The Glenwood post., 1911-06-17


It in control and spoke steadily
enough.
There IL NO chance At all. do you
thinkr''
For the Aurora to come backf No.
not this season. at least; no possible
chance"
"And-how much ammunition have
you. MT. Cayleyf"
'Thirty-one cartridges. besides tho
ones in the revolver"
He would have said something more,
but with little gesture she prevented
him. You've been thinking 1t out" !"
she said. you know what It means
now. and IL feel that don't I can't
quite realize 1t yet. You must give
me q 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-
olusionf Well. he had It ready.
How long that silence lasted. neith-
or of them knew. He sat there beside
her. and yet even his eyes allowed
her perfect solitude. He mended the
nre and attended to his cooking as
quietly ~ before, when the girl was
reading.
Finally q little move Of hers. pre-
paratory to speech, gave him leave
to look at her. In those silent min
utes. however long they were. her face
had changed. 1t was grave now. in
tensely thoughtful. but the color had
come back into It. 1t was alive again.
When asked you a while ago II
there were any chance, you asked mo
If 1 meant . chance for tho return Of
tho Aurora, and said there was none.
That was what l meant then. but its
not what I moan 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 sec any
You-you must tell me the truth,
please"
II haven't been trying to assess the
chances. l spent my hour thinking
about something else, and 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?"
mot yet" he answered There may
be chance. and II there Is, we
can meet 1t half way" Then he
stretched out his hand. THAT red
bound book there is our Bible now.
|
said? We can live like Christians, and
we can always hope He thought,
when he put that bottle, which con-
tained his message, into tho sea, that
there was hardly one chance In q mil.
lion Of its resulting in an effectual re-
lief. Yet he went on living as a 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 way that he couldn't
possibly have foreseen."
| Her eyes filled suddenly with tears,
and 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 az that"
What makes the difference!
Your wings" She said 1t hardly
above whisper. and as she said It
she turned little paler and her brave
lips trembled. But in an instant her
will had taken command again. 81
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 I 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 l know that know /
mustn't even suggest IT,"
Her voice sank again and grew un-
steady. while I am starving, you
will be starving, too. And while l am
freezing. you will freeze" She
stopped there with a shudder and a
Deep gasping sob; then, Won't you
eo?" she cried out You said once
that one of US might be dreaming, but
that one was not I. Can't you believe
it's SO! Can't you wake up from the
dream that is turning into a night
marc. and fly away?-No, you can't!
You can't!-There is only one way out
of It'll"
There was the conclusion Nhe had
foreseen. had foreseen long before he
could formulate 1.-THE inevitable con.
clusion that had 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
tion 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 1t ever happened. and you're
to do something for me that 1 want.