The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-22
VILE WENT ON TO TELL CT M ScUTTLiNG

She sailed before me on the Prosper pine"
 Arthur wardiaw fixed gaze of hor- row on the General. His face became livid. He cried: "The Proserpinew and fell forward on the table with face working fearfully.
 The General looked from one to an- other. Slowly Wylie told him what had happened--that the Proserpine had sunk at sea and the cutter with his daughter had set off for Juan Fernan- deg, which 1t evidently never had reached. The old warrior gripped tn e table and bowed his head under the blow without one word; a5l s
 Then Wardiaws Senfcf stepped into the case. Arthur broke down complete. ly9 The old merchant came from his retirement to take the holm for time. Upon his keen direction the steam sloop Spr:ngbok was prepared for a long voy- age. Tn a week General Rolleston was steaming down the Channel to search the South Pacific.
 At that very moment Helen Rolleston and Robert Penfoid were safe and sound on a gloriously beautiful Island in the Pacihc--safe and sound. but cut hopelessly on from the world. Like Wylie's boat, the cutter had drifted and sailed for more than two weeks. Long before the end of that time hum ger and thirst had nearly maddened the castaways. Penfold had kept up their courage by all sort of expedients. He even had managed to distill some water with a bottle and a rubber bag; but the crude apparatus had burst and there was nothing to replace 1t. At last the men drank what was left of the rum and decided to kill the girl. Two sailors stood by Penfold. In the fight two of the attacking party were killed but the two loyal men also got their death wounds. The oth- CT sailor went mad and leaped into the sea. Before the two loyal men died they insisted on making their declara- tion that the ship had been scuttled. and Penfold recorded their afidavits and signatures in his prayer book.
 When the little boat came in sight of an island at last Hazel and Helen were the only survivors.
 Helen had learned to depend on Pen fold more and more. She had been in- spired by his heroism in the boat and awed by his unselhshness. With her quick woman wit she soon perceived that he loved her. Therefore it irn- pressed her all the more when his ev- cry action after they landed showed and that she had to fear nothing from him.
 He found a cave for her, while he himself slept in the boat, just far enough away so that he could hear her should she call. He made the cave wonderful with mother pearl shells which were found in prodigfous quan- titles. He brought her the finest fruit. the best fish and birds that he caught with infinite skill and patience.
 Each day she marveled more and more at his knowledge. his resource fulness and his strength. Each day his respectful attitude became still more respectful and, as was natural, each day she began to think a little more of this admirer who might so easily have urged his cause and who refrain ed so steadfastly.
 She told him about her health. He started at once to give her a course of treatment based on his reading of the new medical teachings about con sumption and lung troubles. He made rich broths for her and forced her to live almost entirely in the air and the sun. This and the wonderful climate of the island worked wonders. Very soon she found no trouble in breath ing and began to grow strong and brown. while her step was no longer dragging and listless.
 Penfold worked necessarily. The is- land was rich in fruits and game and had innumerable rills of fresh water. Food therefore. was abundant. and he had time for more difficult matters. He loaded the cutter with paint made from bitumen deposit that he had discov- cred. and painted on the rocks of the outer reef in huge letters visible far at sea:
 AN ENGLISH LADY WRECKED HERE
 On another line of rocks he write:
 BEWARE THE REEFS.
 He made a map of the place, and erected great signals on top of the tall est trees. On the highest hill he piled a huge quantity of wood, whose flame would surely shine over many miles of sea. should a vessel approach without sighting the island.
 But all this time his brain was busy with a still more important and far more dificult problem--how to send to the outer world the information that