Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-10-20

CAOL6n
There is no chance at all. do you
think?"
For the Aurora to come back? No
not this season. at least; no possible
chance"
"And-how much ammunition have
you, Mr.. Cayley"
"Thirty-one cartridges. besides the
ones in the revolver"
He would have said something more
but with little gesture she prevented
him. You've been thinking 1t ont, -
she said you know what it means
now. and IL feel that don't. can't
quite realize 1t yet. You must give
me little time to think. too"
He had to assent to that, though he
knew. in advance. the direction her
thoughts must take. and foresaw the
dreadful conclusion of them. And the
answer he had to make to that con.
clusion? Well. he had 1t ready.
How long that silence lasted, Meth
er of them knew. He sat there beside
her. and yet even his eyes allowed
her perfect solitude. He mended the
fire and attended to his cooking as
| quietly as before. when the girl was
| reading.
Finally little move of hers, pre-
paratory to speech, gave him leave
to look at her. In those silent min
utes, however long they we're. her face
had changed 1t was grave now, in
tensely thoughtful, but the color had
come back into It, It was alive again.
when l asked you a while ago If
there we're any chance. you asked me
If meant a chance for the return of
the Aurora, and said there was none.
That was what ! meant then, but it's
not what | mean now. Is there any
chance at all? haven't been able to
see any myself. and I've been over it
all pretty carefully. Do you see any?
You-you must tell me the truth,
please"
Il haven't been trying to assess the
chances. spent my hour thinking
about something else, and l can't an
swer your question really with yes
or a no."
Not with yes. but can't you an
swer 1t with a no? Aren't you per-
fectly sure. in your heart, that there's
no chance at all?"
Not yet" he answered. There may
be a chance, and If there is, we
can meet it half way" Then he
stretched out his hand. THAT red
bound book there is our Bible now.
Do you remember what your father
said? We can live like Christians and
we can always hope He thought,
when he put that bottle. which con-
tanned his message. into the sea, that
there was hardly one chance in a mil
lion Of its resulting in an effectusl re-
lief. Yet he went on living as brave
man lives, day at time. And when
he died, he died without fear. Doing
that. he not only helped himself, but
he helps US in a way that he couldn't
possibly have foreseen."
Her eyes filed suddenly with tears,
and a smile, of a divine sad tender
ness, touched for an instant her
mouth. But that isn't our case, you
know. Ours isn't as simple as that"
What makes the difference.
Your wings" She said it hardly
above whisper, and as she said ii
she turned a little paler and her brave
lips trembled But in an instant her
VIII had taken command again. Il
am sure you see. It's quite plain"
she went on steadily. IF you will
spread them, those great wings of
yours. and take to the air with them.
and fly away, as you are free to do.
and leave me here alone, as | really
am alone. the only person marooned
here-if you'll do that, then I'll fol-
low my fathers gospel.-But you won't
go away. You can't-not a man like
you. and I know that. I know
mustn't even suggest It."
Her voice sank again and grew un-
steady. While am starving. you
will be starving. too. And while am
freezing. you will freeze" She
stopped there with a shudder and a
deep, gasping sob; then, Wont you
go?" she cried out. "You said once
that one of us might be dreaming. but
that one was not l. Can't you believe
it's so? Can't you wake up from the
dream that is turning into a night
mare, and fly away?-No. you can't!
You can'tl-There is only one way out
of it,"
There was the conclusion he had
foreseen. had foreseen long before he
could formulate 1.-THE inevitable con-
clusion that bad led him to pray for
an hour. And now he thanked God
that the answer was ready.
But before he could speak she
turned to him with a sudden transit
ton Of mood. which left him gasping.
The face she turned upon him now
was radiant, flushed with life, fear
less She held out both hands to him.
Come" she said; that's over. You're
to forget it ever happened. and you're
to do something for me that / want
Will you? ! want this for a holiday.
just as | set out to make 1t when I
saw the yacht was gone. The days
as bright as 1t was then, and we
can make the hours pure gold II all
depends on us. Come. will you do that
for me?"
Giving him her hands. she had
meant him to assist her to rise. but he
disregarded the intention and knelt
on one knee beside her. Jeanne
he said.
Her color fluttered like flag at