The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-05
W. BAKER G CO., Dorchester, Mass.
pusnea overpoaru on 1ne previous nfgnr

pushed overpoaru on the previous night
He rushed up to the boy and caught
him by the arm, while the astonished
seamen all came thronging aft
what does this mean? Speak,
Speak," he gasped. 81 pushed you
out OF the long boat into the SEQ, and
here -"
What? Oh, Mr.. Barton! What7" IN
terrupted the youth. turning as pale as
death. you don't mean -
Speak out! Speak out, tell your
roared the skipper, trembling in every
limb Il say 1 thought pushed you
overheard You were asleep, as I
thought, there on the lookout. and -"
| IL" stammered the youth. mo,
1t was not l. Ky stster came and said she
seouM taks my place! She insisted, and
putting on my hat and cloak, 30 that
no person might guess it was she, she
sat down in the boat and sent me below
to sleep. You said you pushed her into
the sea, but, of course, you are TESTING.
You DO not mean it."
What have / done?" screamed the
miserable man, almost frantic II see,
nowl 1t was my 0aon aoifs pushed over
boardr'
He leaned against the rail for sup
| port. He wrung his hands and tore his
hair.
But she is not losti No nor he
shrieked, almost beside himself MA
bel, Mabel, como back to mer he
added, in plaintive, despairing voice,
stretching out his hands over the wild
waters.
HE is going mad" said the mate.
But at length tho captain became
calmer, although his face was as
CHASTITY as that of the dead. He wore
ship and retraced his course toward the
| island When within mile of it, he
ordered a boat lowered.
He had it manned and was pulled to
the beach.
A group OF wild islanders stood there.
81 want my wife!" cried the captain.
wife? What mean?' inquired one
of the savages, who could speak little
English.
''She fell overheard last night, but
she was good swimmer, and think
she must have reached the beach," said
the skipper, confidently.
But the native shook his head
''She is herel am sure of itr' in
sisted the captain.
''Madl Mad!" muttered the mate, who
had accompanied him.
All that day the skipper searched
about the island for his wife, but no
sign of her could be found.
The moment he reached the ship,
Barton was taken down with a raging
fever.
For many days he lay in delirium.
When he recovered, he was a mere
wreck of his former self; but his mind
had recovered from the shock it had
received.
He could now talk in a rational
manner about his wife.
''She is lost! Lost! But will soon
Join her." he said, mournfully. II am
not long for this world"
His conscience gave him no rest
His hand it was that had sent her into
the dark watersl True, it was an ac-
cident; but it was his violent temper
that had caused it.
In due time the ship reached Java
The vessel was not long anchored
when the skipper went below and took
from pantry some prussic acid, with
which he intended to put an end to his
wretched life.
He mixed the poison in a cup and
was about raising it to his lips when
light, beautiful form descended the
companion steps. He turned, still hold
ing the cup, to behold a most unex-
pected vision.
For moment he stared wildly, as if
looking at a ghost.
1t was his wife-his own beautiful
wife--he saw before him.
A wild cry escaped him, and the two
rushed into each others arms.
Then from the deck there rose a
cheer that made the vessel shake from
keel to keelson and seemed to split the
very skies
The crew had seen Mrs. Barton
when she came aboard from a shore
boat, and were now expressing the
wild Joy that thrilled them all.
Explanations were soon made bv the
happy wife
The moment she struck the water, on
that night when she fell overheard,
she had walked. and, instinctively throw
ing out her arms. she had clutched the
boat-mast which had fallen with her.
To this mast she chung
Her skill as swimmer assisted her
in keeping her position
She was carried past the island. By
that time the storm had subsidized and
the moon shone. Ahead of her, ap-
preaching, she beheld small
schooner. 1t passed so near her that,
BY shouting, she attracted the atten-
ton of the crew. 4 boat was lowered,
and she was picked up, half senseless
AS soon as she could speak, she told
her story. But she could not make
herself understood by the wild crew,
who were natives of some neigh boring
island and did not understand a word
of English They were evidently trad
ers in cocoanut oil. and were bound 20
some port not far distant At dawn
she looked about her, but, owing,
probably, TO an intervening headlaud,
she could not see her husbands ship.
The schooner kept on, and, in few
DAYS, arrived at Rennells island
There, TO Mrs Barton's JOY, she
found a small steamer bound for Java
She took passage aboard of il, ara
thus arrived at this port forty-eight
hours before her husband
A happy day for the captainl
For Jack Wilton. too, who again and
again embraced his noble sister.
From that hour, Barton was never
known to give way 10 hasty temper