The Press., 1892-02-04

believed that her young ahections were bestowed upon Ensign Tiburcdo Mendex at Monterey, thongh this WIS hot kncwn to a certainty at the Presidio. ss:,S ,.'ss x
 Lieutenant Jnah de Echeandia and Senorita Paehita de Sola walked leisure ly to the little wharf where that won derful vessel, constructed but recently by wandering British sailor, lay pre- pairing for voyage to ,Sausalito, four leagues distant. It was a marvellous boat, with oars and g sails and capable of accommodating no less than six per sons. Don Luis Antonio Arguello him. self had commanded her in person on the dozen passages which she had made to the opposite shore for timber. Pre- vious to the creation of this extraordi- nary ship, which annihiiated distance and obliterated time, timber was hard to get from Corte de Madera. Soldiers were sent around by way of San Jose, armed with axes. who crossed the Straits of Carquinez on rafts, and in the circuit of seventy leagues encountered hardshipe and consumed weeks. And the timber was brought over by Chief Marin, an aboigine given to cruising on float of logs and jules, who alone knew the winds and currents of the bay. It was but matter of day now to sail over for, the timber and return withsit.
 Corporal Pedro Sanchez had made alf the voyages with the commentaries and rated now as a superior navigator, his marine fame being dear to him.. Don Luis had swollen, him with pride by placing him in command for this one trip. His enlargement became peTilous when Lieutenant Echeandia suddenly proposed to Senorita Pachita that they make the voyage, and she, being young and thoughtless, consented. .s, s r.
 Brave Corporal Sanchez sailed Nhe Mejico superbly as far as Angel island, descanting seloquentIy on the art and mystery of seamahship. Issuing to, his crew of three soldiers sundry orders in a commanding voice of thunder, he pre- pared to pass the point. ,.g .r.s
 Alas, an eastern wind came whistiing through the treacherous Raccoon strait, and in spite of all Corporal Pedro's sea- manshin the, 'Mejico was caught and whirled round and round and borne with the racing tide toward the Golden Gate. ,:s...s
 Senorita Pachita de Sola screamed, but there was no help sent down from heaven, even on the appeal of those pretty ips, grown quite white, or of that pale face, with its big black eyes wild with terror.
 Lieutenant Juan de Echeandia swore -swore at Corporal Pedro Sanchez; but profanity, though frequently an adjunct to navigation, is not of use in importing knowledge thereof.
 So out to sea they drifted, far out, al- most to the Farallones. 2s,
 For eight days and nights they were as chip on the waves, the Raccoon guests having snapped the mast and carried away the sail. Corporal Pedro, famous as mariner, had forgotten to bring oars.
 Senorita de Sola gave herself up to Mary, mother of God; as did, the cor poral and the three men in the bow, who passed the hours in shuddering prayer.
 But Lieutenant Juan had a soldiers soul. ;.
 On the second day he drew his sword, and at its point. the men yielded such food and water as the boat contained. These he bestowed where his body was between them and recapture. U
 The corporal Pedro, though fool and unfortunate, was loyal. With him the lieutenant kept watch and watch, and through all those awful eight days and nights (by my pen, 1t is true that the boat was gone that long, as you may read in Hittell's History of Californian } the Senorita de Sela wanted -eor neither
 sud nor drink, and the delicacy of EieuS tenant Juan would have brought tears of gratefulness to any woman'ss eyes. He did wonders-as tradition has hand, ed down-with cloaks and coats and stray frope to cabin the lady.
 On | yhth y-sincere prayer is ever answered-a blessed wind sprang up from the west and, tide assisting, blew the Mejico back through the Gold on Gate. The cruising chief Marin. on his tule float, was sent by Providence to tow her to the Presidio wharf, where the commandant and the Cheering gar rison awaited the return of the lost to hfe-the ones saved by an nnduestiona- ble miracle. The padres bore the lesson home in many 8 sermon.
 As the Senorita de Sola rose in the stern to disembark she tottered from weakness and agitation. Lieutenant Juan stretched out an arm and pre- served her from ducking. She gave a little scream, not at the public embrace, but because in throwing up her small brown hands she had broken slender gold chain that hung about her neck broken it, and over into the deep water it went, together with tocket that had rested on her virgin bosom.
 "My dears, said Commandante Don Luis Antonio Arguello, when they had refreshed themselves at his quarters and related their adventures-.'my dears, I think that under all the circumstances 1d