Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-20
CHAPTER XXXII.
FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE

~ INCE early morning the sur
@ geons from the English ships
~ had been working with the
wounded on LIE Formidable,
and details Of seamen had been work.
ing over the ship herself as well, 30
that, while she was still a picture Of
ruin and devastation, she was In a
very much better condition than she
had been. Most Of the severely
wounded had died in the interim, and
their bodies had been cast overheard
with as much reverence as the de-
mands of the living and their pressing
necessities admitted, which was not
much. Those who yet remained alive
were fast becoming amenable to the
treatment, but the ship itself was a
sufficiently ghastly place, in spite OF
all that had been done for her and for
her crew, to have appalled, the stoutest
heart.
Philips wife, however, saw nothing
of this. There was nothing before
her heart but her husband and his
welfare. She knew nothing, saw moth
ing, thought of nothing but him. She
had long since passed beyond the nor.
NAL capacity Of humanity to cxppri-
ence suffering-save in so far as he
was concerned. Nothing else made any
appeal to her deadened sensibilities.
She had still strength to get to his
side; after that
She sat in the boat, as IL made Its
way toward LIE Formidable, with her
eyes closed, her lips murmuring
prayers. And though her eyes were
opened on the ship, it made little Diff
ference to her. She stood on the
wreck as one blind. Hatfield helped
her tenderly over the side, and with a
word of explanation to the prize-mas-
ter took her Immediately below to the
great cabin.
They had given Grafton the room
that had belonged to the brave Admi-
raj du Verger, now peacefully sleeping
beneath the waves on the scene Of his
heroic defence.
AS they approached the door Anne
could hear her husbands voice. He
was alive, then, thank God! Hatfield
pushed open the door and she entered
At the head of the berth on low stool
sat grim old sailor, his face buried in
his hands. He lifted his head as they
entered, rose to his feet, and stared at
her
who be you. ma'm?" he asked.
81 am his wife," she answered, push
ing past him toward the berth.
There was her husband. He was
white, haggard, and broken. He
looked utterly exhausted-dying. The
fever which had possessed him had re-
duced him to the last extremity. His
eyes were closed; he was muttering to
himself. She bent her head to listen.
How the scene in the old house in
Quebec came back to her as she saw
him lying helpless before her thus
my ship!" he murmured. "My
ship! She strikes! Ha! She's going
down! LIE Thesee! My God, my wife
my wife-have mercy on me! My
ship-my wife-pity, o God, my wife
my wife"
"He's been sayin' them words for
three days. 'Tis his wife an the ship
all the time," whispered the old sailor
to Hatfield.
Anne stared at Grafton in strained
silence. He did not know her. Would
he ever do so? She thought, II he did
not recover consciousness, II he did
not cease that unwearying murmur OF
ship and wife, she would die there
before him. She was petrifed, ap-
palled, shocked by the cumulative
events Of the week-tried beyond en-
durance. She stared longer, growing
whittier as she did. Was she dying,
too? Well, what mattered It? They
would go together. Hatfield saw her
sway, and not with the motion OF the
ship. He sprang to her side and caught t
her by the shoulder. Old Slocum took
] her by the hands.