The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-08-30

spray to where Ingram cronched at the tiller,
escape. IF you don't get out Of there"
Numbered Clarence, his voice rising high
above the wind, 1.d-n mi i'll don't throw
you overheard,
The ladies screamed; but in the midst OF
her terror Miss Ethel could not stife q feeling
of admiration for q 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 for Mr.. Ingram, he Quilted the tiller sui
lenly, and sat down opposite the ladies with
his feet dangling in eight inches Of water.
Looking ut him presently, Clarence became
convinced that the man was terrified beyond
all human understanding, and there arose in
him q great bitterness of spirit to think that
his brave, Haxen-haired darling over there
had placed her affections on such an object.
To SO fearful q pass did Mr.. Ingram's terrors
bring hin that he presently lay down full
length upon the thwart, his face covered with
his hands and his occasional groan and APP
peals to Heaven for mercy, the only sounds
he could utter.
. For four long hours did Clarence, assisted
by the gallant ~isher-youth, 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
joked him, lay in damp masses on his fore
head, and she fairly ached to risk upsetting
the dancing by leaping mp and smoothing
hand. Clarence uttered no word, save to as
sure the ladies that they should reach the
shore safely if it took all winter to do it.
Mrs. Baxter's face was q study. Shekept her
arms tightly about her beloved daughter
and her glance wandered from time
to time from the stern, miserable face
of the man ut the helm to the now silent, mo-
~tionless form on the seat opposite. Mr.. In
gram had either tainted or fallen asleep.
Had he been able to note the expression of
the older lady's face as she glanced at him he
would hardly have felt fattered.
The shore was still q mile and q half away,
and darkness had fairly settled down upon
the sea, when a 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
Further and further it swung, until
almost dead astem; and once again the little
craft began her career over the waves under
a full pressure of sail.
Ladies'" remarked Clarence, Jelly, eve are
saved"
His tone did not encourage an extended re-
Spouse, 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 a wave, perceived
lights twinkling along the shore.
They're out lookingfo for us, :" he said, with q
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 sayagely and
rejoined, with great emphasis: "Lie down
again and shut up!"-
Mr.. Ingram disregarded the first mandate,
but obeyed the second.
On and OF swept the little craft, riding gal
lantly with her heavy load of water and hui
man beings over the crests of the great seas.
Nearer end nearer they drew to the shore,
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 a dozen men
sprang to clutch the gunwale and drag her
out of reach of the, receding wave. The
first man to greet the voyagers was
Mr.. Benjamin Baxter, who had run down on
a late train and down whose big, kindly face,
tears of joy were chasing themselves. After
he had kissed his wife something more than
q hundred times he turned to look at the
others. Blu there was only one other, Miss
Ethel stood there, drenched and wretched,
both men had slipped through the crowd and
disappeared.
In less than half IN hour, having seen his
wife and daugater safely to bed, Mr.. Baxter
started out into the corridors to look for
Clarence. He had Q to go far, for on pass
ing his room he noticed q light there. He
went in without knocking, walked up to
where Clarence stood, with his elbows on the
mantel and his face leaning upon
his hands, put his arm about
the young mans shoulders and
looked into his eyes. / can'tspeak, boy" he
said, in q choking sort of voice, call that I
can say to you-and say it from the bottom
Of my hearts, that you're q noble fellow.
God bless you'll"
Then he noticed that the room was in q
terrible muddle. Clothes, hats, sticks, pipes
and everything else that goes to make up q
young mans summer wardrobe, were scat
tered about the floor in confusion; while an
open p~ortmanteau lay near by. "What does
this mean, Clarence?" the old gentleman
asked. ..
1T means" replied the young man bitterly,
an hour older. Yes, IN tell you
why" he added fercely, in an
swer to the mute inquiry
of Mr.. Bakers eyes, otis because l love
your daughter Ethel so we'll that life without
her will be d misery to me, while she'-
choking down a sob-"she cares more for a
look from that id poltroon than she does
for my whole soul and body; that's whyl"
MI. Baxter gazed very earnestly at the
young giant, who looked wonderfully hand
II brave and honest standing there in
his wet clothes. Then the old gentleman's
began to twinkle a little, He was al
lys something of a humorist. =
Clarence" he remarked, oracularly,
you're a brave boy; but you,resa fool.
Don't stop me sir" he wentgon b I've
just come from Ethel, MI I've D to Say is
that if J GU leave here this night yonI wish
yog had been drownded asE-gdsservsd to
Wlssn MI. Baxter waa excited, Lindley
Murray frequently suffered. Clarence, how
ever; did not notice IL this tim Having de-
livefed himself Of his parting shot Mr.. Baxter
wrung the yOgn6 man hard and lefthim.
And Clarence Stayed. But the queerest
partOf thewhole affair was that from the III
the boat had touched the shore, Mr..
Ingram vanished from their sight and ken as
utterly as if the sea had drowned" him-as
Mr.. Benjamin Baxter would have put it.