The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1910-02-03

! responsibility ne bears. Last night,
as | lay awake, | thought Of him
keeping his watch above with all our
lives, as It were, in his hands.
Then, when the second mate came
to take his place, heard him pass
my cabin whistling cheerily, even amid
the storm and darkness. What a life
his is-eyer contending with perils and
hardshipsl While Or. Gibson is warm
and safely housed, my sailor keeps his
watch, with gales bowling and
waves seeking to devour. Great cour-
age and iron will must undoubtedly be
| his. Yes! He lives a mans life. He is
a man. But as TO love! Oh! that is
| absurd"
It was about three-thrty in the af
tenoon. The sea was rolling high; but
Miss Nolan, rocked by wind and wave,
slept the sleep of a sea sleeper, and
1t was not until great shout went up
from some men on deck that she be-
came conscious Of peril What was
that cry she heard? There it was
again
ivy NOOu 10 oNNl DOulus
She started to her feet, but fell al.
mostly Immediately. She crawled TO
the cabin door and tried to push it
open, As she did so a sea mightier
than had been felt before struck the
ship and capsized her.
The girl realized that something ter
rible had happened, that death was
waiting near; yet in this awful situa-
ton, closet in alone under the deck
Of the steamer, no sign Of human life
around her, only the warning elements
in her ears, the only clear thought in
her mind was that the man she loved
had gone to his death She realized
now that she loved him, else why
this pain at her heart-this indiffer-
ence to her own fate.
The sound of sharp blows on the
plank.ng above her head aroused her
from the stupor into which she had
fallen. A face she knew looked down.
u have come for you" said Mark
Haywood.
Then Edna Nolan lost conscious.
ness.
The steamer had capsized with the
side Of her deck upYermost under
which was Miss Noan's berth. The
capsizlng was an unexpected happen
ing, for, although the sea had been
rolling for hours, yet before the catas-
trophe the storm had apparently abat-
ed, and even the captain had retired
with confidence for a little rest he
and the mate having been up nearly all
the previous night
The second officer had been swept
overheard just before the coming Of
the mighty comber which had de-
stroyed the vessel; but Mark Hey
wood, the first officer, with whirlwnd
around him and whirlpool beneath,
kept his clutch on life, How he did
It was a miracle. Every man on deck
including the three male passengers
was swept away. Even the two life
boats had been wrenched from their
fastennes and smashed to atoms as
they went over the bulwarks.
The storm subsidized almost as quick
~ 40 IL Ddu llNNu, Jul lllt DlllH w 40
slowly sinking, and Heywood's only
chance lay in swimming to shore,
which was about mile Off. He would
take the chance If some one else you'd
take it with him.
way was near him. He forced himself
way wa smear him, He forced himself
down, and there, under two feet Of
water found a Ratchet, with which he
crawled to the deck and set to work
with desperate energy.
When Miss Nolan opened her eyes
Haywood was tying a rope which
bound them together,
"Then IT was not you who were
swept ovorboard?" she cried, in great
JOY forgetting present peril.
mo; that was a mistake the men
made, 1t was poor Brown" he replied,
Then, looking straight into her eyes,
he said There is to be a desperate
struggle, Tell me that you love me-"
81 love you" she answered him, so
well that | am glad to die with you
The endurance and courage Of the
man was put to the severest test, but
the shore was reached in safety.
Three months afterward they stood
in their own home side by side, hand
in hand. The bridal party had Just
left, and Jack took her in his loving
arms.
81 gave in to you, after ALL" she said,