Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-04-18

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plant. whose large curled up leaf, shap
ed like Il teacup. not only holds last
ing quantity Of rain water, but mixes
Herewith it's own palatablc and nat
ural juices.
With hi:; knife he severed two OF
the leaves a::d FASTENED t. Iris with
tie prcci),is beverage. She heard him
and managed TO raise herself OIL an ell.
bow. The poor girls eyes glistened at
the prospect of relief Without Il word
of question or surprise she swallowed
the contents of both leaves.
Then she found utterance. "How
odd it tastes. What Is it?" she In.
quired.
But the eagerness with which she
quenched her thirst renewed his own
momentarily forgotten torture. His
tongue seemed to swell. He was alb
sOlutely unable to reply.
The water revived Iris like a magic
draft. Her quick intuition told her
what had happened.
You have had none yOurself.' she
cried. $50 ut once and get some! And
please Erin. ne some more.
He'reIuirej 10 second bidding. Aft
er hastily gulpng down the contents
of several leaves he returned with a
further supply. Iris WAS now sitting
up. The sun had burst royalty through
the clouds, and her chilled limbs were
gaining some degree of warmth and
elasticity.
What is it?" she repeated after an
other delicious draft.
THE leaf of the pitcher plant. Ma
ture is not always cruel. In an un.
usually generous mood she devised this
method of storing water"
Miss Deane reached out her hand
for more. Her troubled brain refused
to wonder mt such reply from IN ordi-
nary seaman. The sailor deliberately
spilled the contents Of remaining leaf
on the sand.
NO. madam" lie said. with an odd
mixture of Difference and Gr:nness NO
more at present. | must first procure
you some food"
She looked up ut him in mOmentary
silence.
"rhe ship is lost?" she said after a
pause.
"Yes, madam"
".Are we the only people saved?"
81 fear So"
as this a desert island!'
81 think not. madam. 1t may by
chance be temporarily uninhabited, but
fishermen from China come to all these
places. 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 magnifi-
cent vessel of her size and strength?"
He answered quietly: 1T is too true,
madam. l 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 flood of vivid recollection
was pouring in upon her.
"I-er-well, I happened to be near
you. madam, when the ship broke up,
and we-er-drifted ashore together"
She rose and faced him. II remem-
ber now." she cried Historically. "You
caught me as l 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 l 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.
"Why." she went on. with growing eX-
element, 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 accid at OIL board during the
gale. madam. l am fair sailor, but
a poor steward. so | 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 repeated
slowly. 1t seemed that this obvious
fact needed to be indelibly established
In her mind. Indeed the girl was over
wrought by all that she had gone
through. Only by degrees were 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 1t be
that they were all dead? The notion
was monstrous. But its CHASTITY signif-
icance was instantly borne in upon her
by the plight in which she stood. Her
lips auivered; the tears trembled In her
eyes.
rs it really true that all the ships
company except ourselves are lost"
she brokenly demanded.
The sailors gravely earnest glance
fell before hers. "Unhappily there Is
no room for doubt" he said.
Are you quite, quite sure"
81 am sure-of some" lnvoluntarily
he turned seawurd.
She understood him. She sank to her
knees, covered her face with her hands
and broke into a passion Of weeping.
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