The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-13

THE boilers have BURST the boilersr'
Surprising the water TO be scalding, 1
instinctively placed Millicent Bradley at
full length upon the couch. There was
no time TO save myself; and 1 let out an
unnlanly yell as the wave Tapped me
right up TO the knee. 1t seemed to bite
the flesh from my bones. can stand
pain--I used to play football in England.
But you just put your stockinged feet
into boiling water and try that In a
jiffy 1 perched upon the top of
small table, and clapped my hand to may
injured eXtremities; but, strange to say,
was not scalded at all. The water was
cold. Others found this out simultane-
ously. And yet the steam was rising.
The meaning of ii flashed upon Milli-
cent first of all-or perhaps this phenom-
enon only confirmed fear: God help
u.s. she cried. THE vessel is on fire.
The word flew like lightning. All
rushed pell-mell out of the saloon and up
the stairs to the deck.
Save me, Horace gasped Millicent-
in that moment she called me by that
name-"Save me, Horace, for the love
Of heavenr'
1 caught her TO my breast like child
she was a very full-grown woman, and
must have weighed eleven stone-I kissed
her cheek, her eyes. her lips, and she
never murmured. L strobe with unswerv-
ing steps TO the companionway with that
lovely burden soft and supple in my
arms. 1 sprang up the stairs with a con-
hdence had not possessed in the calm
est Of weather, and presently stood with
her on deck. the wind tearing at us like
legion of devils, and the rushing mass
es Of water dashing over us from head
TO foot. 1t would have been too much
for me exposed to the full force of it,
had not handy sailor coiled a rope
about US and hitched US up securely. He
bound us heart TO heart. and l stood with
her so through the flying hours that
dragged so tediously with most people.
There and then and thus / told my love to
her-and she listened to me. She made
me swear that if the ships company had
TO take to the boats. l would go with
her. If that could not be. she begged
me to let her stay and drown with me.
Oh, what a glorious time that was,
with the storm beating me almost sense
less the ship a furnace beneath my feet
the utter hopelessness of boats living in
such sea, should the fire break through
the battened-down matches and drive US
from the vessel
Never shall 1 forget the dawn of that
day; the clouds glaring spitefully as
they fled away before the sun; the waves
screeching in baffied passion-and my
deck-chair gone!
They had found the fire and ex-
tinguished it; and with the morning light
came the cry of Land aheadr' from
the lookout
then; and beyond lay-paradise! Not the
same paradise that we had contemplate
ed in the dark hours, but still paradise:
such one as l would be contented with
for oil the rest Of my life
y pilot Joined us. We steamed into
Sandy Hook. They steered the battered
hulk Of the ATLANTA into the grand har-
Dor Of New York under as goodly a sun
as ever smiled on lovers.
Millicent Bradley once again stood by
my side and spoke no word. Her dark
eyes surveyed the shore and took stock
of the monster excursion steamers. the
statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn
bridge, but she made no comment. She
had not referred to that sweet night of
terrors since l found her standing on the
promenade deck neatly dressed for go
ing ashore.
We passed the Battevy and drew near
TO the company's landing-stage. Pres
emily we were being hauled into the dock
In five minutes the gangways would be
run up. and we should have to go ashore
And up to this time. although 1 had told
her all about myself, my family, my posi-
ton, and my prospects in life. all unim-
peachable, she had not confided to me
any Of her own affairs, not even her
destination. But now she turned to me
and looked me squarely in the eye. You
were very kind to me last night, Mr.
Franklin she said. in tones that l fam
cied trembled a little
Mister" 1 stammered, aghast at her
coldness.
Il am very grateful-I shall always be-
Don't think badly of me for being so
weak and foolish. I could not bear''-she
hesitated, and shook back a tear that
seemed about to sparkle in her eve as she
corrected herself: Il should not like you
toto despise me-
"Oh, Miss-Millicentr l began.
But she went ON firmly: "Of course
we mus not take seriously anything
which circumstances exceptional-so
very. very dreadful. indeed-we must not
bind ourselves by what such circum-
stances forced upon US. We will say
'Good-by' now; and-and Tiff we never
meet again"
"Millicentr I cried, catching both her
hands, quite needless of onlookers, don't
cOquette with me after what we have
both gone through You can say calmly
TO me, If we never meet again: 1 say
to you. Must we ever. ever part?"
Yes, we must part-Horace." The
words came slowly, and she did not dis
engage her hands.
why? Where are you going?"
ITO Manitoba-to my brothers ranch.
l am going to settle there. If you would
like to call"
Manitoba is some 5000 miles from New
York and the Bradley ranch is eighty
miles from the railway. But / did "call";
and it came to pass that l settled there
too-Chambers's Journal