Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1911-07-28
CHAPTER XIII.
Signals.

Signals.
There we're a good many days after
tbat-not days at all, really, but an in
terminable period of night-which
we're broken for Jeanne by no ray of
hope whatever. She kept Philip and
herself alive, from day to day, and this
occupation left her hardly time enough
TO think whether there was anything
to hope for or not.
Much of the time Philip was deliri-
GUS: sometimes violently so, and yet
she often had to leave him When she
did so. it was with no certainty at all
that she would find him alive upon her
return.
At last the conviction was forced
upon her that Philip was actually on
the road to recovery. His delirium be-
came less violent and occurred at long
er intervals. The frightful condition
of his wounds began visibly to i'm
prove, Instinctively she resisted this
conviction as long as she could, refus-
Ing almost passionately to begin to
hope-for the return of hope brought
an almost intolerable pain with it.
Without hope there had been no fear,
no apprehension-just as In frozen
limb there is no pain. But, as the pos
sibiity Of his recovery became plain
er, the senderness of the thread by
which bis life was hanging became
palmer too. A thousand chances
which she could not guard against
might cut the thread and destroy the
hope born.
He was able, at last, after a long
sleep and really hearty meal of sus-
tanning food-which she hardly dared
give him-to get up and walk out of
their shelter to the star-vaulted beach.
Fifty PAGES or so was all he was equal
to; but at the end of the little prom
enade he expressed disinclination to
go back to the stuffy little shed which
had been the scene of his long illness.
The clean, wide, boundless air was
bringing back the zest for life to
him. So Jeanne brought out from
the hut a great bundle of furs and
made nest of them on the beach,
and there he lay back and she sat
down beside him.
DO you remember, jeanne" he
said, the first time we sat out like
this, there on the ice-foe beside the
Aurora, and l told you how | had
learned to fy?"
M
She locked her hand into his before
she answered
i couldn't believe that night that
wasn't dreaming" she said softly.
Nor l, either" he told her; and,
somehow, can't believe it now-not
iully;-not this part of it, anyway"
He had lifted the hand that was
locked into his and pressed it to his
lips before he spoke There was a
silence after that. Then, with a little
EFFORT, the girl spoke.
Philip. do you remember my say
ing what contempt you must have
Tor the world that didn't know how to
ny? Do you remember that, and the
answer you made to it?"
He nodded.
Philip, is that still there? Your
contempt, / mean, for the world?"
don't believe" he said, that you
can even ask that seriously-you, who
gave me first my soul back again and
men. in these last weeks. my life.
FOR It's been your life that has lived
IN me these last days-they must be a
sood many-just as it was your
warmth and faith and fragrance that
gave me back my soul, long ago" He
PAUSED moment; then, when ne went
vi MS voice had somewhat different
4ualty. But the other contempt.
9eanne, that still exists, or would ex-
''' II gave it the chance, the worlds
NoA,empt for me. Not even your faith
'olId shake that"
she mad been half-reclining beside
l'nl but now she sat erect purposeful-
w. ike one who has taken resolu-
lion.
m not so sure of that" she said,
y" a matter-of-fact tone, though there
vas an undercurrent OF excitement in
Philip, l have been trying to
'''e puzzle since you were i'll. |
'op'o | could solve it by myself. If
"eTe intelligent enough I'm sure |
e'0'u; but I'll have to ask you to help
It's string of letters written
'o-ud picture, in a locket"
a Iocket of yours?" he asked, sur
prised.
-NsyeT mind -2hont thet Just now"