The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-05-28

a.
again.
Beyond the oasis of calm, a heavy
sea swept shorewards in towering
| green waves, until it reached a CONT
| 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 it, with no appliances but
bare ropes, rubbed their chafed hands
on their trousers and mopped their
foreheads, and gathered together ST.
lently-except a 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 aoprovingly,
and she smiled at him She was about
five-and-thirty; could scarcely be
called good-looking, but very likable
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
ailent, 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 a mile
away; not as if they wished to look
= the shore. but as if they feared to
came swiftly down the narrow ladder
from the navigation deck, with two
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 l may"
His grave face lit up for moment
Il shall like you to-" he told her.
You are brave woman"
Drawer than l thought" she as
scented. Il used to think that / was
lust-ordinary; that we all were. Now
4 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 1--WE may venture now.
Dear lady, have admired you and
liked you all the voyage We shall 70 |
as friends together | Think"
L wish no better company" she |
told him.
is there no one who has a better
right?' he asked
mo one. And you?"
mo one"
And that" she said, lis why we
thought life ordinary, suppose"
YES he said. I'VE are drawer
than we thought. You. dear lady, are
the bravest and the best. You gave
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. | wonder-it doesn't matter
what we say now, does It'll wonder
II we really cared for each other."
An said the man. Il wondered.
90, but thought women always
Knew"
She shook her head.
i liked you. certainly, but | have
liked other men. | never liked any of
hem enough, You see, | am not a
marrying woman. have-I had
inns in life. Marriage meant sacri-
icing so much. And for what? To be
toy and plaything for year. Per. {
laps not a year-don't call 1t selfish. |
ess I'd have given up everything il I
mad thought that love would last, {
ly dear friend. II doesn't last. You
nd are not children. We have seen s
re. We know! But the woman's s
ists longest. ] was afraid of that"
i know" The man nodded at t
ked you, too; liked you more than
as comfortable. I thought it out 7
lany time. 1t was more than ik- Il
lg. Marian. @
I was very tempted sometimes to 7
SIX you to give me YOURSELF, but
ou see, also have liked others; and b
OF enough. |, too. was not sure IL
ked you enough; but liked you more p
ian any OF the rest-much more. b
'ed to fancy that some night when
e moon shone-some night when
e end of the voyage and the mart
9 from you were nearer than a
'uid bear-and you looked at me Il
lth your beautiful smile-I could v
'ver reason with that smile of ri
'urs, Marian" n
She turned to him. and smiled. and n
took both her hands and kissed u
en- m
ala not mean to either" she con. el
ssed: but ! thought that perhaps OF
ar the end of the voyage, as you "
y-h you took my hand-I could CO
yer reason with the touch of your n
nd on mine. I-oh, yes, l should ii
We taken the risk, i think. II Won 81