The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

BOOuDy4 AHQ the Key DfOke 1ns 'FI-FI-FI-I lost you. How about it?"
 The message which travelled back to Babylon was full of stops and hesitations and errors in the Morse code, as though the operator were beginner or nervous:
 ''She is here in the tower. Don't know how she got here. Tell Clark people If they start now they may make scooter passage at dawn from sayville to Point O Woods"
 The answer came from Babylon: Good boy. Clark and party start right away. Clark says this will be money in. your pocket. How" But Fire Island had thrown the wire open, cutting off communication. The morning was bright and almost calm after the storm when Dr. Clark and two assistants toled through the sands to the telegraph tower. At it's base 1 they met haggard young man. | "Shes up there" he said, beating their inquiries. "She's asleep and all right. I've switched the wire on to the keyboard 1 in my cabin, so that you will be all alone"
 He was turning away when the doctor stopped him.
 You're the operator aren't you? Well, how did she ever get here? Lord she ] gave me scare Her people are friends 1 of mine, too, and I wouldn't"
 'ThereF' said the operator. cutting him short and pointing to the inner shore. A wide, green rift showed through the ice pack clear passage into the open water of Great South Bay. Where this rift left the shore a white sloop lay wrecked on the sand, its jib, still set, whipped to ribbons.
 ''The wind ripped the ice open," he said. Happens that way sometimes, be- fore the pack sets. She must have been steering straight for the light'
 Well Pm confoundedl' said the doc tor. T knew she was something of a sailor, but to think of her handling a boat like that! Lord, I'm reieved-'
 Woodford looked the doctor in the eye started to say something, and stopped
 'Well?" said the older man, sharply you've got something to tell me-" 1 No," said the operator, i've got some- thing to ask you. Is she-is she-sane?" l The physician thew a glance of his keen eyes into the face before him. l "T1l tell you" he said, because you ve | helped me out of an awful hole, though it's really none of your business She's as sane as you or l. Her memory's gone that's all Too much study, and some- thing snapped. You wouldn't understand 1 if told you more'
 1T don't want to- said Woodford, as he turned and walked into the cabin.
 The night had been whirl of emo- tions, so that he had not slept nor felt the necessity for sleep In the early dawn he had fought out his dislusion- ment. There was no more emotion in him. Alone now, he dropped his ~ce into his hands, put his elbows on the kitchen table-and fell fast asleep. 1 The doctor, entering in a whirl of ex- citement, woke him half an hour later
 'Here!" he cried wake up! How did she talk to you last night? Did she seem to remember anything?"
 "Yes-why? For a man just aroused from sleep the operator was astonishing ly alert and eager. l Because-queerest thing I ever saw she seems to emember-symptom all good-shock or something-never saw any, thing like it.
 "Is she cured, doctor?'
 The eagerness of the question brought back Dr. Clark's professional caution.
 We cant be sure about that" He looked the younger man squarely in the face; and half smile, as though caused by an amusing revelation, curled the cor ners of his mouth The rift in the ice had widened under q 1 ghostly December sun. A sloop had put out from the mainland" to make the passage before night should close it. As 1 Babylon had already informed Fire Is- land by wire, Burke was aboard; and it would carry back Dr. Clark and his pa tient.
 The girl stood on the shore watching the little white vessel dance over the winter waves. Woodford watched. too, For the first time in many months there was no operator in the Fire Island tower,
 In quarter of an hour Burke would be back to relieve his loneliness The 1 operator smiled grimly at the thought. 1 Neither Burke nor any other man alive could bring comfort or company into his life on Fire Island thereafter For the girl was going away. His bubble of l dreams had burst
 She turned and came to him. There was a puzzled look in her brown eyes, yet she spoke as an old friend It's coming back to me-" she said .the old life I began last night to remember But. I can't seem to remember you in it and that's strange"
 He drew long breath.
 "I must go back to the tower now. -by--Helen.' Why do you say good-by-and why do you call me Helen? It isn't my name-is l it?'
 NO" he said, "but shall always think of you that way. Do you mind?'' | She repeated the name softly once. twice.
 | tNC' io'C to id'c you lHlnk or me | so."
 Tt was only a dream" he said unstead- 1 fly "and it's over" I've been in a dream, too" she said. "a pretty dream after a long, dead sleep. And I don't want it to be over-must it be over?" She moved closer to him. Was that what your good-by meant?'' l He nodded. The girl looked up into his | face.
 Aren't you coming back with me to help me remember?" | Dr. Clark had come up behind them. f His sharp tone broke in, Certainly he's coming back" he said. and he pushed Woodford aside | Its unethical to drop a patient in the | middle of a case" he whspered and then more seriously, Hang it, man. I'll see that the company sends a substitute through"
 Woodford turned and looked at the steel tower where Pollock on ,Torts' waited for his clients, the birds. He turned again to the beach and saw Burke's sloop rounding into the channel between the ice floes The girl drew close again.
 Wont you come, too?" she repeated
 Yes, Helen,' said the operator. "I'H come too"