The Cairo bulletin., 1904-09-13
CHAPTER XXI.
TIE WOMAN nERErT.

near IS they could to the contending
ships. Hatfield had naturally marked
the Torbay. He had seen the loss of
lie Thesce, and had put his ship over
toward the place where she had gone
down. AS he drew near he had or
dered out his boats, and at fearful
risk-for it was most perilous un-
dertaking to launch boat in such
sea--he succeeded in saving some 20
people frem her crew, among them
being Countess Anne and old jean
Renaud.
There were neither accommodation
clothing, nor any other conveniences
for tho reception of half-drowned
woman on the frigate, yet Hatfield had
done his best for her. He had given
up his own cabin to her and had made
her as comfortable as possible there
in, while he beat out to sea during
the awful night to save his ship.
Buckets of sand in which had been
placed heated shot had raised the
Temperature of the cabin, and Anne's
clothing he'd at last dried on her per-
son in the warm room. She had peen
unable to sleep, and with difficulty
partakan Of food Her condition was
indeed depiorable She had seen her
country's feet defeated; her grand
father had been most certainly
drowned, de Wire and de Kersaint !
likewise. The ship on which she had |
been had gone down, although by |
Jean-Renard's action she had been |
spared much of the horror of that |
awful scene. What had become of her
husband she knew not. consequently
she was filled with grief on the one
hand and apprehension on the other
Her state of mind, however, was not
quite 50 bad as that of Grafton, for
he thought that he had lost her. and
she still cherished the hope that she
would be able to rejoin him If she
were only assured of his safety and
they could be together again in the
end she felt she could bear all the
other hardships and losses, terrible
though they were.
She was ignorant, OF course, of the
|
enc else on the frigate. and Hatfield |
who had soon discovered her Identity,
10 reassure her as to her !
husbands safety. But i, was with |
sick heart, indeed. that she stood on |
the deck by his side, in spite of the ,
storm, wrapped in a boat-cloak which
had belonged to Grafton. and which he +,
had left behind in his hasty departure /.
for the 1'orbay week agu. while the ,,
Maidstone was running into the bay
With him she stared hard at the bro /,
ken shattered ships strairing at their
lablss In the storm which swept them
,n. She marked the three which had
been wrecked upon lie Four two OF ,
hem dismasted and ruinod with the
waves still pounding them
o pieces. She saw further away great
Dursts OF fame and clouds of smoke
Using from the two which were on fire a
ind burning furously.
Hatfield. whose treatment of her had -
,cen perfect-she would never forget
kept by her. supporting her on the !,
Uneasy deck of the unsteady ship, in Il
emily surveying the stenc, too He n
lid not see the Torbay among those +
i ans hor AS he drew nearer TO the II
-roup, however. he happened TO east .
glance TO leeward. and instantly rec =
sni1ed the wrecked ship on lie Four
The Involuntary start he gave. as the =,
ecosnition came to him. attracted the p
tteEstyn of Anne, who turned to him
s he stared at the remains of the -,
'orbay. Intu.tively she OWNED that
omething had occurred and she gave u
i'm no rest until he told her the truth. h
II seemed to her that fate could have
hid no heavier burdens than those she .,
ad already borne. until this last blow
ame She would have fallen to the ~,
eek had not Hatfield supported her
Ie endeavored of course, To comfort A
CT. but without success. Though the
orbay was wrecked. they could see 1.
nat many of her men remained on 10
or. and she still held together. II 81
"a quite likely that Grafton was safe, nj
e urged; in which event she would
ron sec him. r.,
Nerved by this thought, she sum- -.
oned her resolution once more, and ~
aiming over the rail gazed at the
rcck Of her husbands ship, and pos =,
bly, of her own hope and happiness. Ga
they swept on. She would know 40
! In short time, she thought; mean =,
hilc she must have the strength TO ~
Rit little longer. That wait was to
longer than she dreamed, and OF II,
the demands upon her strength Az
ade during the past week it proved
c greatest and the hardest TO be met sir
Hatfield intended to send a boat Of
the aagship at once. but when he fire
achcd suitable position for anchor wi
2. the seas were running so heavily
ID the STERN blowing 40 hard 1t was IN,
possible for him TO do anything all 90
at day. Indeed. he had to bring all 1 7
8 sesmanship and experience to bear w
save his ship. Anne. in fever of an
patient anxiety. had to wait as best yor
e could. Philip might be there on d
Il ship. wounded. dying. she could hai
{ get 10 him; he might be dead till
she. not knowing it. vet alive. {.
/. the raging sea. the cruel storm, asl