The morning call., 1890-10-07
THE TRAGEDY
ON THE HELEN.
TCoNCLUDFD.l

now she replied, nervOuSly.
His face grew very sad and worn-loOking.
and there was a nervous movement of the
mouth that seemed to tell of anguish, as he
strove 10 conquer some emotion that strug-
gled with him. At last he grew calm,
though when he spoke his voice was hoarse
and strange.
al am sorry to say that l have bad ones,
and more so because they bode no good to
one whom l hold dearest on earth
miss Mays face grew pale, then flushed
holly with color ere she replied.
"'This is truly too bad, Mr.. White, but
perhaps the person you loved so very dear
isnow safe in her cosy home, and does not
even know how the wind is blowing out
here
81 wish she was, Miss May, but know
she is not Even now she is listening to the
lush Of this northeaster, and SO l have not
that consolation
- 90 Indeed. Is she then at sea-
- ''She is. Oh, forgive me, Miss MAY, for
speaking, but l can't help it. You are the
dear one, the dearest one, on earth 10 me,
and ii IS for your safety l fear. Oh, my
darlinsl my darling! would to God you
We're in your home now"
=. Ills words had come rushing out, deep,
strong and fast, as soon as the spell that
held his tongue was broken, and when his
passionate declaration was made he hung
his head as if ashamed of his speech. But
there was no need, for the soul Of Miss May
was true and wOmanly, and 1t knew and
valued a love like that of Rob at its true
worth. When she had found that it was
she who was dearest on earth to him a glad
light had come to her eyes, and happy
e Look stole swiftly over her face When lie
finished that passionate appeal she held out
both her hands to him, but his head was
-tHrned from her ana he did not see them.
He heard the one word she spoke though.
even with the wind roaring and surging
about the ship lie would have heard IL
had.the storm been twice as wild.
"!RObr
Ills look was full Of surprise that be-
b.. cam. iuy an! happiness. as his eyes saw the
love tLat spoke in her glance, and notieel
The. hands ready to welcome his affection,
and with a glad cry he clasped her to his
breast
-. -"' NV darling was all that he could say,
and vet in those words there was a tender
ICES and Joy that would render many SEN
fences eloquent. For a moment tile glad
NESS OF loves triumph made the dark
thoughts that had Tiled his mind dim
memories that had no power; but, as lie
D., r'Iiscd his face. a great column Of moonlight
' broke from d clOud-rent and Lit up the toss
ing sea for miles around Scarcely had his
eyeS glanced at the sea when the gladness
of his face changed to an ashY despair. and
:. r, DE cry, oh, my God! ringing ut like
a:dying wall, he Jumped to the open com
panlunway and closed it; then SelZlng the
wheel, he spun it around like toy. The
..sleXt instant had taken look to windward,
auu'my Heart stood still.
D.: In the broad glare of the moonlight |
saw tile great dark hull of large ship bear
Ing down full on Us. She was Scuddng I'M
der clUse-reeled sails and coming at a rate
=. OF speed that would have carried her clean
over the little Helen. For an instant [ was
. p;TalyZrd, but 1t was only for an instant. !
saw, as Rob had, that if we could fall Off
quick she might Craze us, and cause only
wetting, and | added my strength to his to
heaNe the helm up, and so let her pay off.
1t would be touch and go with U.s. L knew
but little Helen answered her helm beauti-
fully, and IN an instant she fell off before
the Tlud, and the waves fOaming along her
sides Ike Whlte-bearded demons
=. we were not moment too soon, how
ever, for just as we got before the wind the
. bow OF the ship doomed past US, and with a
roar, as II a delugr had broken loose, she
rushed passed us, and huge wave broke
. over the Helen, nearly swapping her.
when it was boiling around me, thought
nat heafd a low SOD OF lear, 1Ollowe1 By
a.'Wlld cry Of despair, and instantly the
: thought Came-MisS May. 1t was too late,
too la,e. When the Helen righted and shook
Herself clear Of the water, Miss May was no
q where TO be seen. The cOmpaniOnway was
thrown open and the captain came running
on deck, just IN time 10 grasp Rob White,
WHO, realizing the full force Of his loss had
sprung 10 the bulwarks with the intention
OF fiinging himself into the ocean.
HE was so exhausted, however, by his
struggle at the wheel that the captain soon
mastered him, and showing him below Sc
cured the companion-way. l had been busy
bringing the Helen close to the wind again,
having taken advantage of the smooth
water lett in the ships wake to do this, and
had just got her to her old position when
the captain came TO my side and asked
what was up.
In as lew words as possible I told him
all-told him how the ship appeared, how
we had Just escaped being run down ana of
the seas boarding US; told him of the sob
and cry that | heard and of Miss Mays dis
appearance. He rushed from me and COM
menced a wild search about the deck, but ii
was all in vain. Miss May was never seen
alive after this The crew, who had been
brought on deck by the noise, soon learned
the sad news, and, as Miss May had always
been favorite with all of US, sadder heart
ed. set Of men could not well have been
fund.
- Finding that Miss Nav was trulv gone
the captain came aft to me, and asked what
was the cause of Rob's strange conduct, and
then told him of the scene that had pre-
ceded the appearance of the ship. He wasa
kind hearted man and had loved Miss Nav
AS though she had been his daughter: and
= Hetad ieIt a sincere regard for Rob seeing
e how brave and worthy he was Tears stood
iii his eyes when | finished telling my story.
and his form shook with the struggle to re-
strain his emotion
. - Poor fellow he said: 7 must 20 down
to comfort him and my wife,
q Then turning to the first mate, who had
come aft, he told him what had occurred. and
as the Helen was lying to again went below.
The next morning the wind shifted and
Came fair and also decreased to a moderate
gale so we were enabled to make sail and
run along finely.
.'Rob came on deck during the morning
and resumed his duties; but though he did
not seem to, | noticed that the captain kept
a sharp watch Oh his movements. Rob was
very still. The sorrow that had come to
BIN seemed to lie heavily upon his soul and
his face was worn and haggard. He looked
bent and old, even though but few hours
had passed since | saw him. Had | not
known that it was him [ should have passed
Tim as a stranger. He did not speak to me
that day. save to give orders, and as could
only revert to the scenes that would recall
hfs sorrow, or the cause of it, did not seek
10 enter into cOnyersa tiOn When night