The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1902-11-15
CHAPTER INK,

1t was fortunte for all concerned
the launch party did not hang who'll
ly upon the upcoming of the ''Sprite."
The distance to be covered was not
great, but with a bowling gale fairly
abeam the catboat steered like
sand-flat, and Griswold had his hands
full to lay the course and hold to it.
Recalling it afterward, he liked to
think that it would have been inn
possible but for Charlotte's help.
For Il terror-stricken moment she
crouched beside him, as helplessly
frightened as any woman could be.
But at the critical instant she sat up
very straight and relieved him of the
tiller.
"You manage the sail; can steer!"
she cried; and she did it like sailor,
bracing herself and easing the labor
ing catboat through the seas as Skill
fully as any skipper of them all.
Yet it was lucky that not all the
lives spilled overheard by the capsiz-
ing of the launch depended upon the
heroic endeavors of these two in the
"Sprite." Other help was at hand and
nearer. The launch was no more
than fairly helpless when the flag
boat of the Wahaska Yacht club
rounded the southern point of the
island, closcreefed, but driving at
railway speed before the squat. Her
skipper saw the accident and was
happily a man for an emergency.
Moreover, he had trained yachts
crew aboard, ready to spring to
quarters at his yelled command. So
it came about that the "Diuna" was
the first on the scene, and her crew
was picking up the shipwrcckcd ones
when the "Sprite' came up, head to
the wind in the thrashing seas.
Notwithstanding, the ''Sprite" had
its mission, and for all the quick
work of the big sloop's trained crew,
one life would have gone out i'm the
smothering pillows but for the up
coming of the catboat. In all the
fierce excitement of TIL" moment, it
was Charlotte who kept cool, and it
was she who caught a glimpse of :.
white head upthrnst for n moment;
| of that and of hand flung out to
grasp hopclessly at nothing. In 81
| flash she gave Griswold his cue and
| jammed the tiller down to utilize the
last forging rush of the catboat's
momentum. The reefed sail had
spilled and would draw no more, but
the quick sweep of the big rudder
sutticed; and Griswold, leaning far
over the side, clutcEed the despairing
hand just as it was disappearing.
This was how it came about that
an old man whose span of years had
well-nigh bridged the little rift of
Time which lies between the two
shores of Eternity, was helped to
make that rift little wider. For all
his years, and the fierce struggle in
the foam-smother, Andrew Galbraith
was yet conscious when Griswold
dragged him over the gunwale of the
catboat; and his first gasped-out
word was characteristic of the man.
CT told that gandering loon of
an ingineer he'd lose Mr.. Grierson's
boat, and he's done it the moo! And
is warrant she cost pretty penny.
too"
With the lake still dashed into fury
by the squall, which was now speni-
ing itself in spiteful catspaws, Girls
void had his hands full with the
"Sprite;" and yet in all the distrac-
tion of it he saw the shadow of Il
smile in Charlotte's eyes, and found
time to answer it. Found time for
this, and for the thought which
welled up in sudden ecstacy at this
little lovers proof of the consanguin-
ity of kindred souls. But after that
he became the cool and intrepid
sailor-man again.
Taking the tiller, he let the catboat
fall off until he could speak the
yacht.
"sloop ahoy!" he called; shave you
got them all?"
"All but one" was the answer
blown back on the gale.
"All right; we have that one.
shouted Griswold; and ut the word
the two boats shot apart, each tc
make its laboring way towards the
Wahaskan haven.
ITO Be Continuedl