Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1900-10-31
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, TIE LAST TWENTY MINUTES.


IT should say 1nuaE she won't last
more than 20 minutes.
And a. the man spoke,h he cast . cad
cuAaaing glance at the ships deck,
which lay TILTED on one side In a Curl
ously santng position. The boat
had struck upon one OF the dangerous
groups of sunken rocks in the Eng
hsh Channel, and there seemed no
likelihood that the vessel, stately and
strong as it had been so short aAme
before, could be saved from destruc-
ton
Roger Winford turned away from
the man whom he had questioned Will
a sharp gesture which he would not
have liked anyone TO see 80 expressive
was DIT of great despair. He was a man
in middle life. with dark hair slightly
grizzled, and "a grave impasslve coun-
Tenance which did not often betray
his emotions.
"Was i'll for this" he said to himself,
az he moved away from the sailor,
.that l have toiled for so many years,
and heaped UP wealth, and denied my
self almost every enjoyment that
may perish miserably within sight Cd
home. Is it for this have kept silent
AID this time, and refrained from
snatching ait the good things that
dangled within my reach? nave
wasted nv days. have been fooi.
| have Thrown the best part of my HE
aWay. and the Barst 20 minutes OF ones
life ia not a time in which anything
can be put right"
AS he said the words to himself, he
came upon "a group of women and
children, who had been placed IN the
most advantageous position as regard
cd safety, and his eye sought ms antly
for the one face, the one figure, III
which he felt a peculiar Interest
girl of some 10 years lifted pale
brave countenance to his for mo-
ment, and read in his eyes the con-
firmation of the fears which had at
ready occurred to her.
as there NO hope then?" she said to-
him in an undertc ne.
"No," said the man, there U NO
hope"
"You don't think that we shall be
seen from a distance, and that the
MfeboA sent out to our help?
mo, / don't said Winford; land II
could scarcely get here in time"
How much longer?" she asked; and
he felt her hand cling to him a little
tighter.
II thdnk-about 20 1.inuItes. That is
what the quartermaSter told me. He
thinks the boat will break up in about
that time"
IF only" said the girl, 81 could get
over 30 the other side of the deck, and
comfort poor Mrs. Cunliffe lfttle!'
"You cannot" said the man imov-
ably. "You must stay wlAre you are.
You cannot walk when the deck rs at
this angle, and a wave may break over
n it ait any moment, and carry you
away"
He had previously done his utmost
for her safety, for he had dashed her
to one of the bulwarks, which was
wedped in a cleft of the rock, and
there was even a possibility that she
might be left there when the ship when
to pieces, and, he thought ultimately
rescued.
"Wher's Viwian?" he said abruptly.
HE was here just now" said Molly,
"But went to the other side-to see II
he could find a lifeboalt, believe"
For you?"
"N-no," said Molly with some little
hesitation, for himself"
"As / should have imagined" said
Roger, in a harder voice.
HE is young" said Molly, softly.
''and his life is dear to him"
us it not dear to you, too?" said
Winford.
81 suppose it must be to most Of u.s."
she answered.
81 never thought so, for my own
part" said her companion. Burt In
these hast few minutes l have discov-
cred a certain value in life which |
never suspected. could wish almost
to live it over agadn. In fact. if one
could only profit by ones own mis-
takes 1 would do so very gladly"
"Oh, yes" said Molly, with a sigh,
but one can never go back"
She Was always pretty girl, but as
Winford looked alt her he thought the
gravity OF her expression, the wistfuI-
ness of her b.ue eyes, made her posi-
lively beautiful. She was a little
woman, whom people always wanted
TO careHs; for there was something pc
cultaray soft and clinging about her.
But at this moment deep intelligence
q stronger spiritual sense had com"
to her, and her face was TRANSPORTED
into beauty beyond itself. There was
no fear in tt, no sadness, but a brave
Calm acceptance OF the fact that she
was face to face with another world.
Wdnhord almost felt as though they
had already passed beyond the regions
OF this earth, and might speak, not
only face to face, but soul to soul.
There was a perceptible change In
his voice when he addressed her. 1t
was low and steady, but seemed
charged with purpose. as though ne
had made up his mind to say or do
something which had not occurred 10
him before. Even in the first trivial
question that he put to her. Molly REQ
ognized the difference of intention.
and glanced ait him inquiringly.
mo, scarcely at all. We are SO
sheltered here. 1t seems hardly pos
siblo that in a few minutes we shall be
here no longer, does FTP"
I'VE ought 10 make the best OF ou-
time" said Winford.
Shall we say a prayer. then?"s
Molly, quite simply, know ny, perhaps.
that this was the best they could
do.
mo. no. wait a minute-there's
something that comes before prayer.
isnt there? Confession.
She hooked at him dumbly; she did
NOT understand.