Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1908-06-10

hldCen rock, pointing scornfully up
wards till they were bent with their
own weight and sagged downward
agailt
BE! Ond the oasis Of calm, a heavy
sea S sept shorewards in towering
green waves, until 1t reached a comb
| OF jagged rocks, and poured through
the openings in sheets of foam to a
long. sandy beach. Three tossing
boats were approaching the rocks as
slowly as the current would suffer,
looking for passage through The
fourth-the last remaining-was just
leaving the ship. The men who had
lowered 1t, with no appliances but
bare ropes. rubbed their chafed hands
on their trousers and mopped their
foreheads, and gathered together 81
| lently-except n tall gentleman of
about 40. He left the rest and went
| toward lady, who stood back little,
watching them. The rest of the wom-
en-, and all the children, were in the
| boats.
She turned when he reached her,
| and they walked forward together
! He patted her shoulder approvingly,
| and she smiled at him. She was about
| five-and-thirty; could scarcely be
called goodlooking, but very lkable
when she smiled.
That's why she wouldn't go in the
| boat" one of the gathering observed
"Aye!" said an old sailor. She's
the right Sort
Then they were silent again.
The man and the woman were
silent, too. When they reached the
end of the saloon promenade. beside
the wrecked music saloon, they
stopped and rested their arms on the
rail and gazed at the shore mile
away; not as If they wished to look
at the shore, but as If they feared to
look at each other. The chief officer
came swiftly down tho narrow ladder
from the navigation deck, with two
| life-belts on his arm.
Best put them on" he advised;
but | don't think they'll be much
use" He nodded toward the break
ers. She'll go in ten minutes"
The man laid one belt on the deck,
while he put the other round the
woman. She held up her arms and
smiled at him all the time. When he
finished his task, and picked up the
other belt, she took it from him.
Let me do it for you" she offered.
II should like to if may"
His grave face lit up for a moment
Il shall like you to-" he told her
You are a brave woman"
Drawer than | thought" she as
scented. Il used to think that 1 was
just-ordinary; that we all were. Now
| think it was life that was ordinary,
not we. What shall we do with the
| rest of 1.-THE ten minutes?"
Let us open our hearts, the man
proposed. I'VE may venture now
Dear lady. l have admired you and
liked you all the voyage. We shall go
as friends together. | Think"
II wish no better company" she
told him
rs there no one who has a better
right?" he asked.
No one. And you?"
NO one"
And that" she said, 'is why we
thought life ordinary. | suppose"
Yes" he said we are Drawer
than we thought You, dear lady. are
up your life when you gave up your
| place in the boat. Why"
Il stayed for a friend" she ex-
| planned
Me-" He looked at her quickly.
You. I wonder-it doesn't matter
what we say now, does It'll wonder
If we really cared for each other"
"Ah!" said the man Il wondered.
too, but / thought women always
| knew"
She shook her head.
| Il liked you. certainly. but have
| liked other men. ! never liked any Of
them enough You see. / am not a
/ marrying woman. have-I had
aims in life. Marriage meant sacri-
| hcing so much. And for what? To be
a toy and plaything for year. Per.
! haps not year-don't call n selfish
ness. I'd have given up everything il
| ] had thought that love would last
| My dear friend. Il doesn't last. You
| and | are rot children. We have seen
! life. We know, But the woman's
lasts longest. ] was afraid OF that"
81 know" The man nodded. II
liked you, too; liked you more than
was comfortable, thought IL out
many time. IL was more than Tx.
ing, Marian.
I was very tempted sometimes TO
ask you to give me yourself; but
you see. / also have liked others; and
not enough. I. too, was not sure II 7
liked you enough; but liked you more
than any ~ the rest-much more. I
used to fancy that some night when
the moon shOne-some night when
the end Of the voyage and the part
ing from you were nearer than I
tould bear-and you looked at me
with your beautiful smile-i could
never reason with that smile Of
| vourg