Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-03-03

working, drew my knife in turn. On
seeing this move, Bill reached forth
one hand and grasped mine, which he
gave q convulsive pressure, and then
waved me back to prepare for action.
"Now began the battle. Tho
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
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 l began to lose my air,
and was Mortified to see a small piece
of the rubber hose drop down before
my eyes, and knew that Bill had
severed the pipe-but still at that mo-
ment l remember thinking it must
have been an accident, as Bill, even in
anger, would not take such mean
advantage oyer his adversary.
"Suffocation quickly followed, but be.
fore entirely losing Igavs
the signal to be drawn to the surface
and then knew no more until ]
found myself lying upon the schooner4
/ deck, with helmet of, and my head
resting on Bills knee, who was wipina
the blood and foam from my lips and
! nostrils. He was dressed just as he had
been when going into the water, barring
the removal ofthe glass 'tace-piece' in
his headgear.
"When 1 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 he whispered:
Thank God, Tom, you're safe. But
don't for the sake of our friendship,
say a word of what's happened to our
shipmates. And oh, if you can, for
give 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,
willing to take your life, yet still did
so much to bring you to?" asked the
captain incredulously.
"Bill was quick-tempered, and he
was in an awful rage. He would not
.. have hesitated to have thrust his
knife into my heart, albeit he would
have been sorry for it the next in
slant, but cutting the pipe was an &C
| cident-and when he saw the terrible
death with which l was threatened, his
anger disappeared like the ,mists of
morning before the gentle sea-breeze.
The boys told me that when | came
to the surface was IN Bills arms,
| and it was his own hands which un-
locked 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 knelt down
beside me calling all the while for me
to open my eyes, just as though I
was his brother"
elbow about the young woman
who was the cause of all this trouble?
What became of her?" 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 pre-
vail upon her to cruise in our COM
pany she had agreed to sign articles
with a young mate OF all East In
dlaman. So when we found that out
we both of us took a Job which lasted
about two years down in Key West.
But when we got back we heard that
Nancy had been a bride, mother,
| and was then 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
came, too; and we've looked after her
ever since''
"Her child. Did it live?" inquired
the captain, interestedly.
"Well. reckon it did. Leastwise, it
was alive a couple of hours ago, when
saw it going over the rail yonder
with a months pay in his pocket to
gladden. a mothers heart" replied
the old driver, with a quiet chuckle.
"What! 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 wo-
man need be ashamed 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-I'll 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'n:" exclaimed the diver
in a low voice. ''Not until Bill or /
have sounded for the last time, and
been laid away in our armor. Then,
perhaps. she might