The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-11-02

was something on the surface Of me
water which kept coming between his
eyes and the light. Could II be boat 2
He strained his ears, and fancied hs
could hear the rattle of the oars In the
rowlocks. Yes, yes. It was a boat
coming straight toward him, too. And
at last a struggling moonbeam came
slanting across the sea, and doubt gave
place to certainty, for. although still a
long way off. he could distinguish a
figure In the bost--a figure that caused
his pulses to throb wildly, the figure of
q girl. Would she, could she, do it in
time? He was standing now on the
very tips of his toes and even then an
occa sional wave. higher than the rest,
would wash into his nostrils. and give
him a foretaste of what was to come.
Nearer and nearer came the boat. and
higher rose the water. Could he hold
out? The strain was awful.
whatever can have come to those
twoW queried Jessie, as the shadows
heightened, and still no VIII appeared.
Throwing n shawl around her, she
strolled out into the evening, and look
ed away over the sea. She could hot
make out the mast of the wreck in the
falling light, but something bobblng
about at the foo. of the cliff arrested
her attention.
at looks like a boat" she gasped,
with sudden forebodng. And In an in
slant she was speeding down the path.
A moment more and she had reached
the shore, and there. not twenty yards
away, she recognized Jem Barclays
boat-empty; and something Of the
truth flashed upon her.
"Merciful heaven" she moaned. 1.-THE
boat has got adrift and left them on the
wreck!'
There was no time to run to the vN.
must be done quickly. With a fervent
prayer the brave girl dashed into the
water, clambered over the side, I'M
shipped the oars and in another minute
the bow was once more turned sea-
ward and the little boat was speeding
to the rescue.
At last, after a lifetime Of doubts
and fears, she turned and saw the
sunken mast standing ont In bold con-
trast to the silvery pathway caused by
the rising moon: and at the base, on
the surface OF the water. there was
something else something round and
dark.
With redoub!ed energy and painting
breath she tugged desperately at the
oars. needless of the blisters ON her lit.
tie hands.
1t was indeed race for life or death,
and it seemed that, after all, her effort
had been in vain, for as the boat
bumped against the mast the head Of
her lover dropped forward and sank
out of sight. With piercing cry she
flung herself forward and caught him
by the hair; then, moving her hand
lower, she grasped his collar and pulled
with all her might.
In an instant the gag was removed,
and then poor Jess was plunged into
despair again as she found his hands
tied and she realized that her little
fingers were powerless TO loose the
knotted rope, and she had no knife,
Then her eyes caught sight of Barclays
knife sticking in the mast above his
victims head. With a cry of delight
she seized it, and in another moment
the bonds were severed. AT the risk of
capsizing the boat she dragged the
precious burden slowly and painfully
on board; and at last he lay, uncon-
sciuos still, but breathing, with his
head pillowed on her lap.