The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-08-27


"It-they did"
"Yet you were brave, so brave" She
looked at me admiringly. What could
say? waved a hand carelessly, and
smoothed my tie. -.-
"While there's life there's hope" I
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"
''No, nor I cried. 'Not that! Any
thing but that!'
"The barrel which we had believed
held-held plumduff and-and-"
"Deviled kidneys"
"Hard tack"
"Ohw
eve discovered to be filled only
with"
"Crullers," I said, imploringly.
"With-with dumb-bells!"
'Dumb-bells? Why dumb-bells" /
asked, coldly.
For. an instant she looked non
plussed. Then she said, falteringly,
II don't know. They-they We're part
of the cargo, think"
Maybe she's training-ship," sug-
gested.
Helen blinked.
starvation stared us"
'You said that once" .-...,..
s'With a groan you covered your
face with your hands"
Eyes, yes" 1 cried. ''Then. like a
flash, 1 remembered that in the cap
tain's cabin I had seen box of beef
steak and onions. With an exclama-
ton of joy 1 dashed headlong down
the companionway. The box was still
there. Selling a large. thick steak,
I hurried to the galley
you're quite wrong" interrupted
Helen, inexorably. Hunger has gone
to your brain. You've had nothing to
eat for three days, and"
"No, 10, please! Not three days.
One, if you must, but not
2 "For three weary days." she insisted.
I groaned aloud and passed a, trem-
bling hand across the front of my
shirt. 1t was true! The pangs of hum
ger were already biting. I looked long
ingly toward the shore.
But that was net the worst!' 4
"Stop, stopr' I beseeched.
sssThe next day we drank the last
of our meagre store of water. Then
indeed Death hovered nigh"
':Tel me one thing" I begged, In
broken whispers. 'The the cask OF
Burgundy, vintage offs, and the two
dozen bottles of Scotch whisky in the
captains cupboard, they-they were
still there?"
Helen looked across at me pityingly,
and shook her head. With an an
guished cry 1 hid my face in my hands.
1--WE found the cask stove in and
the bottles broken to atoms" 8
'Did we?' muttered, vacantly. Il
had forgotten"
"Without food and water"
"Water, water everywhere, and not
a drop to drink" I gibbered.
"For three days We have drifted over
cruel, CLASSY sea, under q burning,
pitiless sky sEz<-- &:EE.. Ez.s
s.Pitiless sky" echoed, with parched
lips.
"And yet-and yet through it all
there has been one thing to comfort
us, one bright spot in the darkness
Of despair"
/ looked toward her eagerly. II
knew it! I knew it! There. was one
bottle saved! He had hidden it in his
bunkr
"Hushr' she said.
1 sank back again, weak and dispir-
tied.
"And that" she continued, with a
wrapt, dreamy expression in her eyes,
"and that was our love for each
other"
"Eh?" =:
"And that was our love for each
other" repeated Helen, softly. =.
ooh -er-yes; that, of course" l
said, hurriedly.
.What though we had known each
other less than fortnight? Love-
"Wbat thought murmured.
"L.ove is not born of time.< 1t may
blossom in a day, an hour, minute"
"a secondr'
$50 with our love-" She paused, and
looked dreamily over the sea. Was
she, too, thinking of luncheon? But
no. 1--WE loved each other at first
sight"
1--WE did," I affirmed, heartily.
Helen faltered; her eyelids fiuttered;
a tinge of pink crept over her hunger
pallid cheeks.
"Yet you would never have spoken
had not Fate thrown us alone together
here thousands of miles from shore"
I glanced startledly towards the
beach. 1t was not there! In panic
my eyes swept the horizon. ThanE
heaven! 1t was over my left shoulder
The tide had swung the dory around.
"For there was q gulf between US,
| Helen continued. II was an helress
and you were merely second officer .
"Oh, l sayw I demurred.
"But danger brought US together
Position, wealth, all else was forgotten
We loved each other; that wa:
enough" ... =
"Quite," I said, with satisfaction.
"There, with the tempest bowling II
our ears, tossed about by the angry
waves. alone on the ocean, the seal Of
silence was broken. Danger drew u:
together. You spoke. Wrapped II
each others arms, for time all wa:
forgotten. Love held our souls"
"Eh-did THAT is, well, did I kis'
you:"
NO." said Helen sharply.
"Oh." 1 considered. "Not even ont
tiny, little kiss:"
| ssNo, ,, uolon considered ssWo1l