The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-08-19
BY RALPH HENRY BARBOUR.

Hourly we scanned the ocean for
sight of sail. Once" She paused;
her voice broke with emotion. "Once,
far in the distance, low down on the
horizon"
Il thought 1, was horiZon?"
1--WE sighted speck, II faint blur
against the immenslty of the empty
world. All day we watched 1t, eating
nothing, silently praying that it miGE-
change It's course and come TO our
rescue. Yet when night came down
we We're once more alone In the vast
darkness"
"Or dark vastness," I offered. help.
fully.
when morning dawned again the
faint speck was longer there. a fright
full loneliness. an awful hopelessncss,
came over us"
"It-they did"
Yet you were brave. so brave" She
looked at me admiringly. What could
say? 1 waved n hand carelessly, and
smoothcd my tie.
While there's life there's hope" /
murmured.
You babe me keep up my courage
All, l needed your comfort then. Life.
was very empty for 4 while. You-"
well. you had me-" | reminded.
"Then-then the food gave out"
WHAT"
starvation stared us in the face"
"No no. cried. mot that! Any
thing but that"
"The barrel which we had believed
held-held plumduff and-and-"-
"Deviled kldneys!'
Hard tack"
"Oh!
"We discovered to be filed only
with"
"Crullers," I said imploringly.
"Wlth-wlth dumb-bells"
"Dumb-bells? Why dumb-bells?" l
asked, coldly.
For an instant she looked non
plussed. Then she said, falteringly,
Il don't know. They-they were part
of the cargo. l think"
Maybe she's tralning-shln-" sug-
gested.
Helen bllnked.
starvation stared U.S.
"You said that once"
"With Groan you covered yocr
face with your hands"
YES. yes" | cried. Then, like n
flash, | remembered that in the cap
tain's cabin had seen box of beef
steak and onions. With an exclama-
ton of joy | dashed headlong down
the companlonway. The box was still
there. Selling large, thick steak,
hurried to the galley"
You're quite wrong" interrupted
Helen, incSorably. Hunger has gone
to your brain. You've had nothing to
cat for three days, and"
NO no, please! Not three days.
One, If you must. but not"
For three weary days" she Insisted
groaned aloud and passed a trem-
bling hand across the front of my
shirt. 1t was true! The pnngs of hun
ser We're already biting. looked long
insly toward the shore.
But that was not the worstv'
"Stop, stop" beseeched.
The next day we drank the last
OF our meagre store OF water. Their
indeed Death lowered nigh"
Tell me one thing" l begged, II
, broken whispers ''The-the cask OF
Burgundy. vintage of rs, and the two
dozen bottles of Scotch whisky in th'
; captains cupboard, thcy-they were
still thcre:"
Helen looked across at me pityingly
and shook her head. With an an
gushed cry aid my face in my hands
I'VE found the cask stove In ant
the bottles broken to atoms"
"Did we?" l muttered, vacantly. :"
, had forgotten"
, without food and wdter--"
water, water everywhere, and no
. n dfop TO drink" | gibbered.
For three days We have drlfted owe
!. n cruel, CLASSY sea. under n burning
ptiless sky"
"Pitiless sky" echoed, with parche
- lips.
:. "And yet-and yet through 1t a.
there has been one thing to cOmfor
V us, one bright spot in the darkness
Q OF despair"
looked toward her eagerly.
II knew #. l knew II! There was on
bottle saved! He had hidden It In hi
r bunk"' .as.is,Il.
"Hush." she said.
ie sank back again. weak and displ
d tied.
And that" she continued, with
I wrapt. dreamy expression In her eye
he 'and that was our love for eac
n other"
NJ "EhT
,u "And that was our love for eac
ce other" repeated Helen, softly.
W, "Oh-er-yes; that, OF coursew
~. said. hurrledly.
gh what though we had known eas
nd other less than fortnight Love
sr. "what though?" l murmured.
:" Love Is not born OF time. II mi
Dt. blossom In q day. an hour, a minute.
pr. "a secondw
fe- 80 with our love" She paused, ai
ng looked dreamily over the sea. w
she. too. thinking OF luncheon, b
TX: no. I'VE loved each other ut nl
sight"
ed "ws did" affirmed. heartily.
on Helen faltered: her eyelids nutters
Ter tinge OF pink crept over heS husg'
ral INA riaeks