, 1902-03-17

DIX u Il Z Vi IiCAi "AtSilcli.
lowed. the boat shook from stem to
stern and stopped SO instantly hat the
iron-ribbed side OF the bow was stove
in. and the girl thrown forward upon
her face.
There was an instant Of silence
about her. during which Caroline
heard the low gulf tidal wave that had
passed. go laundering onward to its
further work of destruction. Control
ling her terror, she lifted her head to
look about her when, with a start she
saw that her boat was caught in a
group Of channel posts. and. left by
the height Of the wave that had passed.
now hung between them. quite out OF
the water. To change her position
meant to be thrown out OF the boat.
While she contemplated her peril she
saw through the curtain of rain and
darkness, being borne down toward
her. a great. gray object. 1t rocked
and swayed in the swelling rolls like a
ship. but she could make out in it the
outlines Of the floating Smith house. 1t
came fast. and swept by almost
within touch. With a mad impulse
to reach it the girl flung herself from
the boat. She fell into the water. but
clutched a projecting timber and cir
cled her arms about 1t. There she
chung in the gathering darkness, near
ly submerged at times. and again
raised almost from the water by the
swinging Of the house. But such a
thing could no be for long. and. in
deed. it was not. for suddenly she felt
a grasp of iron about her waist and.
yielding to a stronger will. she loos-
ened her hold.
Above her she saw the face Of Henry
Mitchell. and then felt herself in his
arms. The marvellous skill learned
in stemming the ice foes Of the Lower
Yukon had enabled him to Withstand
the first stress Of storm, and, carried
forward by the resistless force OF
things. he had neared the floating
house. had seen Caroline's leap into
the water, and had been able to SO far
guide his boat As to reach her. There.
with the tempest rolling below and
around them. and with the shadow Of
death darkening above them. the man
forgot life itself, and. clasping the
clinging form Of the girl to his bocom
pressed her vel face to his and kissed
her until the love in her eyss babe him
cease. Tfsen, with the strength and
energy Of a giant, he bent to his work
of guiding the boat to shore. The
drift of the stream told him that they
were being driven acros the current,
and II his efforts prevailed they would
gain the inner bay-a harbor with Its
headland of shells. Rapidly but pain
fully they neared the safer waters OF
the inner bay.
Now, as they sped toward the shell
headland, there came once more to
their ears from mid stream. the sound
of the crashing and falling Of beams
and timbers: and, well knowing that
the friend whom they had sought to
save was no more. a great heartburst
of grief. coursed between them, the
eyes of each sought the others. and in
that moment of sorrow their souls
were linked together. The headland
Of shells doomed beyond them.
The skill that had kept them ahead
of the wind now kept them atop Of a
great wave, and the grounding Of the
boat far in upon the beach brought
them to safety. There by the side Of
the white boat they told to each other
the VOWS that were oon to again make
the bay-country furnish its dancers.
and the little village Of Cypress Bayou
to record "a is annals another event.