Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-30

UyaHan One reef sheltered her as she lay
upon another straining and grooming, like
beast in pain Her bows had climbed over the
hidden rock pointing scornfuly upwards till
they had bent with their weight and sagged down
ward again Now the forecastle was half submerged,
and the water poured in and through great rents
The vessel was twisted amidshps, the deck-planking
had opened in places and part of the music saloon had
fallen in; but the unnjured and lay in deep
water They carried aft the boats that available
and launched them there
Beyond the oasis of calm heavy sea swept shore
wards in towering green waves until it reached comb
of Jagged rocks and poured through the openings in
sheets of foam to long, sandy beach Three tossing
boats were approaching the rocks slowly the cur
rent would suffer- looking for a passage through The
fourth-the last remainingwas just leaving the ship
The men who had lowered it. with appliances but
bare ropes rubbed their chafed hands on their trousers
and mopped their foreheads, and gathered together
silently-excep tall gentleman of about forty He left
the rest and toward lady, who stood back little
watching them. The rest of the women and all the
children, were in the boats.
She turned when he reached her, and they walked
forward together He patted her shoulder approvingy
and she smiled family him. She about hve-and-
thirty could scarcely be called good-ooking, but very
lkable when she smiled
That's why she wouldn't go in the boat" one of the
gathering observed
Then they silent again,
The man and the woman silent too. When they
reached the end of the saloon promenade beside the
wrecked music-saloon they stopped and rested their
arms on the rail and gazed at the shore mile away;
not they wished to look the shore but as if they
feared to look at each other The chief officer
swiftly down the narrow ladder from the navigation
deck with two life-belts his arm
Best put them on" he advised, but | don't think
he He ed he
She'll go in ten minutes"
The man laid belt the deck, while he put the
other round the woman. She held up her arms and
smiled at him all the time When he finished his task
and picked up the other belt, she took it from him.
LET me do it for you" she offered al should like
10 if l may"
His grave face lit up for moment
81 shall like you to" he told her. You are brave
woman
Drawer than I thought" she assented. 81 used to
think that l was us-ordinary; that all Now
I think it was life that was ordinary not What
shall we do with the rest of 1.-THE ten minutes?"
LET us open our hearts, the man proposed We
may venture now. Dear lady, have admired you and
liked you all the voyage. We shall go friends to-
gether, think?
4" I wish no better company" she told him.
is there no one who has better right? he asked.
No one. And your"
"No one"
"And that she said is why thought life or
binary, l suppose"
He nodded and they rested their the rail
again and gazed at the boats approaching the shore
There were only two now-no three. One lay upturned
on the beach Spec<s of humanity crawed out of the
foam Some rushed back at the risk of their lives and
pulled out others
"Yes" he said 1--WE are drawer than we thought.
Do you see the bounder man, called him?" He
pointed to the group at the STERN One might have
expected him to fight for place in the boats. When
saw him carry the first child down, thought it was
an excuse to get place for himself but he carried halt
a dozen more down and came back cheerfully every
time He managed to cheer them too wiped their eyes
and oted at their fears in his boorish way got some
packets of sweets from the bar and threw them down to
the boat and kissed his hand to them Now he's light
ing cigarette. Yes, we're drawer than we thought
You dear lady, are the braves and the best You gave
up your life when you gave up your place in the boat
Why?"
"The children have no mother" she explained; and
he is such good father to them They need him; and
1 have one"
He took her hand
You have friend" he assured her
eyes" she said simply. That the other reason
why I remained"
"Me?" He looked at her quickly.
You wonder-it doesn't matter what we say now,
does it'll wonder if we really cared for each other"
All! said the man. " wondered too out thoughl
women always knew"
She shook her head
al liked you, certainly; but have liked other men,
l never liked any of them enough. You see am not
marrying woman. have-I had aims in life Marriage
meant sacrificing much 1t sacrifice for an lnde-
pendent woman-to give UP your individuality; TO De
Mrs Something Else not your own name lett!
And for what? To be a toy and playthng for a year
Perhaps not year-dont call it selhshness I'd have
given up everything if had thought that love would
last My dear friend it doesn't last You and are
not children We have life We know! But the
womans lasts longest afraid of that
Il know" The nodded 81 liked you, too; liked
Won more than was comfortable thought it out many
time It was more than liking, Marian. / quckened
at your coming warmed at your beautiful smile"
Dear friend" she protested we can be candid now
You know that ! am not beautiful
Indeed" he declared thought you were. 1t was