Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-08


smile you cannot see."
| Then thought smote her heart with terror
But you-ah, you-with no horror aWalthg
you in life, for you it is sweet, and would noC
have you die. Perhaps alone you could save
yourself, YOU are so strong. Promise me that II
there is the slightest chance you VIII not leu me
hinder you. Let me go now-it can only pe :, "a
moment or two longer at the most, and maybe
ia little sob in her throat-"maybe L shall clnB
to you at the very last, because they say IL lS
hard to gasp for breath when ones pulses are
full of life, and perhaps I shall not know that
am clingng-promise me that II li' cuanIe
comes YOU will save yourself?' she almost shrleh'
ed above the deafenng roar of the water.
Listen to mel! he said hurriedly. 81 believe
there is chance for either of us but someho"
| don't care, if life means to be without you
living or dead. In the instant that is lett, near
me- | shall not leave you ever. L snah holu
you as long as my strength lasts. You have
given me the happiest day of my life; the mgnt
comes, but I shall have you in my arms
The closed car had resisted the flood at first,
but it rushed in with a horrible, mutfed
surging, rising like wave until it swept about
their feet and chilled them to the bone. Out
side vast cakes of ice pounded at the windows
There were no lights anywhere, no sounds out
of the water.
The woman cung more closely to her COM
panion. He lifted her to the back of the chair
as the fearful tide climbed higher. 1t wos now
to their waists, aud she shvercd continuously as
it benumbed her limbs; but still he held her
lips against his own and said, "Ah, but you are
sweet as you told me you could be-"
The moment came swiftly when they knew it
was time for the farewells to be said for they
were both fast losing grasp on life, and heart to
heart the words were spoken, solennly, ten
derly.
81 do not regret my day." she said, as he held
her higher that she might breathe an instant
longer in the sitting air before the flood in
quilted them; and he echoed Neither do l re
gret mine-and so, dear heart, goodnight"
Then it was that she made supreme effort
and flung herself down that he might not lose
the last faint little chance of his life because
of her cliniging hands. With hoarse cry of
agony he plunged after her, cropping bhndIy In
the darkness. When he came to the surface 1t
was to clutch the chandelier rod and to have
again in his arms the drowning woman who
would have given her life for his. But so rapid
ly do the comedies of earth follow the tragedies,
that it was at this moment the heavy cable
which canny brakeman had unwound from the
parlor he ran began to do its work.
fastening out before the full meaning of the
had been realized by the ilfated oc
cupants of the train, he had cried the alarm, and
stout engines behind and beyond the fury of the
food, now were dragging it to a position of
safety.
When the two in the last car were released
from their peril, both were too much exhausted
to feel any particular interest in the subsequent
which included very heroic treat
rnent from the natives in the vicinity of the dis
aster.
The next day the man. in spite of his power
fu frame and splendid health, ravng in a
fever with indications of pneumonia. The lady
in gray looked well to his comfort, engaged
nurses, and left him to go on her way. When
he came out of delirium, three days later, he
cursed by all his gods, the nurses, the doctors,
the natives, and the railway officials for allow
ing her to depart. One venturesome person en-
deavored to arouse some sense of selfrespect IN
the patients breast by suggesting that he him
self would scarcely make such row over some
BODY who apparently was not enough interested
to stay, when he had saved her life by clinglng
to the roof ola car like bat. But the violence
with which this intimation was received did not
tend to speedy recovery, and it not until the
doctors allowed him to see letter which had
been left for him that he suddenly became as
peaceable lamb.
The letter thus:
"My Galahad; In leaving you, ! leave all that
life has for me. l think it will disillusion you
to find that go when you are too i'll to know it,
but this is best, even if it is the hardest task l
ever had, and I have had many.
''Do not seek me out; it will be useless.
shall know that you are getting well. l shall
always have the rosary, for have had my day
You are the noblest, tenderest heart in the
world nv Galahad, and SO, Good-by."
Of course, he did try to seek her out. The
MATS nature stirred to its foundations, and
he was so wretchedly unhappy that the only re-
lief was in hoping for glimpse of her face. He
haunted the railway stations, and many were
The indiscreet catechisngs which the officials un-
1eryent Finally, one day it was the ermne-
lined coat that gave him clue.
Moping miserabIy at the club. months after
the incident which. had changed his views of
life, he started out with the thought of calling
At fashionable uptown home where welcome
always awaited him. 1t was here that the clue
was afforded by one who would never intention
ally have rendered such a service
Beautiful and widow, Mrs, Ang would
rather have had careless glance from this
mans eyes than vows of alteration from another
"You look as if you had something your
mind" she said after the greetings, which were
rather effusive on her part because of his long