The Springfield herald., 1900-05-25

VI A<oh tulOdl, Hau PAAAO
against the gunwale, and Don, uhaole
to utter sound, was fighting desper-
ately with his hand for dear life. Then
as through thick mist. he saw LII
lies sweet face near him, convulsed
with anguish, and terrified officers
rushing forward great lurch OF the
vessel blotted out the rest. Locked IN
his antagonists ruthless embrace, he
felt himself whirling backwards into
the boiling sea and the waters closing
over him.
Instantly the captains voice came
ringing out in quick command:
Sentry, let go the lifebuoy! Bosun'sl !
mate. call away the lifeboat crew.!
Quick as the order. 1t was obeyed.l !
The great ship was swiftly hove to-
But what agony of heart was every
second of delay to the paralyzed young.
bride!
Officers and men had now gathered
on the scene, scanning the choppy sea-.
with telescopes and speaking In tense.'
awed tones as they watched the GAL
liant cutter straining might and main
to reach those black specks which rose
~ Ullcu u LIE SulLdSC ohay W. N-S~F
pear Lille stood apart. speechless',
almost sightless, In that wild endeavor'
to peer through the gloom Of nightA
while the remorseless deep was lit up
with a spectral terror by the lurida
light with which the lifebuoy wasN
charged. Once the ships surgeon went.
to her side and begged to take her be-
low. She only shook her head. She'
was past speaking now.
At last! at last! A thrill of excite
ment passed from lip to lip. The look
out man on the mizen-mast had de-
scried the rescue of both the drowning
men-alive or dead, who could tell?
Impatience to know the worst was
checked as the boat came alongside, ina
Difference to the young wife. who
stood in their midst waiting-waiting
for what?
She followed blindly as they bore
Don's PROSTATE form to his cabin and
laid him on his couch. The seaman
was dead. Had Don, too. passed away
across the mystic ocean. whence the
yoyager no more. returns?
In the weird lamplight that still. un-'
CONSCIOUS ldC6 lOOhcu lhuCOu 90 IA ~
already bore the stamp of death; and.
with a despair terrible In Its calmness.
she turned from doctor to steward
while they unfastened coat and vest
and laid bare the ghastly wound and
Its streaming blod.
Tell me-" she said. "is he dead?"
oh, what a whole history Of pain and
pathos lay In that brief question!
The doctor looked the sympathy he
felt He was bluff, stole Scotchman.
Injured to scenes Of sorrow and suffer-
ing, but there was something in that
pathetic picture of the strong young
man struck down in his prime. and the
lovely girl wife in her accomplishing
strength of endurance that touched
him Infinitely.
"He Is not dead" he answered. BE
assured will do everything that is
possible to save him." he added cheer
lily, as his busy fingers sped at his
work.
She stood aside in breathless excite
ment.
This is nasty wound" he spoke
at last; but fortunately the salt wa
ter has stanched the bleeding. 1t is
after effects 1 am more afraid of. l
should like to get two trained nurses.
who happen to be on board, to under
take the case. They are very clever.
/ could thoroughly rely on them"
For an instance there was tense 81
lence.
Gould you not rely on myself for
one?" was the answer which faltered
through her parched lips.
"Are you strong enough?" he que
ried kindly. "If 1t is a matter Of ex-
pense. think you will find l will ar
range"
She interrupted him with a little
gesture almost of scorn. All her life
she had known nothing of the bitter
ness of poverty, and now 1t seemed
like a mockery to her to mention ex-
pense in conjunction with her love and
Don's life.
Spare nothing-nothing that mon
ey can buy!" she spoke breathlessly.
The doctor paused to take her slim
wrist between his finger and thumb
and calmly count her throbbing pulse.
We'll make compromise" said he
soothingly. You shall relieve my
nurses from duty now and then; but
you must remember his life depends
on constant care night and day.
That settled the question definitely.
and Lille allowed herself to be led
away to partake of a strong cup Of tea
and some refreshment to fit her for the
long hours of watching which lay be-
fore her, for she insisted on the nurse