Daily camera., 1901-04-24


of the mules.
Slowly, very slowly, the house
swayed little from side to side, and
then it began to give, and as the tide
grew ever swifter, lurhed from the
foundations and they were adrift.
There was shrill scream from Martha,
and Jess gave frantic grasp and
caught her dress as she rolled down
toward the edge. Could she hold her?
The cabin swayed and reeled until
each moment seemed the last, but
Jess held to the unconscious woman
How the moments dragged under that
pitiless white moon. that seemed to go
on and on forever. The strain was ter
rible as the girl knelt, one arm across
the comb of the roof, bracing against
the dead weight that was slowly but
surely dragging her down. With an
energy born of despair, Jess clenched
her teeth and held-there was no use
to cry for help.
The first rush of the flood had spent
itself, and there was a notice able de-
crease in its swiftness. The little cab
in careened to one side, bringing Mar
tha almost upon level. For time
the relief was so great that Jess
thought Of little else but the rest that
it brought to her aching muscles.
They had drifted against clump of
trees. and there rested, washing gen
tly up and down. Over in the east red
light came up the sky, and the chill
breath OF the dawn aroused the girl to
action. She crept cautiously down to
Martha's side. One glance told her
that it was dead woman that she had
guarded through those awful night
hours. For moment her senses
reeled-alone with the dead in that
awful wilderness of water.
mysterious ailment. heart trouble, no
doubt. and had thought little of it; but
now she knew that death must have
come with that sudden shock when
the cabin gave way.
Hour after hour went by. The sun
rose high and went down, while the
girl crouched there holding to the
dead woman's dress and the waves
washed them up and down against the
trees.
jess! Jess!" The call came over
the waters, and then a splashing Of
oars, and skiff propelled by two men
shot out into the open. So faint and
far-sway her own voice sounded as she
tried to answer. A few minutes later,
and she was in her fathers arms.
Jess, my Jess, my little grill" The
voice was not stern, but now it fell on
deaf ears. II have have been searching
these woods since daylight-why, what
is wrong with Martha?"
The two men glanced hurriedly at
one another, and then at the girl, who,
the strain ended, had collapsed-a dead
weight in the bottom of the skiff.
1--WE can take her to the station" the
other answered, possibly the trains
are still running" Silas Andrews rev
erently lifted Martha's body into the
skiff. She had been faithful to him
and his child; she had come and gone
-none-knowing whence or WHITTIER
the human driftwood of land of sud
den friendships, of brotherhood the
stronger because of the shadow of
Green Death that walks ever among
them.
For time there was silence, broken
only by the rhythmical beat Of the oars
as they rose and fell in the locks.
Andrews" Gt was the younger man
that spoke). Man, what devil of the
perverse led you to bury yourself in this
land Of a living grave? No" (as the
other would have interrupted, do not
attempt to deny it. know that you
are not Silas Andrews, the Swamp
Angel but Robert Leavell, Virginian
and gentleman. l do not judge your
action; but this do know, that it is
your duty for her sake to resume your
proper place in the world. Are you
man enough to do it?"
Andrews, or Leavell, rested upon his
oars, his keen eyes fixed upon the 9th
er's face long minute.
"Who are you that you know SC
much of my past life?"
Short and sharp came the question,
and as short and sharp the answer:
James Barr, son Of the man whom you
believe to be dead by your hand. All
these years my father has searched
for you until chance led me to this No
mans land, faint clew that we had
from wanderer like yourself"
Andrews sat like statue Of granite.
The man had believed himself muir
derer, had fed from the duelling
ground, only pausing long enough to
secure his child-and then the weary
stretch OF wasted years had closed in
with their Nirvana-like monotony. To
him had come the knowledge that free
dom and home awaited him.
"Well?" said Barr
Andrews bent to the oars with saw
age energy.
"Come! Will q drowning man re-
fuse help? When does the next train
leave for home" The word came hes
itatingly.
"And Barr, whatever I have in this
life is yours to claim, to the utter
most"
Rarr glanced down at the curlv head