Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-09-05

Shortly, by divergent routes, tie part
ners rode unnoticed into town and into
the excitement of the holllip news,
while the tardy still fingered over
their breakfasts. Far out il the road
stead lay the Roanoke. black smoke
pouring from her stack A tug was re
turning from its last "trip to her
Glenister forced his lathered horse
down to the beach and questioned the
longshoremen who hung about
mo. It's too late to get aboard
the last tender is on its way back, ;"
they informed him. II you want to
go TO the outside you'll have to wait
for the feet That only means another
week, and there she blows now"
A ribbon of white mingled with the
velvet from the steamers funnel. and
there came slow, throbbing, farewell
blast.
Glenister's jaw clicked and squared.
quick, you menl" he cried to the
sailors. u want the lightest dory on
| the beach and the strongest oarsmen
in the crowd. I'll be back in FIVE min
utes. There's hundred dollars in it
for you if we catch that ship
He Whirled and spurred up through
the mud of the streets. Bill Wheaton
was snoring luxuriously when wrench
| ed from his bed by disheyeled man
who shook him into wakefulness and
into a portion of his clothes, with
storm of excited instructions. The
| lawyer had neither time nor oppor-
| tunity for expostulation, for Glenister
| snatched valise and swept into 1t a
/ litter of documents from the table.
Hurry up, manp' he yelled, as the
lawyer dived frantically about his Of
| fee in rabbit-like hunt for items
"My heavens, are you dead? Wake
up! The ships leaving" With sleep
still in his eyes, Wheaton was dragged
down the street to the beach, where a
knot had assembled to witness the
race. AS they tumbled into the skiff,
willing hands ran it out into the surf
on the crest of a roller A few lifting
heaves and they were over the bar
with the men at the oars bending the
white ash at every swing.
Il guess / didn't forget anything"
gasped Wheaton as he put on his coat.
II got ready yesterday, but couldn't
find you last night, SO thought the
deal was off"
Glenister stripped off his coat and,
facing the bow, pushed upon the oars
at every stroke, thus adding his
strength to that of the oarsmen. They
crept rapidly out from the beach, eat
ing up the two miles that lay toward
the ship. He urged the men with all
his power till the sweat soaked
Through their clothes and, under their
clinging shirts, the muscles stood out
like iron. They had covered half the
distance when Wheaton uttered a cry
and Glenister desisted from his work
with curse. The Roanoke was NOV
ing slowly.
The rowers rested, but the young
man shouted at them to begin again
and. selling boat hook, stuck it into
| the arm of his coat. He waved this
on high while the men redoubled their
efforts For many moments they hung
in suspense, watching the black hull
as 1t gathered speed, and then, as they
were about to cease their effort, puff
| Of steam burst from its whistle and
the next moment short foot of recog-
milton rea ahed them Glenister wiped
the moisture from his brow and grin
ned at Wheaton
A quarter of an hour later as they
/ lay heaying below the ships steel sides
he thrust heavy buckskin sack into
the lawyers hand.
There's money to win the fight, Bill.
/ | don't know how much, but it's
enough. God bless you. Hurry backY'
A sailor cast them a whirling rope,
up which Wheaton clambered; then,
tying the gripsack to its end, they sent
it after
Important the young man yelled
at the officer on the bridge. Govern
ment business" He heard a mufied
elang in the engine room, the thrash
of the propellers followed, and the big
ship glided past
AS Glenister dragged himself up the
beach upon landing Helen Chester call
ed to him and made room for him be-
side her. 1t had never been necessary
to call him to her side before, and
equally unfamiliar was the abashment
or perhaps physical WEAKNESS that led
the young man to sink back in the
warm sand with sigh of relief. She
noted that for the first time the au-
dacity was gone from his eyes.
II watched your race" she began.
ct was very exciting, and ] eheered
for you"
He smiled quietly.
What made you keep on after the
ship started? l should have given up
land cried"
Il never give up anything that !
want be said.
Have you never been forced to!
Then it is because you are a man,
| Women have to sacrifice a great deal"