The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-07-25

any Of the party; for he felt nimsen
mainly responsible for the affair. and the
idea of death stepping between him and
Pauline at such juncture was almost
more than he could bear. Pauline, alone,
was apparently perfectly cheerful and
composed. She even felt a pleasant ex-
hilaration in the face of the imminent
danger. Theexertion of bailing had put
her in warm glow from head to foot;
and though she saw that her labor was in
effectual she maintained it with unfalter-
ing resolution. They were now within
passed under the lee of it they would be
comparatively safe. But it was ques-
ton whether the boat would hold out so
long, and Just then an unforeseen catas-
trophe occurred.
As Pauline stopped to fill the bailer,
the little vessel gave q sudden lurch to
leeward, throwing the girl forward on
her knees in the bottom Of the boat.
The Judge reached out quickly to save
her from going overboard; in doing SO,
the tiller was thrust over; the boat came
directly before the wind, the sail jibed,
and the boom, as it swung to starboard,
struck the judge on the head, and
knocked him into the water. At the
same moment wave came over the
stern and deluged the seat room. The
end seemed to be at hand.
But Pauline was not woman to be
vanquished without struggle. AS she
sprang up and seized the tiller, her
mind was perfectly clear as 70 what
should be done. The boat had already
fallen off, and was broadside to the
wind; she put down the helm, and
brought her up in the winds eye, rap
idly hauling in the sheet as she did so,
and giving it turn round the cleat
Then she bent her gaze on the dark COLI
fusion of waters in which the judge had
sunk.
II was ten 10 one that he had been car
ried to leeward and out of reach. But
one circumstance, of which Pauline was
not aware, operated in her favor. There
was strong tide running out against
the wind; and when the Judge rose his
head appeared within foot Of where
Fauline sat. 'She stretched over toward
him, grasped him by the sleeve of the
coat and drew him toward her. Though
l,alf stunned by the blow he had re-
ceived, he managed to get his arm over
tho gunwale, and, a wave coming TO his
assistance, he half scrambled, half was
thrown into the bottom of the boat.
Once there, his remaining strength for
sock him, and he lay unconscious. Pau
line did not attempt to relieve him; she
had her hands full of other matters The
boat was almost in sinking state, and
they were still more than half mile
from port
She watched her chance heedfully TO
come about, for to ship another wave
like the last one might be fatal. The
boat obeyed her helm promptly, and set
off with plunge and a roll towards her
destination. During the pause she had
drifted some distance to leeward, so that
she was now sailing with the wind very
nearly behind her and the boom far out;
and although this involved some danger
of jibing again, it diminished the risk Of
taking in water over the quarter, and
was in 80 far an advantage. Pauline's
utmost strength was required to hold the
tiller, which struggled with her like a
wild creature fighting to get loose; yet
she was compelled to keep one hand upon
the sheet likewise, which might at any
moment need hauling in. The strain
upon her nerves and muscles was terri
BILE, but she cenched her teeth and held
on; in courage and spirit, at least, she
was equal to the occasion. Once In q
while she threw hasty glance into the
body of the boat. Mrs. Nolen had slip
ped down from her seat and had man
aged to draw the judges head and
shoulders on her lap.
''If save them" said Pauline to her.
self, 81 will accept it as a sign"
AS she spoke the boat gave leap and
was suddenly in smooth water. The sail
barely swelled to the breeze The change
was so sudden that it seemed miraculous.
They had passed under the lee OF the
lighthouse, but that appeared inadequate
to account for 30 abrupt and great an
alteration. Indeed, Pauline always be-
lieved and declared afterwards that the
gale had actually ceased, without visible
cause, in moment of time. The boat
slipped sluggishly through the water on
an even keel. There was scarcely air
enough to carry her to her moorings in
the little cove.
"Well, then, will be his wife," said
Pauline to herself, as they touched the
pier; land think love him nowl"
CONTINUED next Week.