The Virginia enterprise., 1909-02-12
MISS BETTY
By JUDITH GRAVES WALDO
Copyright, by Shortstory Pub. Coz

| full cargo was running south again,
we'll down the straits, when, in the
lurid dawn, the man braced at the
helm saw Jedediah slip from the rig
ging where he had climbed at mid
night on some strange purpose of his
own.
He came to stand by the helm, but
did not speak 1or some moments, and
when he did his voice was unsteady.
| Bring her-about!"
'What?' the man cried, and the
helm slipped point. They were run
ming before the wind.
Bring her about" he said with
steady voice. I'VE go back!"
| But the man jammed the helm down
and kept to the course, looking furtive-
ly about to see if any were near.
| I'm not daffy," said Jedediah quiet
ly, watching him, but I've seen that
thing that will take her back if she
goes with me alone. Will you bring
her about, Or" And cowed by Jede-
diah's eye, the man slowly showed the
helm over till the sails Quivered and
Stacked and then Jared to the shock
OF the wind, head on, and the men
were scrambling on deck with scared
| faces
Get to the ropes!" Jedediah yelled,
and every man was in his place. And
now she had to beat her way, and it
was not until she was rushing free
on the backward course that Jedediah
called the men to him. His face was
white, drawn, stern with big purpose,
but over his eyes was the mist Of
revery that was over Lucia's, and his
voice was full:
"Straight above us-maybe nigh
Rowe's Welcome-full two days run
wreck is pounding on the reefs.'
! Who spoke us?" some one cried
! out.
No one spoke u.s." Jedediah flung
wide his arms. II heard the Stating
OF her sails an saw red. Her. higgins
| strewn across decks-her masts are
gone, and men are clinging in the:
ropes and sails, and the wind off the
! foes is hard over them!"
! The men were huddled together,
white-lipped. Jedediah crossed to the
| foremast and turned.
I'm not daffy, men; bear me out
If We don't find her in two days
three-give me three-the oil is yours,
an your wage-l'n sign it."
man stirred and held up his hand
to let it drop again.
1t was no simple superstition of the
sea. Every sailor knew that such
things were, and they would not dick
er for oil with the man who had been
sent the reNeahpg. Jedediah climbed
slowly to the masthead. the men crept
back to their places, and Miss Betty
rushed on into the north.
The days were short in the northern
waters, and it was in the dimming
light of the third noon that the far
head]ands Of Rowe's Welcome showed
off the port bow, and almost at the
moment of sighting her, Jedediahs
voice rang from the masthead. There
were no words, just a great cry that
cut the wind and brought the men
clambering below him.
"Whar away?"
Keep her off! She's broad on the
lee bow" and the men swarmed up
the ropes and then clung there agap.
for across the sea that heaved and
swung and dipped below them, lay
battered wreck, her masts gone, the
rigging strewn across her decks and
the pounding sea against her. But
| there was no sign Of life over her,
and Jedediah's orders came in a voice
that lashed and bit them into quick &C.
| ton against the sullen weather. They
kept of before the wind and then
ran close to the reefs, and the long
| boat put out with Jedediah and three
men, though every one had begged to
go; and all the way he cautioned them
| what men became after days without
water and food. But when they were
| close on her, and there was no an
| swer to otheir shouts, two of the men
clambered up boldly by some trailing
ropes, and then fell back and cried on
| God with horrid, distorted faces, and
crouched by the gunwale, and Jede.
diah cursed them out of his way and
stood up on the deck. And then he
moved across it, without looking at
| what lay there, toward a tangle of
sails and ropes, and the two men, star
ing after him, saw a woman creep
from the shelter of the sails and lift
up her hands to him. She was gaunt
with famine, but her eyes were clear
and sane, and the great gold of her
unbound hair was about her, and
when she cried out to him with a lit
tie sob in her voice, Jedediah bent
down and lifted her. Betty" he said,
Betty"
WHY HE BUILT THE PYRAMID.