Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1911-12-08


-You aren't strong enough yet to be
used as the support for really good
cry" Her voice was shaky and her
speech uneven. There we're still some
little half suppressed sobs in 1t. But
she turned her face again towards
the southern horizon. "If that's the
army wig-wag ought to be able to
read It. Tom taught it to me years
ago. Perhaps-perhaps 1t is he who is
signaling now"
WAS there a search-light on the Au-
rora?" Philip asked. Il didn't notice
when / saw her" He tried to make
the question sound casual. but his
voice was hardly steadier than hers.
'oh, yes." she said. 1T was one of
the things we laughed at Uncle Jerry
for insisting upon, but he insisted
Just the same. It's very powerful
light, Philip" she said suddenly, after
little silence, rs 1t not plain irn-
possible, that that we see over there?
You know you said. and father said
in his journal. that there was no posi-
bility of a relief in the winter. Philip
Philip. isn't 1t madness-is 1t the ice
madness?"
But before he could answer they
heard rife-shot ring out in the still
air.
No" he cried. ''the long wait is
over. Thank God they are here. Fire,
Jeannel Fire the revolveri Let them
know they are In time" His lips trem-
bled and tears glistened in his eyes.
1t was lying under her hand. There
were only three cartridges left,
but she fired them all into the air.
Then, almost before the echo from
the cliff behind them had died away,
they heard a dim hail in a human
voice-a voice that broke sharply as If
the shout had ended in sob.
Its Tom," she said.
Call outi It's your voice he'll want
to hear" But 1t was a moment be
fore she could command 1t. She call.
ed his name twice, and then third
time, with different infection, for a
long, leaping flicker of freight had re-
vealed a little knot of figures round
ing one of the great ice-crags that
covered the frozen harbor. One fig
ure. 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 slow
ly, he followed her.
The party on the ice was moving
landward again. Even at Philips slow
pace, the distance between them was
narrowing Jeanne and young Fan
shaw were coming on ahead. He saw
her stop suddenly and throw an arm
around the mans neck. She was
laughing and crying all at once, and
too. Philip expected that. He knew
that Fanshaw loved her. His memory
of that fact was all that redeemed his
memory of their encounter on the Au
rora's deck.
But. what he did not expect, was
TO see Fanshaw suddenly release him
self from the girls embrace and come
straight toward him. That was not
the most surprising thing-not that
nor the hand which Fanshaw was hold
ing out to him. 1t was the look in the
young mans face.
There was powerful emotion work
ing there. but no sign of any conflict
Z no resistance, no, reluctance. 1t was
the face of a man humble in the pres
ence of a miracle. He stripped of
his gauntlet and gripped Cayley's
hand. 1t was a moment before hs
could speak.
It's only just now" he said, NOV
that l see you here together, that
find 1t hard to believe Because I've
known all along that you were her,
with her, keeping her alive until W,
could get back to her. I've been tn,
only one who has had any hope a
all, and with me it's been a certaint,
rather than hope. It's as If hat
seen you here, together. I've seen yol
so Thousand times, but now, that d,
actually. with my own eyes, it's har,
to His voice broke there
There was a moment Of silence, thel
he went on: You must try to for
give Us, Cayley-me, in particular, 70
I'm the one who needs 1t most. W.
know the truth of that old story now
No, 1t wasn't Jeanne who told, It wa
: poor Hunter himself, in a letter. H
had written it long ago. and 1t wa
among his papers want you to rea,
1t sometime. | think. perhaps, whel
, you do you will be able to forgive him
too"
That's done already" said Philip
mo, not long ago-within the last fey
: hours. Come, shall we go back to tn
fire? | suppose we had better wal
I for another moonrise before we try t
get to the Aurora"
9 1t was six months later, blazing
blue July day, when the gunboat Yorl
: town lifted North Head, the norther
: portal of the Golden Gate. Tom Far
q shaw and his father had gone to til
bridge, but Philip and Jeanne. tn
q other two passengers. remained III
moved by the announcement, seate
}. as far aft as possible, the ensign, linn
I in the following breeze, fiuttering jus
over their heads.
g Looking up, they saw one Of tn
e junior officers standing close besid
d them. He was a dark-haired, darl