Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-10-13

lying W raise Une elderly WoHittu W,
her feet, looked at him appealingly.
my mothers heart is weak" she said
hurriedly. 1.-THE shock has brought
on an attack can't move her"
Just a moment" cried Norwood.
Don't stir from here, and I'll see
what can be DONE"
When he gained the slippery deck
he found order coming out of chaos,
through the nerve of the officers and
the calmness Of some Of the passen-
gers. Boats were lowered, but only
to pick up few progressive spirits
who in the first panic had seized life
preservers and thrown themselves in
to the water. Lines had been cast
from one steamer to another, lash
ing them together; and men, working
like madmen-or heroes-were quick
ly passing the women and children to
safety over the rail.
Norwood ran back. AS the girl
turned her white face mutely toward
him he felt glow of admiration for
her self-control.
Cali right" he said, encouragingly.
There's no danger. Are you strong
enough to help me lift herr"
She nodded, and together they
raised the almost unconscious woman.
She was no light weight, and Norwood
was still weak, but they succeeded in
half-leading, half-carrying her on
deck. The doomed steamer was rapid
ly settling, and the water was running
into the cabin when they left it. Nor
wood shouted to the deckhands who
were beginning to cast off the lines.
and dozen brawny arms lifted the
women to the opposite deck.
The men followed, and almost i'm
mediately the boat they had left
plunged, bow first, and, with a rush
through the blackness, disappeared.
AS the girl had been drawn over
the rail after her mother, there was
cry of "Why, Dorothy! Dorothy
Moore!" Instantly the two were the
center of an excited and solicitous
group, and Norwood went below.
He was among the first to land
when the boat entered the slip, but
he fingered on the outskirts of the
throng until the face he looked for
appeared. Although occupied with
her mother, the girls eyes more than
once roved eagerly over the crowd,
and, with quickened beating Of his
heart, Norwood felt instinctively that
she searched for him. The idea
cheered him-he felt less friendless;
yet he kept out of sight until they en-.
tered q carriage and were driven
away.
The events of the past few hours
had added no brilliancy to Norwood's
prospects; nevertheless, as he turned
toward Market street, he no longer
felt life to be an improbable episode
disturbing the blessed calm of non
| existence. He exulted in the mere
fact that his will controlled his move
ments-that he was not thing for
the sport of the waves; and squaring
his shoulders to the wind, he thrust
his hands deeply into his shabby
pockets. With an astonished start he
drew them out again. Dangling te
one finger by II giittcring chain was
a little purse of gray suede-the kind
women affect. For moment he
looked at it in bewilderment-then
memory stung him. He mad twice
picked it up, once to restore it to its
rightful owner--the second time tc
pocket it himself. In the excitement
he had forgotten it. Opened, it re-
vealed the unaccustomed glitter OF
gold and silver, and at the sight Nor
wood realized how famished he was
He transferred some of the silver tc
breast-pocket, replaced the purse
and boarded an uptown car.
Some hours later, warmed, fed, ant
comforted, he sat down in deem
room and made an inventory. The
purse contained $40 in gold, some sill
yer, and, attached to bit of ribbon, {
little silver Filipino coin. A card in
scribed with Miss Moore's name IL
full and number on California stree
offered every facility for the return
of his treasure-trove.
| That night the young man was to,
worn out for reflection, but over hi
breakfast the next morning he re
solved to break a commandment-anc
the gold-clothe himself decently
make fresh start in life, and in tim,
liquidate his indebtedness to Mis-
Dorothy Moore.
Perhaps his lane had neared
turn, for few days afterward he Sc
cured small clerkship in WHOLESALE
house; but SO very small was tn
clerkship that several months ha,
elapsed before the purse assumed it
former comfortable proportions.
In the meantime, with securit,
against the necessities of the hour
youth reasserted itself, and quickene,
with the neyer-satisfed longing afte
the happiness it claims as its birth
right. An illusory picture-born of
dream and shaped by fancy-in which
Dorothy Moore was the central figure
occupied much of his thoughts. H
assured himself that some reason wa
due her for the detention of her prop
erty during so long a period, AM
wasted considerable time and station
cry in attempting to give one. With
out any conscious wish to stir he
Imagination or awaken her interest
his few unsigned worlds of thanks an,
explanation yet revealed more of hi
darkest hour than he was aware. Il
them were sufficient food for curiosi
ty and smypathy-sworn enemies t.
forgetfulness. OF his reason for re
tanning the little Filipino coin he CAV
no hint.
| A week later a chance paragraph