The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1906-07-26

Hale knows about the suicide and
will break the news as gently as
possible"
"Yes, Hale knows of it," said
the friend. surprised you hadn't
heard of it,"
BabcOck was too much affected
to talk. He knew, too, the rela-
tion of Hale to Elvira Ellis. He
was aware Hale was the most dan
gerOus rival of Sherwood for the
girls hand. He knew Sherwood
always felt in doubt, even though
he was engaged to her. Hale was
rich and was favored by the Ellis
family, though it was generally
known his fortune had been accu-
mulated by more or less unscrupu-
lOus means.
Elvira Ellis found her health
benefited by her cruise on the Sea
Wing, but she was unhappy. They
had been out five days, and were
glad when the yachts nose was
turned homeward John Hale
had done everythingin his power
to ingratiate himself in her esti,
nation during the trip, and she
was expecting every day he would
renew his suit, particularly in the
event of Sherwood's death.
The second night on the return
trip the expected happened
"Elvira," he exclaimed, 81 love
you; have always loved you. There
is nothing want so much in the
world as you. Won't you be
mine?"
81 don't know" stammered the
girl, abashed, and permitting her
| hand, which he had seized, to re-
main in his. "It is too soon to an
swer."
"You mean Sherwood?" he
queried. "Why, he is gone;
drowned, and by his own hand.
Before that, his behavior-those
cards-hardly justify regret"
GAS you think So" calculated
the girl, with Il warm flush of an
ger in her cheeks, ~ will"
The sentence ended in a shiek of
horror, as, with crash of rend-
ing woodwork on the deck, the
yacht heeled over to it's beam ends,
,precipitating both to the leeward.
III.
Hale scrambled to his feet and
was hammering with furious fear
at the door, which had jammed,
when it was suddenly burst open
from the outside and the skipper
appeared.
"There's a schooner crashed |
into u.s." he said, trying to be calm.
"And there's a hole in our side
you can walk through. 1t can't
float but few moments, sir"
Hale vanished up the compan-
ionway and the captain turned to
Elvira and her mother, who had
entered at the crash.
"COme, ladies'" he said, catch,
ing the arm of each. at won't float
long. There should be boat in
the water by this time, and III see
you to it,"
He assisted them to the gig,
which had escaped injury in the
collision, and in which Hale, with
most of the crew, sat. Then he
jumped in himself.
"ShOve off," he ordered. SIf it
sinks now we'll be carried down
with it and we must not lose the
chance of the schooner picking
us up"
Theyacht vanishedin t he fog and
had hardly done so when a hail
came from its direction.
BOAT ahoy! you have left me
ii rang out.
"One of the hands," calculated
the skipper. "We must have left
him below. I-thought they were
all here" I
at is Harry Sherwood's voice." {
,ried ERira. "Go~backl o, go S
Dackw
"DO no such thing said Hale,
leartlessly. at is impossible
hat it can be Sherwood, and, if a J
nan can't look after himself at a v
ime like this let him take the con. ,
l
But his men, disposed as they I
we're toward panic, were too good /
eamen to desert a companion.
fhe boat CROPPED its way back to +
where the yacht had been. No
race of II could be seen.
1--WE must give II up;" said the =
aptaip, sadly, at last. 1T has
loundered. All, there Is light.
that is the schooner or a
ome other craft" 1
Fortunately, it did turn ont to
Ne the schooner, They were taken
board and landed the next morn
ng at a small coast town in Vir. II
inla. ~
Elyira and her mother hurried j
'ack to New York, where the girl q
las placed in a sanitarium. for 7
he persisted in her statement she 4
ad heard Sherwood's voice that {"