The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-08-23

| three times around Cape Horn TO
drown in pesky inlet of the Chesa-
peake Bay"
1t was bail to keep the little craft
from sinking to escape that awful
| pounding that made her culver as II 4
living creature. 1t was fight to keep
| her bow on to the waves, for she sore
| ly tried to shirk the encounter, and
| Sinking meant laundering. 1t was
gasp for breath as the gale beat itself
| into their lungs to suffocate them while
1t dashed the spume into their eyes to
blind them, and when the boat ground
| ed in the lee of the wharf at the Point.
DR.. Cockrill staggered like n drunken
man as he strobe up the wharf and
Captain Isaac painted as II he had run
| a mile. j,
Not a little task was the walk up
| the hill in the teeth of the gale to the
Hobson house. but they rid 1t. and the
door opened at their first step on the
porch, for a watchful woman has a
keen ear.
Il am afraid you are too late. doc
tor" she groaned.
He made no reply. but dropping his
soaked cape on the floor tramped up
| stairs to the sick room.
The little boy lay with beads Of
sweat on his forehead, writing in his
| effort to breathe. emitting that crow
| ing, rasping noise which tells that the
| hand of death presses sorely on the
| throat of his victim. Mrs. Hobson
sank upon her knees. quivering with
| the great despair which overwhelmed
her. for she had lost husband and
daughter. and this fair-haired boy
| alone remained to her.
Ioh Of IA Hxyin oh thA
| old doctors eyes CLEANED with the
light of battle. his lips gripped close
together and his gray beard seemed to
stand out like bristles. Here was a
contest with his old adversary worthy
of his steel: a more than halfbeaten
army to be rallied. beleaguered city
ready to open its gates to the enemy.
He flung his coat from him and rolled
his shirt sleeves from his hairy arms.
Get up" he said to Mrs Hobson,
shaking her roughly by the arm. She
was no woman In his eyes then, merely
fellow soldier in a great fight, and
she must do her duty.
Hot water" he said, curtly; and
Immediately" at the same time pour
Ing some medicine into a glass.
The gale stormed. but he needed 1t
not. He stood alongside of the wo-
man he had loved for thirty years and
needed her not. He SAW nothing but
the grisly shape at the head of the bed
which Knocked him.
Midnight tolled from tho old clock in
the hall. and the child lay gasping. Dr.
Cockrill's battle had been fought. Ma
ture must do the rest. He stood. his
fingers on the child's wrist and his
eyes fixed on his face. Mrs. Hobson.
on the other side of the bed watched
alternately the faces of the doctor ana
her grandchild. her face pale. her hands
tightly clasped.
For an instant the child seemed to
stop breathing. a CONFUSION writhed
his limbs, and then with a long sigh
he turned upon his side. DR.. Cockrill
bent over INN. md then raised his
head aloft and from his lips there
burst "a cry that old Captain Isaac. sit
ting by the fire in the dining room.
heard, and started from his doze.
Beaten. by God. Beaten agsin."
Mrs Hobson burst into thankful
tears as the doctor drew down his
sleeves and resumed his coat.
He'll do all right now" said he.
You go and get some rest. Ill watch
awhile. The danger is past"
She walked over to him and clasped
his hand in both of hers. 1t had been
thirty years since Mary Gibson's hand
had lain in his, but at the touch his
blood tingled and the wrathful eyes
softened.
Go now" he said. gently, Get a
little rest. The danger is over"
The half light of the early dawn
awoke Mrs Hobson from the sleep Of
utter exhaustion, and she FASTENED to
the sickroom. blaming herself for hav-
ing dared to sleep. The child was
sleeping restfully and DR. Cockrill. mis-
head on the pillow. seemed to sleep
beside him.
Tired out" murmured Mrs. Hobson.
glancing at him. then the glance be-
came a fearful one and she walked
quickly over to him.
DR.. cockrill had uttered his last de-
Aanes. had fought his last battle. -.