Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-03-24
81 cOuld try and swim fo tha manor

larm, Sald the boy. "It is not more
than half u mile off at furthest, and
there are plenty of floating boughs and
fences in the water to rest me if I tire
out. Margery, l must 60, or we shall
all drown together; and you know" he
added. with sob, II promised father
that would take care of you"
"But to leave us here alone! Oh,
Rupert, should dier'
But Rupert's mind was made up.
"It must be done at once" he said,
cor it will be too late. Margery, try
and be little brave, and keep tight
hold of Nance if the waves reach you
before can como back. Please God,
| will save you yet" Then throwing
OIL his shoes and jacket. he said once
more: Remember to keep tight hold
of Nance" and plunged into the seeth.
ing waters, in which no man could hope
to live.
Margery's shrek died into silence,
and. clutching her little sister, she
watched the slight figure tossed on the
cruel pillows as the boy swan bravely
on. How long could his young strength
avail against their mighty power?
In a minute he was swept out of
sight, and, with IN awful feeling of
loneliness, she crouched on tho roof,
holding Nance in her arms. Each mo-
ment passed slowly as an hour, while
the waves crept ever higher and
higher, until they washed against the
childrens feet as they clung closely
together. What had become of Rupert?
What would become OF them? Nance $
sobs were hushed from sheer exhaus-
ton, and she only moaned and shiv-
cred slightly when the crawling water
gained on them inch by inch. Some of
her brothers courage had entered
Margery's breast in this extremity of
peril, and mingling with her broken
players for aid were words of comfort
to her little sister.
But every minute it became palmer
to her that they could not keep their
hold much longer. Chilled to the heart,
their stillened arms were gradually re-
laxing. The morning was beginning to
break. and its dull, gray light showed
her nothing but the angry waves on
every side. Familiar landmarks were
all gone, and the child's lonely heart
grew despairing in the midst of so much
desolation. All hope was dying fast,
when far in the distance came a dark
speck, moving steadily over the solid
waters, and growing larger and clearer
every moment. 1t was boat rowed by
strong arms that shot forward to help
them.
"Nance! Nance" she sobbed, "thev
are coming! they are coming! Rupert
IN off oil 10 hnc
us, as he said he would"
Another minute. and the two cramped,
wearied little figures were lifted down
from their perilous resting place. and
laid gently in the boat, Nance hardly
conscious. but Margery trembling with
the question she scarcely dared to ask
"Where is Rupert?" she cried. "He
sent you, 1 know; but where is he
nowp"
The men, two laborers from the
manor farm, looked at each other with
troubled eyes, but made no answer.
Margery's pitiful glance wandered from
one down-cast face to the other, as she
strove to understand what this silence
meant.
"lIe must have sent you to u.s." she
said, slowly. and as if talking to her.
self; "else how would you have thought
to Gomez"
cay, that he did," answered one of
the rowers. "He sent us truly. but he
spoke no words to tell his tale. If we
had not been parcel of frightened
fools. we would have remembered you
before"
He stopped, and Margery looked at
him with dazed and startled eyes. AS
gently as he could he told her how, two
hours before, the drowned body of q
little fair-haired boy had been swept By
the torrent past the windows of the
manor farm. Every effort had been
made to bring back some spark of life.
but it was too late. Struggling alone
through the night in the great waters.
the child's slight strength had long
since given out, and the waves tossed
their light burden hither and thither in
cruel sport. He had striven with all
his might, for his sisters sake, and he
had rescued them; for when the little
dead body was recognized, all remem-
bered the helpless family in the cottage
cut of from any assistance, and boat
was sent out instantly for those who
might still be alive. Here they were.
just in time. and Margery and her little
sister were that day restored safe and
well to their mothers arms.
And long years after. when children
of her own gathered around her knee.
Margery would tell them on each ALL
hallow-eve the story of that dreadful
night, and of their brave little uncle
Rupert. who with boyish courage had
rsked and lost his life to save the Sis
ters committed to his care. Harper 8
Houpn EehnIo