The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-03-02

kiliad her! Killed her! Who? ]
I don't hulieye you
Wait-t0 have supper with lie. and
! found her there on the cabin floor.
She was still breathing. Carried her
up on deck. There was nobody else
aboarc. carried her up and laid her
on the deck, and she died there. Just
now came after you to tell you,
and"-
But great heavens. mani Who
Killed her? Where is she? Oh! But
OF course it isn't true! How did you
know? Moran killed! Moran killed!'
And the schooner broke away after
started"
Moran killed! But-but-she's not
dead yet! Well have to see"-
"She died on the deck. I brought her
up and laid her on
"How do you know she's dead?
Where is she? Come on; We'll go right
back to her-to the station!'
Shes on board-out therer'
"Where-where is she? Man, tell
me where she is!'
Out there aboard the schooner. I
brought her up on deck-left her on
the schooner-on the deck-she was
stabbed in the throat-and then came
after you to tell you. Then the schoon-
er broke away while 1 was coming.
She's drifting out to sea now"
where is she? Where is she?"
"Who-the girl, the schooner-which
one? The girl is on the schooner, and
the schooner-that's her, right there
she's drifting out to sea-"
/ Wilbur put both hands to his tenn
pies, closing his eyes.
III go back"' exclaimed Hodgson.
"Well have the surf boat out and get
after her. Well bring the body back!'
! mo, nor cried Wilbur. ."Its bet
ter-this way. Leave her; let her go;
she's going out to sea - out to sea
again.
"But the schooner won't live two
hours outside in this weather. She'll
go down."
cts better-that way. Let her go.
I want it So"
j. Il can't stay; I can't stay here" said
the other. ''There's a storm coming
up, and I've got to be at my station
Wilbur did not answer. He was
watching the schooner
81 can't stay!' cried the other again.
IF the patrol should signal-I can't
stop here; I must be on duty. Come
back; yesl cane do anythingw
"No!'
Il have got to go!' Hodgson ran
back, swung himself on the horse and
rode away at furious gallop. inclin-
; ing his head against the gusts.
And the schooner in 4 world of fly
ing spray, white scud and driving
spoondrift, her cordage humming, her
forefoot churning, the flag at her peak
straining stiff in the gale, came up into
the narrow passage Of the Golden
Gate, riding high upon the outgoing
tide. On she came. swinging from
crest to crest of the waves that kept
her company and that ran to meet
the ocean, shouting and calling out be-
You'd there under the low, scuddinc
clouds.
Wilbur had climbed to the top of the
old fort. Erect upon it's granite ledge
he stood and watched and waited
Not once did the Bertha Alillner fall
ter in her race. Like an unbitted
horse, all restraint shaken off, she ran
free toward the ocean as to her pasture
land. She came nearer, nearer, rising
and rolling with the SEAS her bowsprit
held due west, pointing like a finger
out to sea to the west-out to the
world Of romance. And then at last,
as the little vessel drew opposite the
old fort and passed not a hundred
yards away, Wilbur, watching from
the rampant, saw Moran lying upon
the deck with Outstretched arms and
calm, upturned face; lying upon the
deck of that lonely fleeing schooner as
upon bed of honor, still and calm, her
great braids smooth upon her breast,
her arms wide; alone with the sea-
alone in death as she had been in life.
She passed out of his life as she had
come into it-alone upon a derelict
ship abandoned to the sea. She went
out with the tide, out with the storm;
out, out, out to the great gray Pacific
that knew her and loved her and that
shouted and called for her and thun-
dered in the joy Of her as she came to
meet him like bride to meet bride
groom.
''Goodby. Moranr' shouted Wilbur
as she passed. "Goodby, goodby, Mo,
ran! You were not for me-not for
me! The ocean is calling for you, dear.
Don't you hear him? Don't you hear
him: Goodby, goodby, Goodbye
The schooner swept by, shot like an
arrow through the swirling currents of
the Golden Gate and dipped and bowed
and courtesied to the Pacific that
reached toward her his myriad curling
fingers. They infolded her, held her
close and drew her swiftly, swiftly
out to the great, heaving bosom, tu-
multuous and beating in it's mighty
Joy, its savage exultation of posses
sion.
Wilbur stood watching. The little