The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-09-11

you rugged q jury-mast."
II did," I assented. eagerly.
strove to look heroic. even going Il
the length Of removing my pipe: theE
a natural generosity reproved me
But you forget yourself" charged;
you forget the-er-the splendid A.
sistance you rendered me. You for.
get how. lashed to-er-lasiied to q
hen-coop. you labored bravely with me
through the long watches OF the night
and when morning dawned gray and
cheerless over a tossing, leaden sea
you"
Nothing of the sort" she inter
rupted. lyon forget that am a pas
senger. passed the awful hours in
my stateroom. praying for morning,
expecting every moment to be the
last"
"Oh." said !. IL had the wrong book; :
It's Clark Russell. isn't it?'
She paid no heed. With eyes fixed
upon the distant horizon, she spoke on
like seer. "A spell OF calm weather
followed"
ut did" said, humbly. II saw 1t
following"
Hourly we scanned the ocean for
sight of a sail. Once" She paused:
her voice broke with emotion. "Once.
far in the distance, low down on the
horizon"
Il thought IL was horizon?"
we sighted a speck, 4 faint blur
hA inn Of
world. All day We watched it, eating
nothing. silently praying that 1t might
change its course and come to our res
cue. Yet when night came down We
were once more alone in the vast dark
ness"
"or dark vastness," I offered, help
fully.
speck was no longer there. A fright
full loneliness, an awful hopelessness.
came over u.s."
"It--they did"
"Yet you were brave. SO brave!"
She looked at me admiringly. What
could say? waved a hand careless
ly and smoothed my tie.
While there's life there's hope"
murmured.
You bade me keep up my courage.
All, needed your comfort then, Life
was very empty for while You"
well, you had me-" | reminded.
"Then-then the food gave out"
"What?"
Starvation stared us in the face"
mo. no." | cried. Not that, Any
thing but that"
THE barrel which we had believed
held-held plumduff and-and-"
"Deviled kidneys."
Hard tack"
oh"
I'VE discovered to be filled only
with"
"Crullers." | said. imploringly.
'With-with dumb bells."
"Dumb-bells? Why dumb-bells?" I
asked, coldly.
For an instant she looked nom
plussed. Then she said. falteringly. II
don't know. They-they were part of
the cargo. / think"
Maybe she's a training ship" sug-
gested
Helen blinked.
Starvation stared US"
you said that once"
with groan you covered your face
with your hands"
Eyes. yes" / cried "Then. like a |
flash, remembered that in the cap
tain's cabin had seen a box of beef |
steak and onions. With an exclama-
ton Of joy dashed headlong down the
The box was still |
there. Selling large. thick steak, l
hurried to the galley"
You're quite wrong" interrupted
Helen. inexorabIy. Hunger has gone
% your brain. You've had nothing to
,at for three days, and"
mo. no, please. Not three days!
One. II you must, but not
For three weary days." she insisted.
groaned aloud, and passed a trem-
bling hand across the front Of my shirt.
I was true. The pangs of hunger were
llready biting. looked longingly to-
ward the shore.
But that was not the worst"
Stop, stop" beseeched
THE next day we drank the last Of
'ur meager store of water. Then in
eed death lowered nigh"
Tell me one thing" I begged. In
roken whispers. "The--the cask OF
vintage of rs. and the two
Oxen bottles Of Scotch whisky in the
aptain's cupboard. they-they were
till there?"
Helen looked across at me pityingly,
nd shook her head. With an anguished /
ry hid my face in my hands.
I'VE found the cask stove in and the 8
ottles broken to atoms"
did we?" | muttered, vacantly. II (,
adj forgotten"
Without food and water
Water. water everywhere, and not ,
drop to drink.'" gibbered I
For three days we have drifted over /
cruel, CLASSY sea. under a burning r
itilesa sky" (
"Pitiless sky" echoed, with parched J
ps. s
And yet-and yet through II all +
here has been one thing to comfort us, 4
~ II - -