Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-10-12
CHAPTER ~xI.-REsCUED.

CHAPTER xI.-REsCUED.
Augusta woke up just as the dawn was
stealing across the sodden sky. 1t was tho
smarting of be- shoulders that woke her.
She rose, leaving Dick yet asleep, and, re-
Numbering the turmoil Of the night, hur-
ried TO the other Init. It was enptyl
She turned and looked about her. About
fifteen PAGES from where she was lay the
shell that the two drunkards had used as
a cup. Going forward, she p.S&=S it up.
It stil smelled disgustingly Of spirits.
Evidently the two men had dropped it in
the course Of their midnight walk, or rath-
or roll. Where had they gone tor
Straight in front Of her a rocky prouon-
tory ran out fifty PAGES or more into the
waters of the fiOrd-like bay. She walked
along il aimlessly till presently she per-
ceived one Of the sailors hats lying On the
ground, or, rather, floating in a pool OF
water. Clearly they had gone this way.
On she went to the point of the little
beadland. sheer over the water. There
was nothing to be seen, not a single vestge
Of Bill and Johnnie. Aimlessly enough
she leant forward sGf stared over the
rocky wall, and down into the clear wa
ter. and then started back with q little cry.
No wonder that she started, for there
on the sand, beneath q fathom and . half
OF water, lay the bodies of the two Inflated
men. They were locked in each others
arms, and lay as though they were asleep
upon that ocean bed. How they came TO
their end she never knew. Perhaps they
quarrcled in their drunken anger and fell
over the little cliff; or perhaps they Stun
bled and fell, not knowing whittier they
were going. Who can say, At any rate,
there they were, and there they remained,
TIL the outgoing tide aos.cd them OF TO
JOIN the great army Of their companions
who had gone down with the Kangaroo.
And so Augusta was left alone.
With o heavy heart she returned TO the
hut, pressed down by the weight OF soli-
tule and the sense that in the midst OF so
much death she could % hope to escape.
There was no human creature left alive in
that vast lonely land, except the child and
herself, and 50 far rs She could see their
fate would soon be as the fate Of the 9TH
ers. When she got back 10 the hut, Dick
was awake and was crying for her.
The still, stiff form OF Mr.. Meeson,
stretched out beneath the sail, frightened
the little lad, he did not know why. Au-
gusta took him into her arms and kissed
him p~assionately. She loved the child for
his own sake; and, besides, he, and hs
alone, stooi between her and utter soli-
tude. Then she took him across TO the
other hut, which had been vacated by the
sailors, for it was impossible TO stay in the
one with the body, which was too heavy
for her 10 move. In the center of the sail
ors' hut stood the cask Of rum which had
been the cause OF their destruction. It
was nearly empty now-so light. indeed,
; that she had no difficulty in rolling it to
one side. She cleaned out the place as well
as she could, and, returning 10 where Mr..
Nelson's body lay, fetched the bag of bis
cults and the roasted eggs, after which
they bad their breakfast.
Fortunately there was bat little rain
that morning. So Augusta took Dick out
10 look for eggs, not because they wanted
any more. bat In order TO employ them
selves. Together they climbed up on TO
a rocky headland, where the flag was fly
inc, and looked out across the troubled
ocean. There was nothing In sight so far
as the eve could see-nothing but the
white warehouses across which the black
cormorauts steered their swift, unerring
flight. She looked and looked till her
heart flank within her.
'Will mummy soon III in a boat to
take Dick away asked the child at her
side, aud then she burst into tears.
When she had recovered herself they set
10 collecting eggs, an occupation which,
notwithstanding the screams n threat
ening attacks of the birds, delighted Dick
greatly. Soon they had as many as she
could carry; so they went back to the hut
and Lit n fire OF driftwood, n roasted
some eggs In the hot ashes; she had no pot
10 boil them In. Thus. q way and anr
other the day wore away. and at last the
darkness began 10 fcl over the rugged
/ peaks behind and the wild wilderness Of
sea betore. She put Dick TO bed and he
went of to sleep. Indeed, It was wonder
full 20 see how well the child bore The hard
ships through which they were passing.
He never had an ache or a pain, or even .
cold in his head.
To be continued.