The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-09-09

/ iiht It's own spray.
The lights OF the ship grew DINNER
\ and DINNER. and already began to fear
tnet my cry for help had not been heard,
| When svudeniy as we rose on the crest
or wave somewhat Bigger than usual
saw a glare upon the water some distance
| 10 the right OF us. For the moment 1 !
scarcely remembered that ships nowadays
use buoys with a fare attached TO them
ana that these things. thrown into the
| sea, burn brightly and act as a beacon 10
| those In the water and TO those on board.
| i felt overJoyed. for II proved that my
cry had been heard and meant that II
| we could only keep ahoat we should
stand an excellent chance OF salvation.
she too, had seen II. and instinctively
| We struck out In its direction occa-
sionaily as we rose on the crest of a
wave could see II burning brightly I'm
spite OF the water that dashed about II
and all over II. But IL was terrible work
attempting TO swim In such a sea. and.
realizing this. quickly divested myself
OF everything but pair Of trousers.
Foreseeing what was to come. prepared
for II 10 the best OF my ability.
Ny companion swan. on. but more
feebly every stroke. and presently / had
TO support her. or. rather, I lent her aid
for she still went through the mechanical
action OF keeping herself afioat. Feeling
her grow heavier every minute, I re-
doubled my efforts very wildly, I fear
| for the agony of the situation was hold
| Ing me with grip OF terror. Realizing
| the futiiity OF such n waste Of energy and
| quickly grasping the fact that my one
| policy was TO remain afioat, I soon aband-
oned my exhaustive efforts and. with a
slower movement, struggled on on But
the flare danced before me like will-o'-
the-wisp. and ever I thought I drew
nearer the thing. curling on the crest OF
a wave. seemed to my eyes, half blinded
as they were by the spray. as far on as
ever.
/ felt my strength going. My heart |
beat ominousfy. breathed with the ut
most difficulty. The girl. though I could |
not zee. though dared not look. ap- |
peared TO be unconscious I felt one or |
her hands. II trailed In the water Hke q |
dead thing. How fought. how strug- |
gled TO keep myself afioatl + seemed to |
hear my brain throb. throb. as throbs |
the propeller OF great steamship. Ny .
forehead was bursting with apprehen- |
SION I knew that was surely sinking. |
The dead weight OF the girl had complete- /
ly paraiyzed me on one side no longer |
kept the horisonkal or ssmihortxontal |
position of the swimmer. but found my |
weary feet searching the perpenaacular
for support. the last extremity Of the van |
Quished. Then In @ sudden ne OF fury I /
struck out nercely 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 az I was believed that had
struck some living thing. and tho thought
OF q shark sent q thrill OF horror through
my enfeebied body. With eyes wildly
staring ! giared ahead. and az 4he fare
still dancer some distance or I fet that
my suspicions were realised. But the |
light rising once more tinted the object |
with the glow and q sudden thsitl OF |
happiness put new life into my nAccid
muscles. IL was no shark bat the life |
IN xvh Aar L
With few strokes I had reached II,
and though the sea tried TO tea Il from |
my grasp I clung with the energy of a |
drowning man, and though not without
some difficulty I stopped II over the
head OF the unconscious girl and got her
arms above II. Then I brea&hed a fer
vent Thank Godl'
II all takes some time to tell. and to |
me that struggle with the waves SEEM
cd. and stin seems. like an eternity, but
In reality II was q battle OF INMATES and |
not many OF them. though I am inclined |
TO maintain that under such conditions
one would find sun fewer more than
enough. When I looked round again,
saw the steamer coming up behind me.
and presently she lay to- a world of wei |
come light had no fear now, ana my
eyes stung with something more than
sea water as ! looked up at the great |
light and thought OF the brave hearts and |
the willing hands which were coming to
my rescue
Miss Hurst during all this time re-
manned unconscious. but / had no great
difficulty In keeping her head above wa
ter. for with the new hope had come O |
new strength, and I already looked upon
the whrling mass OF dark sea around ME
as monster who had been robbed OF mis-
prey. |.
knew she was not dead, and wanted
to know nothing more Just then. II be-
fore she had seemed to me charming In
every way. she now became the very
breath OF my existence, and In mad
way felt glad that this thing had hap
pencd and that II withdrew my support
Ing arm from her head the beautiful
white face would slip through the buoy
down. down into the black, bottomlsss
depths OF the ocean.
Presently boat was lowered from the
omeo. and with intense eagerness
watched II, q sman. dark object, come
1ancin8 oyer the waves. A NAH knelt In |
the bows waving a lantern above his
head. and he It was who presently sang
,ut. "Ahoy, therer'
"AIl risftt' ] shouted.
The next sound was the voice Of the
second mate In the stern as be shouted.
Easy all" II was chose work. for it
seemed TO ne that the boat came danger
)usly near striking us, but she was skill |
'uliy manoeuvred. and after various flu
he efforts we we've hauled safely aboard.
"A close thing" said the mate grimly
" we turned our nose toward the liner.
Very"
The men pulled In silence, the boat,I
piashing and tossing omniouay In the
ieavy sea. sttll supported Miss Hurst's
read and perceived with Joy tho first
ign OF returning consciousness, but when
he attempted TO move I bade her lie
till. assuring her that all danger was
'ver. She made no response. bat
hought that her head nestled In closer
Igainst my breast. and felt neither the
vind nor the spray. But upon being rais-
a 70 the deck OF the Omeo she awoke
gain. and. gazing with wondering eyes
pom the Kind faces which surrounded
er. she said simply Don't tell my
mother" Then one of the lady passen-
ers led her away. and my Uncle Jim,
Vho was the first man 10 reach me as
oon as touched the deck, came be-
ween me and the crowd OF CURIOUS but
enerally admiring spectators, and to-
ellar mada n h.alaxr z IL