The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-08-04
CHAPTER Xx.-ContInued.


And then he discovered that he
wanted her more than he had ever de-
sired her before; that she was more
necessary to him than ever he had
dreamed she would be; that here was
but of love, overwhelming, obsessing.
And then he admitted that she was
purity, even holiness itself; that he
had behaved to her like a cur; that
he had been neither grateful, nor kind,
nor tender, nor loving. He began to
wonder fearfully If, after having
failed so egregiously and terribly,
there was any possible chance that she
1ould ever care for him again. Fate
had brought her into intimate contact,
he realized, with two men. One had
treated her outrageously in the be-
ginning and had nobly made amends.
He hated Langford, and yet his sense
Of justice forced him to admit that he
had played the man at last, while he,
the islander, had treated her out
rageously and in the end had played
the fool. Was there a chance that
she would forgive him?
The desire to see her, to plead with
her, to beg her forgiveness-no
. low desire or base one, he
thanked God - was SO great that
he could no longer sustain it.
He rose to his feet and looked out
OF the open port hole. The dawn was
gray1ng the east. Attired as he was
In the loose shirt and trousers in which
he had lain down, which were not un-
like the tunic that he habitually wore,
save that they were of soft, luxurious
silk, he opened the door of the cabin,
stepped out through the silent ward
room-he had the natural savage art
Of treading without sound-ran light.
ly up the companion ladder and
stepped upon the deck. The officer of
the watch and his midshipman did not
notice him. Their eyes were else
where. He ran swiftly across the deck
and stopped at the gangway A mar
Inc stood there and started forward
@S lie dppIOdCueu.
That's my island" said the man
"Pm going to swim off to it, and
don't wish to be followed"
ITS a long swim, sir" ventured the
marine, scarcely knowing what to do
He stepped fairly in the gangway
rs If to bar the exit
1T is nothing to me-" said the man
stand aside"
'Mr. HOpkins!" called the marine,
turning toward the officer of the
deck.
AYE, aye came from Mr.. Hopkins
as he turned and started forward to
the gangway,
The next moment the man had
seized the marine in a grip which left
him helpless, lifted him gently out of
the gangway, dropped him carelessly
upon the deck and had flashed through
the air into the water.
By the time Mr.. Hopkins reached
the gangway the half-dazed marine
had risen to his feet.
What is it?"
"Why, it's the castaway, sir, the
wild man that we brought ashore to-
day"
We'll"
''He said he wanted to swim to the
shore and did not want to be fol
lowed"
why didn't you stop him?"
81 did try, sir, but he picked me up
as if had been a baby and threw me
aside and went overheard"
The officer was in a quandary. He
had received no orders to prevent the
man from going out of the ship. He
was not quite sure what his duty was
At any rate, he turned to the boat
swain's mate and bade him call away
a crew for the cutter swinging astern
He directed the coxswain to bring the
boat to the gangway and then sent the
midshipman of the watch below to re
port the matter to the captain and ask
his orders.
Capt. Ashby, as it happened, was
awake. He came on deck Immediately
in his pajamas and received confirma
ton Of the midshipman's extraordinary
story from the watch officer. 1t wa:
light enough now for the waters ant
the shore clearly to be seen. The cap
tain stared over the side. He coult
make out the mans head swimming
through the opening in the barrieI
He could see the splash that he mad
in his rapid progress through tn
quiet seas.
"Mr. hopkins" he said, after mo
ment's thought, tell Mr. Cady--th
midshipman Of the watch-to take tn
boat and follow after. If the man get
safely to the shore, they are not to esI
turb him but to come back and repor
to me. If, on the contrary, he need
help, they are to take him aboard an
bring him back to the ship"
So nuch time was lost In these Fsss1I!