People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1894-02-16

stand ratified. The ship was struggling,
perhaps for her life.
Then, after a long breathless pause,
the distant bell changed again. Then
returned that freezing silence.
The ship has stopped Hank. they
are signalling some other vessel.
think we lave escaped the danger,
whatever it is. Come, let us &C on.
deck"
He saw that while she was in this.
excited state of mind it would not be
wise to attempt to reason with her. 1t
were better for the tine to ignore her
fears and try to divert her attention to
other matters till she was calmer AS
for this woman-this Madame Po;ard-
Rochelle would probe her acts and
motives till he found the truth. That
she had some motive in her cruelty he
clearly recognized. What that motive
might be he would find out the moment
his family were safe at home in New
York.
LET us go upstairs, Mai, and see
what is going on"
And you do not care, even if it
were true?"
lie stopped over her and gently
raised her, and then, for the first time
since he had known her, he gravely
kissed her forehead. She snatched his
hand and covered it with kisses and
flood of tears.
There, there, my child! you are
better now. Believe me if / tell you
that perhaps know more of this wo-
man than you think. We will not care
for her any more. The moment we
reach New York l will set men at
work on the marine records of every
part of the world, and we will find the
name of that ship if it takes from now
to-to doomsday, whenever that legal
holiday may be-"
Her reply was to draw him down to
her and to kiss him on 1.-The cheek and
to say
IL thank you,-more than | can
ever tell. Let me fix my hair, and I'll
go with you. Pm not afraid of that
woman now,-not il you are near me-"
A friendly sailor, with an eye to a
shilling, sprinkled some sea-water over
young Mr.. Royal Yardstickie, and the
young man struggled back to ca hui
initiating consciousness that he had
tainted with superstitious fear, or from
the prick of guilty heart, or from
both. As soon as he had recovered
sufficiently to walk, he moved away
from the bows, as if to go aft to the
saloon. As he reached the frst-decl
engine he saw the people pouring out
of the saloons and going to the ships
side, as if to see something on the
water. He saw an officer clear the
people away from the railing, while
sailor threw.over a rope ladder. The
officers on the bridge seemed to be ex-
pecting something, and as the crowd
cut off his view he mounted the base OF
the little engine, where he could see
all that passed on the deck and on the
bridge. To his surprise, he found the
ship had stopped, and there was good
deal of suppressed excitement among
the throng of passengers.
Then, to mis- amazement, over the
side of the ship from the rope ladder
came Skipper Johnson of Mr.. Man
ning's yacht. Young Mr.. Yardstickie
prided himself on his nerves. He had
nerves once. They seemed to be quite
gone now, for he trembled so much he
could not stand on the edge'of the en-
CINE, and was forced to step down on
the deck and hide behind crowd of
sailors and ficemen. Presently over
the heads of those before him he saw
the young skipper mount the steps
to the bridge, where both pilot and
captain seemed to welcome him heart
lily.
Mai and the Judge experienced some
difficulty in finding their way to the
deck. They had stopped at Mrs Gear
ing's room, and found her, poor lady,
quite hysterieal, and only Mails calm
confidence that no harm had come to
the ship allayed her ears. She would
not go on deck. IF it is safe" she
said, I'D rather stay here; and if we
are all going to the bottom I'd rather
keep in my room and be drowned in
comfort than bepushed overheard by
some frantic servant" The stairways
were all crowded with people strug.
Cling to get on deck, some white,
scared, and silent, others talking
feverishly with all about them, both
friends and strangers, others laughing
Historically, and all urged by the one
motive ofpersonal safety. BY dint of
a little patience, the Judge found
a place for Mai and himself
behind the stern of a deck
boat directly under the bridge. The
people all about them were talking in
whispers. 1t was evident the officers
had commanded silence.
Just then an officer near the ships
side called to some one on the bridge
Thirty fathoms out, sir, and no bot
tom"
"All right Go round to the other
side and bring that fisherman to the
bridge"
Mai had taken the Judges arm, and
at the word fisherman" she trem bleC
slightly. He looked down upon her
and she smiled with an effort and en-
deavored to steady herself against the
boat Then there was some commotion
on the other side of the shin. but. as