The Washington times., 1908-12-17
CHAPTER XIV.
WHAT CAME At SUNSET.

time.
/ People meeting each other un-
eNpectedly in London or ST.
Petersburg would naturally express
establishment: by devious ways and nom
the ends o. the earth. accepted the fact
merely with grateful thanksgiving.
II was not really so wonderful to them
as that their sOgls. even more widely
separated. should have crossed the
spaces Of doubt and misunderstanding
and reached a mutual comprehension.
Yet they did not talk much of love at
that time; there were too many other
things TO be told. so many matters TO
be explained
Besides. il was so new and strange
TO them as yet that they were a little
shy of putting It into speech. nor was
there any need. Let their tongues, rat
tie on with this, or that, as might be;
their interchanged Elances. their touch
was continually telling TO each other the
old. eternal story.
Leaning on Helene's supporting arm,
for he was still spent and exhausted
from his long conflict with the sea,
Harrison recited his various adven-
lures, and Their she took up the tale
and told him hers.
BlushinG even yet over her unmaid-
emily forwardness. she told him Of the
letter in which she had virtually pro-
posed to him. and of her indignant
humiliation when she found that he
had seemingly paid no attention to it.
1t all seems funny now. JIM" she
smiled little mistiiy. quite a COM
edy; but then it was terribly tragic
In my bitterness vowed that I would
L 70 IA.
you came crawling starving 20 my feet
to beg a crust OF bread
Il tried to tear the very. recollection
Of YOU from my thoughts, 20 make YOU
a blank in nv memory. but I might
as well have tried TO cease to feel or
think. Our lives have been too closely
intertwined, 1 guess. for either Of us to
be able to forget. Something was al
ways popping I'D to remind me of you.
Why, even now" She paused. a whim-
steal. tender smile upon her lips.
'Yes?" he urged gently.
"Oh. 1 am afraid 1 will make vol,
too conceited if I run on this way with
out reserve. Well, if you must know.
1t was simply that as l strOIIed here
over the shore. the blue sky and sea
and the sunlight on the clean White
sand made me think somehow OF our
old childish playing along the lake front.
You remember our game Of WISH don't
your"
He nodded.
so, almost involuntarily, l made a
wish don't believe there was any
thing definite in my mind. I simply
wished for what 1 wanted most in all
the world. Yet YOU were in NV
thoughts. and secretly in my heart 1
must have known what il was 1 wanted.
Then I took another step forward and
saw you
OF course, there was but one answer
to make to this, and Jim drew her face
Gown t. his 20 give It. ....--.---
Finally, after long pause. he asked.
And did you recognize me at once?''
NO. At first, 1 simply realized that
shipwrecked man lay at nv feet.
Whether you were black " white. sailor
or savage. alive or dead, / could not
have told I was terribly frightened and
started to run to the men on the shore
Of the bay 10 get assistance
But 1 had gone only--a few steps
before 1 realized how cowardIy I was
Here was /, with a medicine case in
my hand, and able to do more than
any Of them. Besides. you might be
just at the last gasp and die while l
was taking time to summon help.
80 I came back, and, finding that
you were stiIl breathing. set to work.
Not yet did I know you. though. I
saw that you were a white man, ana
judged you were Of the sea by your
clothes; but your real identity did not
break upon me until. with the first
flutter OF returning consciousness, YOU
gave that characteristic little frown,
Jim, that puckering of the eyebrows
which is all your own.
And then how I worked with a
shiver Of retrospective terror Again
and again you seemed to be slipping
away from me. Once your heart stop
ped for a full minute But would not
| give you up. I seemed to be fighting
with tangible figure Of death for YOUR
( possession, and dehed him TO take you
/ from me-
| Every time you sank into his hold I
dragged you back. I forced your lag
gard pulse to respond to my treatment.