Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1899-03-18

movement IN The human heap white
face peeped oak and then the vision
passed
aiisiam hay il her berth, the now
dawn already tightening the sky. Their
feverishly she got MP and went ON deck.
to see nothing but the gray sky and
grayer sea. to hear nothing but the
throbbing Of the engines and the sough
Of the wind aud waves. Breakfast time
came. but she needed il not. For hours
she stood immovahle gazing tx the
northeast over fhe bulwarlxs. What did
that dream of hers mean Was Dick
floating somewhere helplessly, with 9th
er passengerss
1t was noon when the wind. veering.
sent cloud Of smoke over her head
and shower Of black smudges upon
her hands. With them came a passing
sensation Of warmth. This slight inc:-
dent awolSe some vague memory con-
nected with her dream The black col
umn of smoke, changing at its edges to
brown. thinning out until she could see
the gray sky through 1T, starting ever
from her side and yet reaching far into
the distance. caught her eye.
Inspiration followed quickly. The
smoke was the giant Of the night be-
fore, and where it pointed lay Dick and
his companions Sight danced into her
eyes, hope beat strongly in her heart,
She turned. glorified face to the ship.
What could she dor How save them
She saw foot surmounted by blue
cloth moving methodically ON the deck
above, and in a moment flew mp the
stairs leading to the captains bridge.
The captain turned round sharply at
the sound of strange footsteps, and per-
emptorily ordered her down. Clutching
his arm she cried
"Captainl They are ont there, under
the line of smoke A dozen survivors Of
the Medium are drifting helplessly and
nearly dead T.
The captain glanced in the direction
indicated How should this frantic
young woman have seen what his prac-
tised eye could not discern? Then he
guessed that che was the person who,
they said, had lost her lover in the
wreck.
"My dear, he cried, patting her
hand, ego to your berth and lie down.
You are in great trouble.
But the haggard, hopeful eyes stared
brightly at him.
ssFor the love of humanity, captain.
use your glass. You will see them.
| know you will.
To humor her he took careful sur.
| vey of the horizon, upon which the
sun was shining. At first he shook his
head, then he stood for long time ex-
aiming the spot under the thin edge
Of the line of smoke. He rubbed his
| glasses well and looked again. then said
quietly:
Something is there. Sit down in
! that corner and wait.
The course of the steamer was altered
slightly and a boat was lowered once
more to gather in the oceans drift. Tc
his surprise the captain saw that the
distant object was really boat, with
/ out sail or oar How could the girl have
/ known it? Then the group of people
| became visible, all evidently in the las
stage of exhaustion, and he went owe
to Miriam and told her to look through
| his glass and see If her friend wer'
! there
She took it from his hand with 1
wild sob and gazed long and steadily al
the coming boat, then gave the glass
back in the midst of passion Of weep
ing, nodding her head to signify that
she had seen Dick. Then she set herself
to regain self control by the time the
boat came in. When it did, she was
waiting in the hospital for her beloved.
For the next "a hours she shared the
duties of nurse with one of the steward:
esses and saw Dicks eyes open with the
first CLEAN of consciousness in them.
With contented look at her he fell
asleep, and on the ships arrival at Hal.
flax he with all those who had been
saved were well enough to be moved te
more comfortable quarters on shore
The captain made friends with Mir.
lam during those few hours and learn
ed how it was that she knew the boat
was afioat. He could hardly believe it,
and he could not explain it, but was
contented to accept the fact as 1t stood
and to be present at the simple cere-
mony which made Dick and Miriam
man and wife. Buffalo News
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A Man 0f straw