St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-06-24

mo, no; I want to stay here with
ah!"
He flung an arm about her. Hold
hard, Joe! Give her her head. Now!
Steady!'
Then he looked down at the
drenched little figure he held.
aren't you afraid?"
mot with you," she answered from
the shelter of an arm that seemed
strong enough for all things. 1t was
simple truth, simply stated. LET me
stay he heard her plead.
"All right" he answered gruf11y;
"but I'll have to lash you up"
1t proved to be sitter gale than
even he had anticipated, and all
through the long night hours he
fought with every nerve and sinew,
fought with bleeding hands and half
blinded sight for her life and his. Did
not life hold more than he ever
dreamed? The sea he had loved
seemed suddenly to be no longer
friend, but an enemy. He set his teeth
and fought once more-fought with
half lifetime Of knowledge of his
enemy at his back And all the while
in the eyes of the woman there grew
passion of admiration for the cool
daring and mastery skill of this lone
ly seafarer. She knew enough to
recognize that not one man in thou
sand could have handled the little
craft as he did. Once in a momentary
lull he asked her again:
aren't you afraid?"
And she gave him the same simple,
straightforward answer; mot with
YOU" Then he caught the look in her
eyes, and he laughed aloud in sheer
joy, and fought again. To himself he
always said after that it was mainly
her courage and her faith that night
that saved them-that he would have
given in but for what he read in her
eyes in that momentary lull.
Sometimes she put out her hand and
touched his. The touch seemed each
time to thrill him through with new
strength. They were two solitary hu-
man souls facing death together in the
clash and turmoil of natures elements,
and it was their only means of COM
munication. For after that lull the
storm gathered up fresh strength, ard
they never spoke again till at last. in
the chilly gray dawn, he turned stih1y
toward her, and with his aching, blood
stained hands loosened the lashings
that bound her. Then quite simply
and naturally he bent and kissed the
little white, wet face. But Della only
laid her cheek against his rough, sea
drenched jacket and sobbed.
Come" he said gently, land I'll get
hot"
Il think we can fix you up all right,
he assured her, as they sat together
over their necessarily simple fare.
"My home is at Trewynn, a few miles
from here. l can run you in there by
four o'clock, and the carrier passes my
door about five. There's no railway
but he'll land you at
Penwitha by nine o'clock. Will that
do your"
"Yes," she whispered, conscious only
of great darkness on her horizon.
He laid his hand on hers. -
you are brave woman" he began
slowly. Il never knew women before.
I didn't know there were women like
you"
She bent her head, knowing there
was that in her heart he must never
read in her eyes. Last night she had
drunk her deepest of life's cup; this
only the dregs of bitterness
remained.
Della" he said, softly.
"Hush!" she whispered.
But he only smiled down at her. |
We have faced death together, you
and l." he began. stroking the cold |
title hands that lay so passively in |
lis. now"
'sNow," she interrupted, and all her
will could not crush the pain out of |
Ter voice, "now we must say-good- by"
"Why?" he questioned, vaguely
nystif1ed. Did he not know that life
lad begun for both of them last night |
last night in the midst Of the clash
md the tumult he had never feared be-
ore?
To-day" she said. slowly struggling
or an even monotone, to-day is my
Wedding day."
Honor is a great thing" he said,
lowly.
eyes," she whispered. It was state
nent, not a question. The rumble
anne nearer. He lifted her hands to
lis lips.
"Good-by, little girl"
"Perhaps-?" she questioned.
He understood that her thoughts
ad flown beyond life. He had almost
imagined himself an agnostic, but
boxing down into her eyes he an
wered with sudden, grave conviction:
For certain
'Till then-good- BY" she whispered.
Her cheek rested moment against
is hands, and then. behind all the
ain and the strife, he seemed to see
4 her eyes the dawning of a smile
he smile of one who has conquered
fe and life's somber mystery.-Chi-
ago Tribune.