Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1899-04-11

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 gray sky and
grayer sea, to hear nothing but the
throbbing of the engines and the sough
of the wind and waves. Breakfast time
came, but she needed it not. For hours
she stood immovable, gazing to the
northeast over the bulwarl1s. What did
that dream of hers meant Was Dick
floating somewhere helplessly, with 9TH
er passengers?
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 passing
sensation of warmth. This slight incl
dent awoke 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 it. starting ever
from herside 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 companionsi Sight danced into her
! eyes, hope beat strongly in her heart
| She turned a glorified face to the ship.
What could she do Z How save the5nH
| She saw foot surmounted by blue
cloth moving methodically ON the deck
above, and in moment flew up the
stairs leading to the captains bridge
! The captain turned round sharply at
the sound of strange footsteps and per-
I emptorily ordered her down. Clutching
his arm she cried:
"Captatnl They are out there. under
the line of smokel A dozen survivors of
the Meldrum are drifting helplessly and
nearly deadr'
The captain glanced in the direction
indicated How should this frantic
young woman have seen what his prac-
tised eye could not discern2 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, ego 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. I
know you will. -
To humor her he took a 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-
amining 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 boat was lowered once
more to gather in the oceans drift To
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 last
stage of exhaustion, and he went over
to Miriam and told her to look through
his glass and see if 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 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 centented look at her he fell
asleep, and on the ship arrival at Hal
| flax he with all those who had been
saved were well enough to be moved to
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 afoat. He could hardly believe It,
and he could not explain it, but was
contented to accept the fact as it stood
and to be present at the simple cere-
mony which made Dick and Miriam
man and wife. Buffalo News.
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