The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1906-01-19

bic rapidity. She tried to assume sit
ting posture, and instinctively her
hands Travelled to her disarrapged cos
tune.
How ridiculousw she said, with Il
little note of annoyance I'm her voice,
which sounded curiously hollow. But
her brave spirit could not yet command
her enfeebled frame. She was perforce
compelled to Sink back to the support
of Ids klee and arm.
do you think you could lie quiet un-
til try to find some water?" he gasp
ed anXiOusly.
She nodded childlike acquiescence,
and her eyelids fell. 1t was only that
her eyes smarted dreadfully from the
salt water, but the sailor was sure
that this was premonition Of lapse
to Inconsistencies.
please try not TO faint again." he
said. Don't you think I had better
loosen these things? You can breathe
more easily"
A ghost Of smile fIickered OH her
lips. "No-no," she murmured. "My
eyes hurt me-that is ALL Is there
any-water?"
he laid her tenderly OH the sand and
rose TO his feet. His first glance was
toward the sea. He saw something
which made him blink with astonish-
lnent. A heavy sea was still running
over the barrier reef which inclosed Il
small lagoon. The contrast between
the fierce commotion outside and the
comparatively smooth surface Of the
o,l-rI Il A
low tide the lagoon was almost com
pleteIy isolated. Indeed he imagined
that only fierce gale blowing from
the northwest would enable the waves
to leap the reef. save where a strip Of
broken water, surging far into the
small natural harbor, betrayed the po-
sition of the tiny entrance.
Yet at this very point n fine cocoanut
palm reared its stately column high in
air, and its long, tremulous frondS We're
now swinging wildly before the gale
From where he stood it appeared to
be growing IN the midst of the sea, for
huge breakers completely hid the coral
cmbankment. This sentinel of the land
had weirdly impressive effect. 1t
was the only fixed object in the waste
Of foam capped waves. Not vestige
Of the Sirdar remained seawad, but
the sand was Uttered with wreckage.
and-mournful spectacle-a considera-
bic number Of inanimate human forms
lay huddled up amid the relics Of the
steamer.
This discovery stirred him to action.
He turned to survey the land OH which
he was stranded with his helpless COM
panlon. To his great relief he discov-
cred that 1t was lofty and tree clad.
He knew that the ship could not have
drifted to Borneo, which still lay far to
the south. This must he one of the
hundreds of islands which stud the
China sea and provide resorts for Hal
nan fishermen. Probably it was in
habited, though he thought It strange
that none Of the islanders had put in
an appearance. In any event water
and food OF some sort were assured.
But before setting out upon his quest
two things demanded attention. The
girl must be removed from her present
position. 1t would be too horrible to
rsrNA her first conscious gaze to rest
upon those crumpled objects Oh the
too. that he should hastily examine
each Of the bodies in case life was not
wholly extinct.
SO he bent over the girl, noting with
sudden wonder that, weak as she was,
she had managed to refasten part of
her bodice.
You must permit me to carry you q
little farther inland" he explained
gently.
Without another word he lifted her
in his arms, marveling somewhat at
the strength which came of necessity,
and bore her some little distance until
n sturdy rock jutting out of the sand
offered shelter from the wind and pro-
lection from the sea and Its revela-
tions.
81 am SO cold and tired" murlnured
Iris. "Is there any water? My throat
hurts me-
He pressed back the tangled hair
from her forehead as he might soothe
child.
''1'ry to lie still for q very few min
utes," lie said. "You have not long to
suffer I will return Immediately"
itS oWH tnroul ana palate were Oh
fire owing to the brine, but he first
hurried back to the edge Of the lagoon.
There were fourteen bodies in all, three
women and eleven men. four Of the
latter being Lascars. The women were
saloon passengers whom he did not
know. One Of the men was the sur
geon, another the first officer, a. third
Sir John ToZer. The rest were passen-
gers and members of the crew. They
We're all dead: some had been peaceful
ly drowned, others were fearfully
mangled by the rocks. Two Of the Las
cars. bearing signs Of dreadful injuries,
were lying OH Il cluster Of low rocks
overhanging the water. The remainder