Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-03-05

the beach clear OF drlitWood, but snail
have barely enough to get through
the winter with. For myself who have
no real hope at all, Il doesn't greatly
matter. / greet the dawn Of each OF
these interminable arctic days with
intense WEAKNESS. And | never bid
farewell to the sun for another winter
without an involuntary In mauuS
Tuas'"
Cayley read the entry through slow
ly. I'm glad II happened this way
he said when he finished, glad II was
your father who told you. All thio
past hour I've been wondering how
could tell you, how could make you
understand"
The girl had been half-reclIning up
on the great sheopskln. her weight
supported by one hand While Cayley
read this support failed her. and sho
sank down, rather slowly, until her
head was buried IN tho arms which
we're stretched out as n in blind sup
pllcation. She was shuddering all
oven
As Cayloy spoke, ho covered tose
casped, outstretched hands with one
Of his own The touch and the sound
Of hls voice steadled her little
you've known, then, from the
frst2" The words came brokenly
half-voiced. mufled
He bent down over her 10 hear
them. Yes, I knew from the first"
He said no more than that just
then, but remained as he was, his
hand covering her two, holding them
tight, his body bending over hers
protectlngly.
After little while she ceased shud-
dering, and answered tho pressure OF
his hand with sudden clasp Of her
two; tsen drew them away again and
cat erect.
Her eyes, when they rose TO hls
face, were still wide with fear-a
deeper-seated fear, really, than her first
momentary panic, But now she had
It in control and spoke steadily
enough.
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 moro,
but with little gesture she prevented
him. You've been thinking It out"
she said. you know what II means
now, and IL feel that don't can't
quite realize It 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-
cluslon7 Well, ho had II ready.
How long that silence lasted. moth.
er OF them knew He sat there beside
her, and yet even his eyes allowed
her perfect solitude He mondcd the
Are and attended 10 his cooking as
quietly as before. when the girl was
reading.
Finally a 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. II was alive again,
When | asked you while ago II
there were any chance, you asked me
II 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 allY haven't been able to
see any myself, and I've been over It
all pretty carefully. Do you see anyf
You--you must tell me the truth,
please"
Il haven't been trying to assess tho
chances. l spent my hour thinking
about something else, and I cant an.
swer your question really with yes
or no."
mot with yes, but can't you an
swer II with a no7 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 II half way" Then he
stretched out his hand "That red.
bound book there is our Bible now,
Do you remember what your father
sald7 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 effeotual re-
lief Yet he went on living as a brave
man lives, a day at a 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 q smile, OF divine sad tender
ness, touched for an instant hor
mouth. But that isn't our case, you
know. Ours isn't as simple as that"
What makes tho differencer put
he knew the answer.