The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-11-07
one word more"
" JIorDcr tS Brothers.

known where have been Pll be a dead
man."
lie was gone before the last word
was spoken. returned TO the fortress
what Is it?' cried Jack cNpcctHntly.
lie has lost the power to protect
you. lie advises me to stay with you
to the last"
"Will youW
eyes" | replied, with sigh.
"Thank God" exclaimed Helen.
Another night OF horror; Il rising sun
flooding the face of the rocks and our
wan faces with n ruddy glow. a more
wrrtchcd lot OF beings could not be
found among castaways at sea. We
had not slept during the night, for
whatever OF rest had come to any of lis
had been rather stupor than sleep. Our
cheeks were Sunlicn; our eyes, deep in
their sockets. were turned toward the
red orb of day, which to our fcvcrcd
lmaginationS seemed to be advancing
to strike the final blow.
a great change had come over us
during the night. Jack nltcrnatcd be-
tween bursts OF passion and Il devil
may care spirit, Sprinklcd with humor-
| Gus SallicS between tears and smiles
which served to tighten momrntarily
the gloom for the others, but only rem
dcrcd me more wrctrhcd; Buck cravcd
food more than all the rest and after a
lew VAN efforts to appear unconccrncd
took on Il CHASTITY look that cut me to
the heart; Ginger spent II great deal OF
| his time I'm prayer; Helen seemed calm.
yet noticed Il strange look in her cyc
Up to this terrible morning she had
been the malnStay Of the party. I'M
der the strain that smoldcring fire
which burned within her flarcd oml
nously. Turning to me, she asked
hnrshlyi
care you Confederate or are youa
YankccW
"Wilat matters 1t nowp'
II came to save YOU, understanding
you to he COnfcdcrntc."
"Would you abandon nc now If YOU
knew me to be Il Union manY'
She turned away. and | saw that she
WAS weeping. | put my arm about her
ana drew her head down on my breast.
Th"r" sh" wrpt long and silently.
Whether she WAS unconscious OF what
she did or whether her SutirrnwS malr
hcr careless ! did not know, but as |
frlt her heart beating against mine
WIS CONSCIOUS of the birth OF a now
love.
AS the sun rose higher 1t beat down
upon lis with all the Vucrvat!nr heat Of
mn nnscnSonablc day. The water drip.
ping back OF Ms alone Sustained an,I
refreshed us. one by ono we would &c
TO tho clr't and, standing Under In,
cooling drops, receive them in Oul
mouths. We rnvicu the birds the fuor
they bore to their nests anl the free
don or those soaring far above in TN,
NllitlcSS ocean OF air. Why could W,
not DC given wings to fly from oul
rocky prison? The wrecked are prou,
70 dwell on halluclnations. SO TO II.
came sounds dcnoting the approach q
-cScucrs. One would hear the tramp O.
armed mon. Another would see th,
"hlle covers or wagon train. All dn,
we were tortured by these fancics ill
nt last ceased to pay any attention [,
them.
Il hear horses hoors." said Buck.
ION, no. YOU don't, Buck" | said. lay
Ing my hand on his head.
81 tell yo' do"
'LiStcn," said Helen.
we all listened, but so far as I wa,
concerned there was no unusual sound
u hear them. too" said Jack.
! 1t was singular that these two shoul,
agree. | looked nnxiously at IIclcu
My hearing was not especially acute
II Helen had heard. l might hnv
thouGht there was something to hear
She listened u long WHILE but no SCUM,
came to her
ITS gone" said Buck.
so IT ls,' said Jack. 81 heard II:
know did"
turned away. 1t was plain to me
| that they had been tortured by another
| hallucinatlCn. Neither Buck nor Joch
hcard anything more, and the incident
was soon forgotten, at least by Helen
ana by me. who had heard nothing.
We all rclapSrd into that dreadful wait.
ing waiting for the time when the
rear or death would be overcome by
the pangs of starvation. Helen sud.
denly looked nj me- that DANGEROUS
light which | had seen before I'm hcr
eyes.
Your cncmy?' she asked.
"Mhat Cnrmyi'
me one you camr to Alabama 70
kill" w
| snail never kill him now"
II" YOU mean that YOU abandon vour
| revenge" SHE spoke contcmpluouslv
''h death staring me. stnrjpr Won
ana the others In the facc-rou who
,'"'' wrecked yourselves I'm n vain ot.
',".p' l" save mr--my private rricrs
Sihk 10 h"thugnrSS"
l"u must hr r"vrngrd." Shr srn,;,
as II II were she and not | WIN un, .,
be the avrngrr. :"
| Il remember. You were to hr,n r,,-
| IL will help yoi."
"Ihcrc Is no need. We nrn lon,,o,.,
I'VE shall live, and you will mnot
him."
"And thcn?"
"Nou Will kill him"
My poor girl, think no more Of that
Let us fix our minds on gcntlcr thinos.