Evening star., 1909-05-22

balls OF twine together and bound ore
end around . plank. Then they threw
the plank overheard. and the current
carried 1t swiftly toward the rocks. II
struck one OF the snags. and leapt vio-
lently into the air. Then II went on the
beach. and one OF the sailors secured it
and waved his arm.
"Ah!' said the old sailor" that's BIZ.
He understands. He was a lifeboat maa
once. Bill was Look. He's telling the
rest"
He waved his arm In reply. and fas-
tened on a thin rope and the men dragged
1t ashore by the twine and then. by the
line, they pulled In a stout hawser--sev-
eral hawsers Joined. really. All ashore.
even the women and children. assisted 10
haul, standngsin a long row. Then the
men held the end. and the women and
children held the line attached to IT.
Those aboard secured their end firmly
to the ship. carrying 1t up TO the stanch-
ions Of the platform round the captains
cabin to give 1t as much elvation as pos
sible. and then their comrades ashore
pulled 1t as taut as they could-tugging
20 hard that the poop of the ship moved
yards nearer the breakers. The salors
substituted stouter rope for the cord
between the man and the woman. tied a
loop In the end Of the rope and creased
1t to make it run more easily They put
It over the hawser first. so that one
would hang at each side. and told them
to hold each other firmly Then two Or
three men held them over the side ready
60 start.
Now" asked the chief eficer. "are
you ready?"
wish each other luck" said the
bounder man. Don't mind us!''
Tho woman smiled at him bravely.
God bless you ALL" she said There
are more good people in the world than
thought Goodbye"
She lifted her face to the man and
they kissed each other.
IOQ DleSS you. ne sdlO.
"Go. cried the chief officer. giving
them q mighty push. and they slid swift
ly down the saggiug hawser. through the
drenching foam that sprang up from the
rocks and nearly took their breath away.
holding each other more and more tightly.
and rocking swiftly from side to side.
At first they went yer. cst. but as the
rope sagged their motion was slc..cr and
slower; and though the rope betv cen
them passed over the joins in the haws-
ers, the obstacles checked their speed
Then their feet dragged in the foam and
they moved very. very slowly. till at last
the current began dragging at their feet.
and the oldest sailor ashore yelled out
sharply:
Lower 'ems Lower EN-! The cur
rent II fetch EN-
And suddenly they splashed in the
water and the foam flew all over them:
and sailor. waist-deep in the water
and holding TO others in a chain. seized
them and dragged them on the beach
And. without waiting to be united. they
joined the rest in hauling at the rope for
the passage Of the next pair. who were
already at the ships side: but as they
pulled they kept smiling at each other.
"Oh." she whispered once. And we
thought life ordinary"
All their friends were ashore at last
were the final pair, and arrived coupe
OF minutes before the remains Of the
old ship broke up and disappeared. They
were heavy men and swung their legs
and landed unaided with a run: and then
a sailor cut the couples adrift. When he
severed the only lady from her companion
he grinned
1.-THE next time you're tied up" he
prophesied, it'll be a knot that can't be
cut-a parsons knot"
And the bounder man beamed on them
benevolenty--he felt as though lie would
like to lend some one a dollar, he said.
"I'n go and see II DONE" he asserted.
whether I'm asked or not"
Three weeks later, when a passing
steamer carried them off to England, he
was asked, and went. He gave the brislc
a wonderful gold ornament fashioned Ike
a fragment of rope tied in a sailor-like
way.
"The parsons knot" he informed them,
and the chief officer who was also asked
to the wedding, took 1t up and smiled.
eve don't call it that" he said. I'VE
can It true lovers knot"
THAT" said the bounder man, with Q
beaming smile. 'is what it will BET" 30