Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-22

clothes changed their color from light
to dark, from blask to brown. His
great body undulated all the time, and
seemed to be surrounded with dry
suffocating warmth. Then he pointed
q hong arm to the northeast, and SEEM
cd to slip farther away. though he still
stood by her side; the monster length
ened into miles. Miriam followed him
with straining eyes, when fash of
lightning lit up the sky and sea. 1t
played for a moment round a distant
spot. which the giant was touching,
and In that moment she saw a picture
which she never forgot.
In the little circle of light q boat
rocked helplessly upon the waters; un-
der a sail were crouched some dozen
people, trying, by budding together,
to keep the warmth in their bodies.
She knew that Dick was there, and
called his name shrilly; there was
sudden movement in the human heap,
a white face peeped out, and then the
vision passed.
Miriam lay in her berth, the new
dawn already tightening the sky. Then
feverishly she got up and went on
deck, to see nothing but the grey sky
and greyer sea, to hear nothing but
the throbbing Of the engines and the
sough of wind and waves. Breakfast
time came, but she needed it not: for
hours she stood immovable, gazing to
the northeast over the bulwarks. What
did that dream Of hers mean? Was
Dick floating somewhere helplessly,
with other passengers?
1t was noon when the wind, veering,
sent cloud of smoke over her head
and a shower of tlack smudges upon
her hands; with them came a passing
sensation Of warmth. This slight in
cident awoke some vague memory con-
nected with her dream.
The black column of smoke changing
at it's edges to brown, thinning out un-
til 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
oLhohC dp luC 6idhL vi LuC ulBHt DC-
fore, and where 1t pointed lay Dick and
his companions! sight danced into her
eyes. hope beat strongly in her heart.
She turned a glorified face to the ship.
What could she do? How save them?
She saw foot surmounted by blue
cloth moving methodically on the deck
above, and in a moment flew up the
stairs leading to the captains bridge.
The captain turned round sharply at
the sound Of strange footsteps and per-
emptorily ordered her down. Clutch
ing his arm she cried:
Captain! They are out there under
the line Of smoke! A dozen survivors
Of the Meldrum are drifting helplessly
and nearly dead!"
The captain glanced in the direction
indicated. How should this frantic
young wom&n have seen what his prac-
ticed eye could not discern? Then he
guessed that she was the person who,
they said. had lost her lover in the
wreck.
my dear" he cried, patting her
hand, go to your berth and lie down.
You are in great trouble"
But the haggard hopeful eyes stared
brightly at him.
For 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
examining 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 alter
ed slightly, boat lowered once more
to gather in the oceans drift. To his
intense surprise the captain saw that
the distant object was really a boat,
without sail or oar. How could this
girl have known 1t? Then the group
OF people became visible, all evidently
in the last stage Of exhaustion, and he
went over to Miriam and told her to
look through his glass, and see il her
friend were there.
She took it from his hand with a
wild sob, and gazed long and steadily
at the coming boat, then gave the glass
back. in the midst OF a passion of
weeping, 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 1t did
she was waiting in the hospital for
her beloved.
For the next twenty-four hours she
shared the duties Of nurse with one of
the stewardesses, and saw Dicks eyes
open with the first CLEAN of conscious
ness in them. With a contented look
at her he fell asleep, and on the ships
arrival at Halifax he. with all those
who had been saved, were well enough
to be moved to more comfortable quar-
ters on shore.
The captain made friends with Mi
Ram during th0sa fau hours ana