Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1910-11-11

HEAD.
dered her to abstain from all eXprtiOn
and excitement, was kneeliug on the
floor of the saloon deftIy bandaging
the wounds upon mans head.
Admiration of her courage thrilled
in him. He remembered that his own
work was not done. A hoarse voice
was calling from behind a stateroom
door which was iammed so that ii
could not be opened. Bartlett got his
fingers into crevice and ripped the
lock out through the woodwork. The
door swung open.
The interior of that room, if it could
still be said to have an interior. was
an impossible ruin. The rear wall
was the gray sea fog, the berths had
fallen into the neither wreckage. the
floor was shattered so that it looked
like the debris of picket fence, but
it held. And on that shivered floor,
clothed in pajamas supplemented by
a pair of trousers and one shoe, stood
Curtis Boland. president of the r. and
R. National bank!
Bartlett extended a hand and drew
him to a securer footing. Except for
a few bruises and scratches he was
unhurt
"Ha, Mr.. Bartlett" said he cheerily,
$50 you're my preserver. Where is
Miss Gilbert? Safe, l trust"
Bartlett pointed across the saloon to
where Celia still knelt among the
wounded.
"God bless herr said Boland fer
vently. Il know her well by sight
her father and l are neighbors in
Brooklyn-but | have never met the
young lady, so I kept aloof when |
saw you with her in the dining room
this evening. l expected to meet you
later in Boston, of course"
The collision of the two vessels
seemed small shock compared to his
collision with Curtis Boland. The
service he had rendered utterly debar-
red him from asking favors at the
bank.
The floor did not sink under him.
The nights calamities were at an end
Water tight compartments kept the
vessel afioat and she proceeded slow
ly under her own steam to New Lon
don. whence the passengers proceeded
by train to Boston.
Bartlett, Boland and Miss Gilbert
were companions on this journey, and
for large part Of way tie lady,
utterly exhausted. slept profoundly.
And one of the men watched beside
her with something akin to a father
ly affection, the other with deeper ten
derness. He knew now why the eyes
that he had seen ten years before had
never faded from his memory.
Bartlett" said the banker, 81 for
get whether you are married"
81 am not" answered Bartlett. "a
year from today-who knows?'
There was long pause
Bartlett, how are things going with
you?"
every prospect pleases," responded
the young man.
The banker eyed him for some min
utes.
Perfectly convenient for you to
, meet that note?
"I can meet it." answered Bartlett,
and then he Strengthened up in his
seat. 81 can do many things that
would have been hard yesterday. |
have had lesson in courage, in self
forgetfulness and in the value of life
| am worth a dozen of the Johnny
Bartletts that have been walking the
floor this last month, and one of the
proofs of it is that I'm not afraid to
tell you that have been walking the
! floor. l am not afraid Of anything or
anybody"
Another silence.
Send me over a little money" said
| the banker, "as little as you please,
| just enough to make showing Send
me the same kind of paper for the
balance. Will that suit?'
81 should think so! But l don't
ask
"You have asked nothing" said Bo.
! land, "The proposition is mine."