back to England?
-'of her sweetheart, the undersigned
Rex Armiger, Captain of the steamer
Philippine, now lying Il wreck on reef
in latitude $50 N. and longitude 1873. 25,
rs near as | could calculate
80 MY DEAREST LAL: ] write this in the
Captains gig, where / am floating about in or
about the above named latitude and longitude,
after the most unfortunate voyage that ever
started with good promise. First, | send you
my last words, dear love, solcninly, because Il
man In boat on the open seas with no provis-
IONS ana no sail, cannot look for anything but
death from starvation, If not by drowning.
God help You, my dear, and bless You, and
mako you forget me soon, and find better
husband than should ever have made. You
will take another man"
" Hear, hear!' said Captain Borlinder
softly.
"Hush!' said Captain Wattles re-
proachfully. Captain Armiger was
good man and a prophet"
80 You will take another man, Lal
repeated. "Neverr' she cried, after
the repetition, looking from one to the
other "Never! Not if he were dead,
instead of being alive, as he is, and
wondering why we do not come to res
cue him"
,.pLo H.. Ill $50, ii O.