The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-11-23

Philip isn't -madness-is II the Ice
Madness"
IF 1t is" he told her, with laugh
that WAS steadier now. "if 1t is. 1t
has taken us both the same way. But.
really there is nothing impossible
about IT. OF course. the Aurora Is not
stcan1ing along toward us through open
water II she IL out there she is frozen
into the pack and she Is moving with
II. 1t was in the dead of winter that
the Walrus came here, and the Phoe-
nix. too. for that matter, and If the
Aurora was beset before she got too
far away and frozen up In the pack.
the drift would gradually bring her
! back here very slowly-only three or
/ four miles day" He felt her droop
a little at that.
How far are they away now,
Philip" she asked.
II don't know" he told her. For a
guess | should gay forty or fifty miles"
1.-Two weeks!" she computed.
thoughtfully. Philip, do you think we
can stand 1t as long as that Won't
we just-~just go mad with the agony
OF waiting for them?"
1--WE sha'n't have long to wait he
assured her. Remember, they said
they were coming. They didn't mean
they were coming with the drift. They
have set out afoot-sorne of them
over the Ice And. don't believe it's
Fanshaw who's sending those signals.
He's probably been out on the Ice for
days. It's very rough and their pro-
gress would be siow.--not so very
much faster than that OF the ship"
"Oh. if he had your wings." she
whispered
Cayley got to his feet. 1--WE must
build II fire." he said, "out here---the
biggest fire we can possibly contrive.
to guide them by
And to give them hope, too" she
said, they can hardly have any--not
of finding US alive. mean"
How they ever succeeded in doing
IT they were both rather at loss. af-
forwards, to understand. Neither Cay
ley. nor even Jeanne. thought of his
Illness. That was forgotten. except
SO far as the fact that he had only one
good arm obtruded itself. Jeanne was
as weak as he. and the source of her
weakness was the same as his. Both
had tendency to laugh shakily at
nothing at all. Both found it hard TO
command their voices. Both found
themselves wandering about bltndly, In
spite of the intensity of their desire to
get the fire blazing az soon as possible
But at last they got it blazing with the
better part of their precious store of
fuel Then, as best they could, they
settled down on their great bear-skin
before the fire. to wait. How long they
waited neither of them knew. though
IL seemed an eternity. Sometimes they
tried to talk. but their voices had 81
disconcertng way OF breaking.
I'VE must do something" Philip
said, at last. must try to get our old
routine going. somehow, 1t may be
thursdays. before they get here"
Il suppose" said Jeanne, I'VE could
cook a meal. even If we couldn't eat
it,"
But before he could answer they
heard a rifle shot ring out In the still
air.
NO" he cried, "the long wait IL
over. Thank God they are here. Fire,
Jeannei Fire the revolver, Let them
know they are in time" His lips trem-
bled and tears glistened In his eyes.
II was lying under her hand. There
were only three cartridges left but she
f1red them all into the air. Then, al
most before the echo from the cliff be-
hind them had died away, they heard
a dim hail In human voice--a voice
that broke sharply as II the shut had
ended In a sob.
Its Tom" she said
Cali out, It's your voice he'll want
to hear" But ii was moment be-
fore she could command 1t. She called
his name twice, and then third time,
with q different infection, for a long.
leaping flocker of freight had revealed
a little knot Of figures rounding one OF
the great ice-crags that covered the
frozen harbor. One figure. "A little In
advance OF the others. dashed forward
at run. Jeanne sprang to meet him.
For little while Cayley stood hest
tating before the fire. just where
Jeanne, in her impulsive rush toward
their rescuers. had left him, then.
slowly, he followed her
(To b oontiuued.l