Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-12-13

The brace 0trt bp fnu side nepeT ynUr
INJURED
ly ! gasped a word OF announcement
or asked question, but the effort of
replying was too great and much too
dangerous, for every now and again a
white monster reared and dashed over
us twisting US round like its own
spray.
The lights OF the ship grew DINNER
and DINNER. and | already began to
fear that my cry for help had not been
heard. when suddenly as we rose on
the crest OF wave somewhat bigger
than usual | saw glare upon the wa
ter some distance TO the right of us
For the moment | scarcely remember
ed that ships nowadays use buoys with
dare attached to them and that these
things. thrown into the sea. burn
brightly and act as n beacon to those In
the water and to those on board.
felt overjoyed. for II proved that my
cry had been heard and meant thar II
we could only keep aloat we should
stand an excellent chance OF salvation.
She. too. had seen 1t. and instructive
iy we struck out in its direction. Occa-
slonally as we rose on the crest of n
wave could see 1t burning brightly In
spite of The water that dashed about II,
and all over IT. But II was terrible
work attempting to swim In such sea.
and, realizing this, quickly Invested
myself of everything but pair of
trousers. Foreseeing what was to
come, l prepared for 1t to the best of
my ability.
My companion swan on, but more
feebly every stroke, and presently L
mao TO support her, or, rather, / lent
her aid. for she still went through the
mechanical action OF keeping herself
afoat. Feeling her grow heavier every
minute. l redoubled my efforts, very
wildly. fear. for the agony of the SIT
uation was holding me with q grip OF
terror. Realizing the futility OF such a
waste OF energy and quickly grasping
the fact that my one policy was to re-
main afioat, / soon abandoned my ex-
haustive efforts and. with a slower
movement, struggled on, on. But the
fiare danced before me like a will-o'-
the-wisp, and ever as thought drew
nearer the thing. curling on the crest
y OF wave. seemed TO my eyes. half
blinded as they were by the spray. as
far or as ever.
l felt my strength going. My heart
beat ominously. l breathed with the
utmost difficulty. The girl though II
could not see, though dared not look.
appeared to be unconscious felt one
OF her hands. 1t trailed in the water
like dead thing. How fought, how
struggled to keep myself afloat! Il
seemed to hear my brain throb. throb.
as throbs the propeller OF a great
steamship. My forehead was bursting
with apprehension. / knew that was
surely sinking. The dead weight of the
girl had completely paralyzed me on
one side no longer kept the horizon
tai or semihorizontal position of the
swimmer, but found my weary feet
searching the perpendicular for sup
port the last extremity Of the van
quished. Then in a sudden fit of fury
L struck out fiercely once more, the last
fearful effort Of the drowning man, and
presently my hand came In contact
with something hard
drew back In terror, for even half
conscious as l was / believed that
had struck some living thing, and the
thought Of shark sent thrill of hor-
ror through my enfeebled body. With
eyes wildly staring glared ahead. and
as the flare still danced some distance
on felt that my suspicious were real
lied. But the light rising once more
tinted the object with its glow, and a
sudden thrill of happiness put new life
INTO my faccid muscles 1t was no
shark, but the life buoy to which the
hare was attached.
With few strokes had reached II
and though the sea tried to tear it from
my grasp chung with the energy OF n
drowning man, and, though not with
out some difficulty, j slipped ii over the
mead of the unconscious girl and got
her arms above it. Then / breathed a
fervent Thank Godw
1t all takes some time to tell and m
me that struggle with the waves seem
co. ana still seems, like an eternity,
Dut In reality 1t was a battle of min
utes and not many of them, though
am inclined to maintain that under
such conditions one would find stiu
FEWER more than enough When.I look
ed round again. saw the steamer COM
ing up behind me, and presently she
lay 10. world OF welcome light.
mao no fear now. and my eyes stung
win something more than sea water
as ] looked up at the great lights and
tnought or the brave hearts and the