The Delta independent., 1888-07-31

spray to where Ingram crouched at the tiller,
almost pnralyzcd by the narrowness of the
| escape. "1f you don't get out of there"
thundered Clarence, his voice rising high
| above the wind, "d-n me If don't throw
| you overboapl." !"
! The ladies screamed; but in the midst OF
her terror Miss Ethelcould not stilc feeling
! OF admiration for man who swore in the
very face of death. Still she knew it was very
wicked, and she put her cheek close to her
mothers and closed her eyes and prayed.
As Tor Mr.. Ingram, he quilted the tiller sui
ieniy and sat down opposite the ladies with
his feet dangling in eight inches of. water
LOOKING at liim presently, Clarence became
convinced that the man was terrified beyond
all human understanding, and there arose in
him great bitterness ofsprit to think that
his brave, flaNen-haircd darling over there
had placed her affections on such an object
| TO so fearful n pass did Mr.. lngram's terrors
bring him that he presently lay down full
| length upon the thwnrt. his face covered with
| his hands and his occasional groan and np-
| peals to Heaven for mercy, the only sounds
he could utter.
| For four long hours did Clarence, assisted
by the gallant fisheryouth who worked with
all his young might. do battle with the an
cry waters. His hat had blown off, and in
| the gathering darkness Ethel could see how
wan and tired and hopeless his face looked.
The curly hair, about which she had so often
!oked him, lay in damp mnsses on his fore.
head, and she fairly ached to risk upsetting
the dancing by leaping mp and smoothing
down the matted locks with her white soft
hand. Clarence uttered no word, save to as
sure the ladies that they should reach the
shore safely ifit took all winter to do it,
| Mrs. Baxter S face was study. She kept her
| arms tightly about her beloved daughter
and her glance wandered from time
| to time from the stern, miserable face
| OF the man Mt the helm TO the now silent, mo-
| tionless form on the seat opposite. Mr.. In
| gram had either tainted or fallen asleep
| ~ u Ia tn hp nra assin nt
| the older ladys face as she glanced at him he
would hardly have felt iattered.
| The shore was still n mile and half away,
and darkness had fairly settled down upon
| the sea, when IA rather strange thing hap
| pened. On his last tack Clarence had
noticed the wind to be veering, and now, to
| his infinite joy, he felt it coming squarely
abeam. Further and further it swung, until
almost dead astem; and once again the little
| craft began her career over the waves under
| u full pressure OF sail.
Ladies'" remarked Clarence, icily, 1--WE arc
| saved"
His tone did not encourage an extended
| sponse, and none was attempted; but the
eyes of both ladies contained moisture for
which the spray was hardly responsible,
| The novelty of again rushing headlong
through the water aroused Mr. Ingram; He
| sat up suddenly rubbed his eyes and sur
veyed the situation. Helooked ahead, and as
| they rose on the crest of wave. perceived
| lights twinkling along the shore.
| They're out lookingforus," " he said. with n
| faint attempt at jauntinesss Forbes, per-,
| haps you'd better let me take the tiller now;
| you must be used up"
Mr.. Forbes looked at him savagcly and
| reoined, with great emphasis: Lie down
| again and shut upi"
| Mr.. Ingram disregarded the first mandate,
| but obeycd the second.
On and on swept the little craft. riding gal.
lantly with her heavy load of water and hu-
man beings over the crcsts of the great seas.
Non "a ftI Yl,aur tlnH. al fl.,S Sh.,ra
where the swarm of twinkling lanterns on
| the beach spoke of the anxiety that prevailed
there. In five minutes more the boat was
dashed upon the beach and dozen men
sprang to clutch the guuwae and drag her
out of reach of the receding wave. The
first man to greet the voyagers vns
Mr.. Benjamin Baxter, who had run down on
late train and down whose big, kindly face.
tears of joy were chasing themselves. After
he had Kissed his wife something more than
n hundred times he turned to look at the
others. But there was only one Other Miss
Ethel stood there, drenched and wrctched,
both men had slipped through the crowd and
disappeared.
In less than half an hour, having seen his,
wife and daugater safely TO bed. Mr.. Baxter
started ont into the corridors to look for
Clarence. He had not to go far, for on pass
ing his room he noticed light there. He
went in without knocking, walked up 10
where Clarence stood. with his elbows on the
mantel and his face lcnning uponi
his hands, put his arm about
looked into his eyes. | enntspeak, boy" he
said, in choking sort of voice, "all that
can say to you-and say it from the bottom
Of my henrt-is that you're IA noble fellow.
God bless youl"
| terrible muddlc. Clothes, hats, sticks, pipes
and every thing els. that goes to make up n,
young mans summer wardrobe, were scat
tered about the floor in confusion; while an
hat
this mean, Clarence the old gentleman
asked.
1T means replied the young man bitterly,
| that I'm going away from here before I'm
why" he added Bercely, in an
swer to the mute inquiry
OF Mr.. Baxter's eyes, ''it's because ! love
your daughter Ethel so well that life without
choking down sob-'she cares more for NJ
| look from that d--d poltroon than she does
for my whole soul and body; ihnt's whyl"
Mr.. Baxter gazed very earnestly at tho
young giant, who looked wonderfully hnnd-
some and brave and honest standing there in,
his wet clothes. Then the old gcntleman's
eyes began to twinkle n little. He was al
ways something of a humorist.
Clarence" he remarked, oracularly
you're brave boy; but you're II fool
Don't stop me sir, he went on, "but I've
just come from Ethel, all I've got to say is
that if on leave here this night yon'll wish
you had been drownded, as yon deserved to
be-"
When Mr.. Baxter was excited, Lndley
Murray frequently suffered. Clarence. how
ever, did not notice 1t this time. Having de-
livered himself of his parting shot Mr.. Baxter
wrung the young mans hard and left him.
And Clarence stayed. But the quecrest
part of tlrewhole affair was that from the in
stant the boat had touched the shore, Mr.
| Ingram vanished from their sight nnd ken
utterly if the had drowned" him--as
Mr. Benjamin Baxter would have put it.