Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1902-12-13
. willing hands which were coming to

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
water. for with the new hope had come
a new strength. and already looked
upon the whirling MASS OF dark sea
around me as monster who had bee.
robbed OF his prey. ! knew she was No,
dead. and } wanted TO know NOTHING
more just then II before she, had seen.
cd TO me charming In every WAY. ~,
COW became the very breath of my q.
istence. anu IN mad way / felt g,a,.
that this thing had happ"nph and thu,
II Withdrew my supporting ni1u frol
her head the teaUtiful whine fac
world slip through thp buoy down
down into the black bottou.less depth,
OF the ocean.
Presently beat was lowered FRI!
the Omeo. and With Intense ,aypra q,
l watched IL. small dark Object COZ.
dancing over the waves \ ulan I'm"
in the bows waving lantern annv,. h..
head. and he II was who presently san
out. Alloy. there!'
All right!' shouted
The next sound was the voice of TN
second mate In the stern as he shout
ed. Easy all" II was close work. 70;
IL seemed 10 me that the boat cam,
dangerously near striking us. uul sh,
was skillfully Unanswered. and aftcf
various futile efforts we were hauleti
safely aboard
"A close thing" said the mate griml,
as we turned our nose toward th
liner
Very"
The men pulled In silence. the boa
splashing and tossing omlnously in tn,
heavy sea still supported Miss
Hurst's bead and perceived with JOY
the first sign of returning conscious
ness. but when she attempted TO NOV,
| bade her lie still. assuring her tina
all danger was over. She made no re-
Spouse. but | thought that her hea {.
nestled in closer against my breast
and felt neither the wind nor the.
spray. But upon being raised to the.
deck of the Omeo she awoke again
and, gazing with wondering eyes upoT,
the kind faces which surrounded her
she said simply. "Dou't tell my moth.
err. Then one Of the lady passenger.
led her away. and my Uncle Jim. who
was the first man 20 reach me as soon
as | touched the deck came between
the and the crowd OF curious but gener.
ally admiriug spectators. and together
we made our way below. Here was
subjected to 8 good rubbing. dosed
With brandy and put between the
bheets, and here shortly after l was
visited by the captain. But l had moth
Ing to tell beyond the fact that had
heard screams, saw the struggle and
Jumped overheard. AS for the man
who had committed the outrage. I had
no conception Of what he might be
Ike, but i suggested that Miss Hurst
might be able to give some information
on that head.
UNFORTUNATELY she is In a state OF
collapse" said the skipper, land APP
pears to know nothing beyond the fact
that the man had a black face"
Have you any blacks aboard?"
None. Can't make IT, ,alt at all
Fear her mind Is n bit unMnged. and
no wonder. Devilish plucky thing.
though, Mr.. Gray! l congratulate you
You are a lucky man"
1 smiled to myself. Lucky! What
ironyl And yet it would appear so. II
the officer on watch had not heard my
cry and acted with the utmost prompt.
itude, there would have been an end
OF me and my trouble. Once l might
have cast reflection on the wisdom of
his promptitude, but latterly my life
had been tilled with thoughts other
than those OF self. could imagine
neither prince nor millionaire clinginr
TO This world with a keener zest than
that which now animated me.