Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-09

hope IN that. e.. hoat
But there might be no need fol . pon.s
Under the influence Of the gcnue Dnorer
the steamer was steadily drawing neaiss
20 the Sparhawk. Perhaps they might
! touch each other. But this idea was soon
dispelled for could see that the VIM
would carry the steamer past me, al,nousn,
| perhaps. at no great distance. linen my
hopes sprang back to the boat hanging
| from her davis. L.
But before these hopes could take snaps
| the woman and her glass died out OK slghs
| behind the rail of the steamer. In aoou. a
minute she reappeared, stood up erecs,
| and applied q speaking trumpet. TO he ,,
| mouth. 1t was possible that high, snrlii
voice might have been heard from one
| vessel to the other but il was plain enough
| that this was woman who took no useless
chances. i, too, must be prepared 10 hal,
as well as to be hailed. Quickly secured
speaking trumpet from the captain
room and stood up at my post
Across the water came the monosyllaoie
"Hol" and back shouted, " Halo =.
| Then came these words. as clear and dls-
tipct as any ever heard in my life: Are
Won Mr.. Rockwell?"
| This question almost took. away my
senses. Was this reality? OF had spirit
risen from this lonely ocean tosummon me
somewhere? Was this the way people
d1cu! hOcRWcug i',, ny N -
Rockwell. At least, it had been. was
sure of nothing now.
Again came the voice across the sea-
"Why don't you answerr" 1t said.
raised INV trumpet 10 my lips. Al nrst
I could make no sound. but, controlling
my agitation a little, / shouted, Yes!
Instantly the woman disappeared and Tor
ten minutes saw her no more; during
that time did nothing but stand ana look
/ Al .-l.,nh MOVING more
slowly than before. for the reason that the
wind was dying away. She was now, now
ever, nearly opposite me, and so near that
| il the wind should cease entirely CONVEX.
sation might be held without the aid OF
| trumpets. / earnestly hoped this might
be the case, for l had now recovered the
possession Of my senses and greatly ue.
sired TO hear the natural voice OF tha1
young woman on the steamer:
As soon as she reappesred ! made trial
Of the power Of my voice. Laying down
| the trumpet shouted: "Who are youI Z"
| Back came the answer, clear, high, anC
perfectly audible: II am Mary Phillips"
Mary Phillips IL seemed TO me that L
remembered the name. | was certainly
| familiar with the erect attitude, ana ian-
cied that recognized the features OF the
speaker. But this WAS all; L conId not
place her. .,
Before could say anything she hailed
again: Don't you remember me! " she
cried; 81 lived in FOrty-secOnd street"
The middle Of q wild and desolate ocean
and voice from Forty-second street
What manner of conjuncture was thlsf L
clasped my head in my hands and tired TO
think. Suddenly memory came 10 me;
wild. surging, raging memory.
with what person did .you i've IN fCr-
ty-second street," / yelled across the
water.
Miss Bertha Nugent," she replied.
A fire seemed TO blaze within me. stand
ing on tiptoe | fairly screamed: Bertha
Nugent Where Is sheY" -,
The answer came back. Herel" And
when heard it my legs gave way beneath
me and tell to the deck. must have re
manned for some minutes half lying, bali
seated. on the deck. ] was nearly stupihed
by the statement had heard.
| will now say few words concerning
Miss Bertha Eugent She was q lady
whom had known well in New York, and
who for more than year / had loved
well. although | never told her so.
whether or not she suspected my passion
was question about which l had never
been able to satisfy myself. sometimes
had one opinion, sometimes another. be
fore had taken any steps TO assure my
self positively in regard to this point Miss
Nugent went abroad with a party OF
friends. and for eight months had neither
seen nor heard from her.
During that time had not ceased TO be-
rate myself for my inexcusable procrastl-
nation. As she went away without know
ing my feelings towards her, of course
there could be no correspondence. What
ever she might have suspected. or whatever
she might have expected, there was no.
thing between us.
But on my part my love for Bertha had
grown day by day. Hating the city and
even the country where | had seen her
and loved her and where now she was
not. travelled here and there, and du-
ring the winter went TO the West In
dies. There had remained until the wea-
ther had become too warm for longer So
iourn and then had taken passage IN the
Thespia for New York. l knew that Ber
tina would probably return in the spring or
summer and must be in New York when
she arrived. If when / met her found her
free there would be no more delay. My
life thenceforth would be black or white.
And now here she was near me in half
wrecked steamer on the wide Atlantic, with
no companion. as L knew. but her maid,
Mary Phillips.
trO pr cONTTyTTD.l