Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-09-14

+ cried he ferVentlY, and standing up IN
his dOry he fired his pistol until every
chamber was empty and then pulled
/ away In the direction from which the
sound came. Soon he came in sight
I of the boat Just dimly seen through
the fog. But there were only two
/ persons IA the boatl Where was
I Helen?
''YOu have found her?'' tremuOus-
/ ly questioned Bert as ne drew near.
'.Oh, what have [ done that 1
! deserve this2" cred Mr.. WestcOtt In
/ a voice of agony.
81 thought Could he believe his
eyes! He surely saw the wet, limp
/ straw hat which Helen had worn on
that fatefl1l afternoon 1t told more
than words could tell, and as the
terrible truth was so rudely forced
upon him, he made a resolve to find
Helen or never return. What was
life worth living without his darling.
Mr.. WestCOtt sat in one end Of the
boat as if dazed by the blow that
had so suddenly fallen upon him.
Directing the man at the oars to
row Helen's father home, Bert con-
tinued his course down the bay. The
wind was with him and he made
rapid speed. He determined not to
leave the island uneXplOred, not q
spot in all that bay untraveled, un-
til he should find Helen, dead or
alive.
He was true to his resolve and had
spent the entire night exploring the
coasts OF the first two islands he had
come to, when the fog began to lift,
and streaks Of red and gray tinted
the east A little further to the
south was one Of the smallest islands
in the group. Towards this he
turned, rowing hard, nOtWithstand-
ing he had not taken a moments
rest all night.
But suppose he should find the
missing girl alive. How should he
meet her?
The sun was Just rising as he drag
ged his boat upon the shore of the
little island. CHANGING to the left,
not n hundred feet away he saw a
boat upon the strand which ne rec
OgniZed at once as Mr.. WestcOtt's.
With a thFObbing heart he began
his search. Securing the boats he
made a circuit of the island; but not
a sign Of the lost girl.
There was 81 eEump of small trees
or bushes a short distance from the
boat and toward these he walked
He had gone but little way when
the sight Of Helen, lying on the
ground under one Of theyOung trees,
caused his heart to- give mighty
bound, and he could scarcely refrain
from shouting aloud Stepping rap
idly toward her he found that she was
sleeping.
How tired and worn out she look
ed; and still how beautiful Half I'M
consciously he spoke her name and
she turned and opened her eyes Just
q moment she looked at him, and
then realizing her position she blush
ed and said simply;
''Bertr'
81 have been out looking for you
all night, Miss WestcOtt," said Bert,
in voice that sounded so hOars6
and unnatural that he almost
thought somebody else was speaking,
''and if you are ready we will go
back" What a queer remark con
sidering the circumstances,
Offering his arm, he escorted her to
the boat and started for home, row
ing in silence for. some time, until
Helen spoke.
'"The wind blew my hat off and then
I lost my oar and could not row, and
it was so dark and fOggy that 1
thought I should drift out to sea-
You see I caught cold" she cOntin-
ued, very penitently, ''and-L sup
pose 1 ought not to have gone to
sleep on the ground there, but f be
came very tired.
''YOur father has been very anxious
about you, Miss WestcOtt. When
he found your hat he thought you
were drowned, said Bert without
looking up.
81 am sOrry I caused you all this,
trouble" continued Helen softly,
with tears in her eyes.
''Never mind the trouble" replied
Bert almost roughly. That settled
it and no more conversation was
attempted during the rest of the trip.
1t was fully ten miles to their b ONE
and poor Bert was so eXhaustedthat
! several times he was on the point of
fainting.
About 8 O'Clock they reached East
| Marion. For hours Helen's father
/ and mother were on the verge Of dis
| traction by grief and despair; now
/ the knowledge OF their daughters
/ safetymade them almost wild with
! joy.
1t was early IN the evening when
/ Bert aWOke, feeling something like
his old sefOnce more. Dressing him
/ self, he went down stairs and was
met in the hall by his mother.
''My darling brave boy she said
with tears in her eyes. ''Was ever
mother so proud of her son before?'
And giving him a tender caress she