Gilpin observer., 1911-07-20
In pressed the tears out Of her

palm pressed the tears out Of her
eyes. Yrr
You aren't strong enough yet to be
used ~ the support for really good
cry" Her voice was ahaky and her
speech uneven. There were still some
little half suppressed sobs in It. But
she turned her face again towards
the southern horizon. III that's the
army wig.waS I ought to be able to
read It. Tom taught 1t to me years
ago. Perhaps-perhaps It is he who Il
signaling now"
WAS there a search.light on tho Au.
rora7" Philip asked. II didn't notice
when saw her" He tried to make
tho question sound casual. but his
voice was hardly steadier than hers.
"Oh. yes" she said. "It 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 i'm
possible. that that we see over there!
You know you said. and father said
In his Journal, that there was no possi-
bility Of relief in the winter. Philip
Philip. isn't 1t madness-is 1t the ice
madness?"
But before he could answer they
heard rihe-shot ring out in the still
air.
No" he cried, the long wait is
over. Thank God they are here. Fire,
know they are in time" His lips trem-
bled and tears glistened Tn 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 q human
voice. voice that broke sharply as If
the shout had ended in . sob.
IT'S Tom," she said.
Call out! It's your voice he'll want
to hear" But 1t was q moment be-
fore she could command 1t. She call
ed his name twice, and then a third
time. with q different infection, for q
long. leaping flicker of freight had re-
vealed q little knot Of figures round
ing one Of the great ice-crags that
covered the frozen harbor. One ng-
urs. = little in advance of the others,
dashed forward at q run. Jeanne
sprang to meet him.
For . little while Cayley stood hesi-
tating before the nre, 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 tnem was
narrowing. Jeanne and young Fan
shaw were coming on ahead. Hs saw
her stop suddenly and throw an arm
around the mans neck. She was
laughing and crying all At once. and
there were tears In the mans eyes.
too. Philip expected that. He knew
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. It was the look In the
young mans face.
There was a powerful emotion work
ing there. but no sign Of any conflict,
no resistance. no reluctance. 1t was
the face Of a man humble in the pres
ence Of = miracle. He stripped OF
his gauntlet and Eripped Cayley's
hand. It was Q moment before he
could speak.
IT'S only Just now" he said, now
that l sec you here together. that
find 1t hard to believe. Because I've
known all along that you were here
with her. keeping her alive until we
could get back to her. I've been the
only one who has had any hope at
all. and with me it's been a certainty
rather than hope. It's as II had
| seen you here, together. I've seen you
so thousand times. but now, that l do
actually. with my own eyes, it's hard
| to : His voice broke there.
There was moment of silence. then
he went on: You must try to for
| give u.s., Cayley-me. in particular, for
I'm the one who needs 1t most. We
know the truth of that old story now.
No. 1t wasn't Jeanne who told. 1t was
poor Hunter himself. in a letter. He
had written 1t long ago. and 1t was
among his papers want you to read
1t sometime. think. perhaps. when
you do you will be able to forgive him,
too"
That's done already" said Philip.
mo. not long ago-within the last few
hours. Come. shall We 20 back to the
fire? l suppose We had better wait
for another moonriss before We try to
get to the Aurora"
It was six months later. a blazing.
blue July day. when the gunboat York.
town lifted North Head, the northern