The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-07

Nv SG<A~tA~%SS e$t%Ay
bottom ere was in the water and rapidIy
descending. had made up my mind tt
give Bill as wide berth as possible dur
ing the day, and began my labors, strip
ping of the copper from the wreck vel
aft while he was aMidships.
"We had been down perhaps half an
hour, and was commencing to feel Lit,
tie more at ease, when all at once heard
slight tapping on my copper helmet and
hand was placed upon my shoulder.
had been kneeiing. but quickly rose to my
feet, and turning, saw Bill standing before
me; but his aspect sent chill to my very
heart. He was extending toward me q
| knife, the blade of which he touched with
one finger, and then pointed to my weapon,
which hung in its sheath at my belt.
81 comprehended his meaning. 1t was q
challenge to mortal combat But what a
place for such an encounter! / am ashamed
| to admit. however, that after the brief first
instant of surprise began to feel an in
sane desire to overcome and subdue my
rival, even though it was in a Struggle to
| the death.
$50, dropping the short iron bar with
which l had been previously working,
drew my knife in turn. On seeing this
move Bill reached forth one hand and
grasped mine, which he gave convulsive
pressure, and then waved me back to pre-
! pare for action.
Now began the battle The thrusts, as
| you must know, were somewhat impeded
by the pressure of the water, but still they
were given with sufficient force, if they
had not been skillfully parted, for any one
Of them to have proved fatal. In little
while we found ourselves locked, each with
his left hand grasping the others wrist,
while the knives waved to and fro above
our helmets.
Suddenly I began to lose my air, and
was Mortified to see a small piece of the
rubber hose drop down before nv eyes, and
knew that Bill had severed the pipe-but
still at that moment | remember thinking
that it must have been an accident, as Bill,
even in his anger, would not take such a
mean advantage over his adversary.
'Suffocation quickly followed, but be-
fore entirely losing consciousness l gave
the signal to be drawn to the surface; and
then l knew no more until found myself
lying upon the schoener's deck, with he'll
met off and my head resting On Bills knee,
wiping the blood and foam from my nos
trils. Ee was dressed just as he had been
when going into the water. barring the re-
moval of the glass face piece in his head
gear.
when I opened my eyes and looked
around / saw him wave the rest of the
chaps aside, and then he bent down until
the cold copper of his helmet touched my
cheek, as be whispered: Thank God, Tom,
you're safe. But don't, for the sake of our
friendship, say word of what's happened
to our shipmates. And oh, if you can,
forgive me yourself
Forgive him? Why, bless him, I've
loved him since that moment. And never
from that day to this has the affair been
spoken of to anyone but ourselves"
"How was it that he cut your hose, will
ing to take your life, yet still did so much
to bring you to-" asked the captain, in
credulously.
"Bill was quick tempered, and he was in
an awful rage. He would not have hest
tated to have thrust his knife into my
heart, albeit he would have been sorry for
it the next instant, but cutting the pipe
was an accident-and when he saw the
terrible death with which | was threat
ened his anger disappeared like the mists
of morning before the gentle sea breeze
The boys told me that when / came to
the surface l was in BilPs arms, and it
was his own hands which unlocked the
helmet from the collar and gave me air.
They also told me that he would not stop
to have his weights unbuckled, nor his
head piece removed, but just knet down
beside me, calling all the while for me to
open my eyes, just as though had been
brother"
"How about the young woman who was
the cause of all this trouble? What be-
came of herr" inquired the captain. with
much interest.
80 Nancy? Poor girl" said Tom. "Why,
she didn't care nothing for either of US two
fools. All the time we were thinking that
we might prevail upon her to cruise in our
company she had agreed to sign articles
with a young mate of an East Indiaman.
So when we found that out we both of US
took job which lasted us about two
years down in Key West. But when we
got back we heard that Nancy had been
bride, mother, and was then a widow,
the poor chap whom she married having
been lost at sea On his very next voyage.
'Then Bill and I hunted her up, and
when we found her we adopted her for our
sister. We came out here to Frisco, where
business is better than On the Atlantic
coast, and she came, too, and we've looked
after her ever since"
''Her child. Did it liver" inquired the
captain, interestedly.
well, l reckon it did. Leastwise it
was alive couple Of hours ago when l saw
it going over the rail yonder with a
months pay in its pocket to gladden. a
mothers heart" replied the old diver,
with quiet chuckle.
"Whatl Do you mean that Neddy, your
tender, is Nancy's boy?"
That's just about the size of it, cap'n.
And he's a boy that no woman need be
Of either; and if his mother will
let the lad follow the business into which |
he's started-and that's what Bill has gone
up to the house to find out-Fu wager my
gear and dress that within five years
there won't be diver on the Pacific coast
who will dip deeper or work longer under
water than the same boy"
But Nancy?" asked the captain. will |
she never marry?"
Hush, cap" exclaimed the diver in a |
low voice. Not until either Bill or have |
sounded for the last time and been laid !
away IN our arrnor. Then perhaps she |
might. True FsAT.