The Elbert County tribune., 1900-05-24
CHAPTER Ix.-(contipuedl


to utter sound. was fighting desper
ately with his hand for dear life. Then
as through a thick mist. he saw LII
lies sweet face near him, convulsed
with anguish, and terrified officers
rushing forward. A 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's
mate, call away the lifeboat crew."
Quick as the order. it was obeyed.
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
SO often to the surface only to disap-
pear. Lille stood apart, speechless,
almost sightless, in that wild endeavor
to peer through the gloom of night,
while the remorseless deep was lit up
with spectral terror by the lurid
light with which the lifebuoy was
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 lasti A thrill of excite
ment passed from lip to lip. The look
seried the rescue of both the drowning
men-alive or dead, who could tell?
lmpatience to know the worst was
checked as the boat came alongside, in
Difference to the young wife, who
stood in their midst waiting-waitlng
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
voyager no more returns?
In the weird lamplight that still, un-
conscious face looked indeed as If 1t
already bore the stamp of death; and
with despair terrible in its calmness.
she turned from doctor to steward
while they unfastened coat and vest
and laid bare the CHASTITY wound and
its streaming blod.
Tell me-" she said, SIS he dead ?"
Oh. what whole history of pain and
pathos lay in that brief question:
The doctor looked the sympathy he
felt. He was bluff, stole scotchman,
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 uncomplaining
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 a nasty wound" he spoke
at last; but fortunately the salt wa
ter has stanched the bleeding. 1t is
after effects | am more afraid OF.
should like to get two trained nurses.
who happen to be on board, to under
take the case. They are very clever.
I could thoroughly rely on them"
For an instance there was tense ST.
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 it is a matter of ex-
pense, think you will find 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 a compromise" said he
soothingly. You shall relieve my
nurses from duty now and then; but
you muat remember his life depends
on constant care night ana day.
That settled the question definitely,
and Lille allowed herself to be led
away to partake of 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
not being summoned at least till morn
ing, as the doctor himself meant to
be in close attendance on his patient
at night. In his heart he deeply pitied
the fair young bride, who evidently
loved SO deeply the stalwart bride
groom stricken down to the very gates
of death.
Yes. Lille loved Don, even as she
had never loved him till now. 1t was
not until he lay before her thus In the
extremity of helplessness. till' pride
and pity both forgotten. and nothing
hut infinite tenderness filling her SOUL
she realized the depth OF that love-
"strong as DEATH" which could for
give. even as Christ forgave. and rest
on the atonement of the Redeemer
alone. She watched by his pillow while
the long night dragged on. and he stiii
Law unconscious. motionless. almost
breathless.
She shed no tears, but now and then
she prayed-prayed as perhaps she had
novar nraved before. Sometimes she
put her fingers on his pulse 10 ieei
1t still beat; and so she waited wa''eu'
while the doctor came in and out eA-