Evening star., 1909-08-29

down to doom, making maelstrom with suck
ing spirals and clashing waves that met above
her decks and licked the sails ere they sank
into the depths Four boats rocked mourn
fully on the Close by drifted the sinister
shape of the derelict; her fallen mast, freed
from the sunken ship, hung slanting in the dark
water. Frightened birds, disturbed by the
crash, circled screaming in the air.
FEAR and CHASTITY wonder possessed the men,
They rowed toward the floating monster.
Beneath its ragged raiment of Jungle foliage
they discerned the familiar hull of ship. They
clambered aboard. Their dark shapes and low
voices broke the seals of the night and caused
this suen hull of destruction, this rank garden
of silence, to TEEN with human life.
The awestruck sailors bore their Captain to
an open space near the stern, where they laid
him. crushed and helpless with ships lantern
beside him. One of his legs had been broken
by the falling mast
Where am I?'' he asked, his eyes bent on
the branches of the tamarisk above his head.
On the derelict we struck, sir the first
mate replied She's covered with earth and
trees-most wonderful
And where's my ship?"
Sunk sir" murmured the mate mourn
fully, with lowered head
The Captain fcebly closed his eyes, The Ian
ternlight beat on his pain blanched face,
framed in gray beard and long iron-hued hair.
One of the men, thrusting aside the light
bracken, held lantern over the stern and
spelled out the tarnished letters of gold
"S-e-r-a-p-i-s. Serapis!' he said.
The first mate started violently. The stunned
master caught the word through all the treach-
cry of his senses.
Mr.. Monroe he whispered to the officer,
did he say the Serapis?"
AYE, sir, the Scraps, our old ship"
Painfully the Captain raised himself to a Sit
mighty wonder They were fixed upon the con-
stellation of the Southern Cross, which seemed
to rise and sink in gap between the trees.
The Isandula sunk! The Scraps still afloat!
And it's five years since saw her, burning like
a torch sail off through the night Lord Cod"
The soul of James Vance in its extremity was
once more confronted by the vision that would
not vanish. He covered his face with his hands.
Then, Mr.. Monroe" he said family, and the
mate bent down, somehow l feel that She
Mary-is still here, here in the ashes that were
her dear body And if you think I'm done for,
don't you nor the men wait for me. For isn't
it fit that lie down here beside her, she that
was my good WIFE, here on the old ship that
was our wedding couch, our babes cradle, and
her coffin."
At once there was heard a weird, shrill
scream, which wrung sudden cries of alarm
from the men. This was followed by the sharp,
yelping barks of animals and the violent cackle
of birds. The startled men of the sea turned
and saw, emerging from the ground as If from
a grave the emaciated figure of woman with
bare arms and long gray hair, almost hiding her
features her body draped in rude garment
shaped from weatherbeaten sai!cloth Her feet
were bare and before her crouched four snarl-
ing jackals with Pickering eyes, barred fangs, and
bristling crests. A long tailed, white and yell
low cockatoo perched upon each shoulder.
Slowly and fearsomely she advanced wild,
vague light burning IN her eyes. Then she
stood still and surveyed the group of astounded
men. By the shine of the lantern they saw her
expression change and slow beam of inteli-
gence begin to dawn in her eyes.
Nary cried James Vance in a voice that
broke with huge, inarticulate fear.
At this she gave cry and sprang forward
and flung herself on her knees beside the in
jured Captain. fierce, wild JOY transhgured
her. Jamie. Jamie!" she cried. It's Jamie,
my Jamie praise to God And ye do still
ken your Mary, my puir good lad? Your Mary
that's lived to hold you in her arms once more,
that's lived past the dole and terror o the
years, as we've lived to make all right again.
She bent over the rugged, bearded man in
whom inhuman terror had now given way to
human tears and as he sobbed softly, with his
arms about her the lips of husband and wife
met in the kiss that heals and makes happy and
unites.
And the Sailors who had lost their ALL stood
with the salt tears falling from their eyes about
the two who had found themselves, and thus
gained all
nN the afternoon of the following day Brit
~ ish steamer bound for Valparaiso sighted
the signals of the derelict and took the officers
and crew of the Isandula aboard. Mary Vance
p,,rcipo har ini,,red husband with all the