The morning times., 1895-08-16
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The Voice Thai Called
Continued from, yesterdays Evening Times.

LiOAb totSlhttS 1uito-
My first thought was of the super
natural and for a moment 1 stocd still,
struck with the dumb terror which such
fancy causes, while the form, which had
been near the mast when / first deserted
1t, went steadily on toward the end OF the
boom; then, as tried TO rouse myself 1
felt touch upon my arm and the mate,
who was then on watch, spoke to me, his
face white with horror and his voice shak-
ing.
What do you think it is, sir?' he
asked, falteringly, L saw it come up the
cabin stairs and go out there and it climbed
up on the boom without seeming TO need
hands at all. 1 think Miss Alice must be
dead and that's her ghost, sir
AT the mention OF AIice's name 1 shook
off his hand and made leapfOr the boom
myself for her talk of sIeep-walkfng and
her remark of how nice it would be to
walk along the boom and jump into the
water had suddenly recurred TO me and Ike
flash realized tina she was walking in
her sleep. going out 10 her death in the
sea, which was tossing roughly, with
now and then a wave brea king over her
side
Il knew that my post was on deck; that
should have been called some time since: I
knew that the rising wind and sea needed
my presence and ali my skill; knew that
captains first duty is To his ship: but
there, ahead Of me, steadily near ring the end
| of1he boom, steadily progressing oh therOad
which leads down to the dark valley, was
| this girl and no one but myself to save her
| and could l reach her in time?
| with all the adva ntages OF my ship train
! ing with all my haste, / only gained OF her
| slightly and / was still some feet behind
her when she stopped, poised her arms, with
| her fingers touching above her head, and
stood thus for a moment
Il knew she was preparing for the leap:
| knew could not reach her III time To pre-
| vent her making II; knew that il was an
| exceedingly dangerous thing To wake a
| sleep-walkeT suddenly, but no alternative
! was before me.
| Il tried to call her name aloud, to shout
TO scream even, but the strong agony OF
| the moment had Dc epriyed me OF my voice
and no sound came from my straining
| throat. Perhaps it was just as well, FOR
| if L had succeeded in waking her she
would have inevitably have fallen IN the
terror OF finding herself IN such a position;
I she had not steady head when awake
| But l was desperate, and as she leaped
| far out above the water, after ghastly,
| awful second, in which her form V as clearly
| shown against the dark SKY by a flash
| of lightning so vivid that l saw even her
| long eyelashes laying back against her
| white cheek, and was So impressed with
| the pattern OF the lace on her robe that
| could draw its leaves and flowers now,
| leaped, too,
| u landed, thanks TO the Providence
! which guards such fOolhardy actions, on
| the very end of the boom. and as she Iew
| past me, caught d fold Of her gown. The
| impetus OF her fan upset my balance, and
| we both fell, but in falling l managed TO
grasp the boom, and there we swung, /
| holding on to life with one hand, she cIasped
! in my other arm.
The shock awakened her, and, beside
| herself with terror at her unknown posi-
| tion, she struggled madly and strOve to
| free herself from my EN- brace, while
scream after scream scared the men on
| deck until all thought OF duty was forgot
ten and the ship was practically an
| manned.
sailors are invariably superstitious, and
not few of them really thought that the
white form was a ghost, and that the
| screams were mine, as 1 was carried Off to
| the hell which is supposed to await those
who meddle with the spirits from another
| world
'All this / was dimly conscious OF, To-
gether with a vague fear that in saving
Alice thus l was booming Us all 10 drown,
but these thoughts were but an undercUrrent
| rF+ hot str no n p
maddened girl, whose resisting, cIinging,
ice-cold hands were slowly loosening eny
hold and pulling us both down TO death in
the now tempestuUus sea.
AT last, after perhaps a minute, which
| seemed TO me an eternity. grew desperate,
and, finding that l was still voiceIess and
could not reassure her. drew her closely
to me, squeezed her fran form until SHE
ceased to struggle, then pressing my chin tC
the hollow OF her throat. 1 completed the
work OF silencing her. She grew rigid, heI
arms fell Imply down, one of them striking
my face a gentle blow IN its sudden descent
and the next lightning flash showed me that
she had tainted
With a great sigh of thaukfuluess, min
glcd with curse that l had been forced TO
thus hurt her in order to save her, began 10
| NUGh MY way iONdLu lHt SHiD. GUl OUly
Knows how, with my one free hand, stiff
with fatigue, aud growing useless with the
long strain, until iSt as 1 was giving up in
despair and thinking bitterly that l should
be compelled to let 30 aud drop back into
the scethiug water, felt a rope, seized it,
| andSOmehow by the aid of that Power which
watches over us, and which we all neglect
save in times OF distress, drew myself up
onto the boom, aud chung there hreathIeSs,
exhausted, but saved
but shall never forget the agony of that
| moment when l thought l must let go.
| Thoughts OF my disgraced memory Us man
! who had left his snip to sink while he fol-
| lowed q phantom, mingled with regrets that
! l had hurt Alice instead OF letting her die
| more easily, aud Il wild longing to bid my
| mother goOd-by, made me face death with a
| soul filled with bitterness aud a heart
| strained with grief
'Once my breath had returned, I was
| fully conscious of the disorder on the deck
| and with mighty effort struggled to my
| knees made my way along the boom, bruised
| and beaten by its wild swaying and finally
| faced the demoraliZed crew with shaking
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