The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-03-15


She looked UP at him in lnomentary
silence.
AThe ship is lost?' she said after
pause.
eyes, madam"
care we the only people saved?"
81 fear So"
els this a desert island?
81 think not, madam. It may by
chance be temporarily uninhabited, but
fishermen from China come to all these
places. 1 have seen no other living be-
ings except ourselves. Nevertheless
the islanders may live on the south
side"
"It surely cannot be possible that the
Sirdar has gone to pieces-a magnif-
cent vessel of her size and Strength
He answered quietly: ut is too true,
madam. I suppose you hardly knew
she struck, it happened so suddenly.
Afterward, fortunately for you. you
were unconscious"
"How do you know" she inquired
quickly. A food Of vivid recollection
was pouring in upon her.
"I-er-wel1, I happened to be near
you, madam, when the ship broke up,
and we-er-drifted ashore together
She rose and faced him. Il remem-
ber now" she cried Historically. "You
caught me as I was thrown into the
corridor. We fell into the. sea when
the vessel turned over. You have saved
my life. Were it not for you I could
not possibly have escaped"
She gazed at him more earnestly, see
ing that he blushed beneath the crust
of salt and sand that covered his face
seWhy.' she went on, with growing e1-
citement, "you are the steward no
ticed in the saloon yesterday. How
is it that you are now dressed as a
sailor?"
He answered readily enough. There
was an accident on board during the
gale, madam. I am fair sailor. but
a poor steward, so I applied for
transfer. AS the crew was short hand
ed, my offer was accepted"
Iris was now looking at him intently.
"You saved my life she reseated
slowly. It seemed that this obvious
fact needed to be indelibly established
in hey mind. Indeed the girl was over
wrought by all that she had gone
through. Only by degrees We're her
thoughts marshaling themselves with
lucid Conference. AS yet she recalled SO
many dramatic incidents that they
failed to assume due proportion.
But quickly there came memories OF
Captain Ross, Of Sir John and Lady
Tozer, of the doctor, her maid, the
hundred and one individualities of her
pleasant life aboard ship. Could it be
that they were all dead? The notion
was monstrous. But its ghastly signif-
icance was instantly borne in upon her
by the plight in which she stood. Her
lips qslivered; the tears trembied in her
eyes.
rs it really true that all the ships
company except ourselves are LOST
she broAenly demanded.
The sailors grayely earnest glance
fell before hers. 'Unhappily there is
no room for doubt" he said.
care you quite quite sure?"
ct am sure-of some" Involuntarily
he turned seaward.
She understood him. She sank to her
knees, covered her face with her hands
and broke into a passion of weeping.
With a look of infinite pity he stopped
and would have t6ached her shoulder,
but be suddenly restrained the i'm
pulse. Something had hardened this
man. 1t cost him an effort to be cal
lous, but he succeeded. His mouth
tightened. and his expression lost its
tenderness
Come, come, my dear lady" be ea-
claimed. and there was tinge Of stud
led roughness in his voice ''yoa must
calm yourself. It is the fortune Of
sh;pwreck as well as ofaswar, you
know. We are alive and must look
after ourselves. Those who have gone
are beyond our help
"Dut not beyond our sympathy
walled Iris, uncovering her swimming
eyes for heeting look at him. Even
in the utter desolation Of the moment
she could not help marveling that this
queer hammered sailor, who spoke like
a gentleman and tried to pose as her
inferior, who had rescued her with the
utmost gallantry, who carried his qulX-
otic zeal to the point of first supplying
her needs when he was in far worse
case himself. should be 50 utterly III
different to the fate Of others.
I-o BE Continued