Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-06-30

enough.
There is no chance At all. do you
think"
FOR the Aurora to come back? No.
not this eason at least; no possible
chance"
"And-how much ammunition have
you, Mr.. Cayleyr'
"Thirty-one cartridges, besides the
ones in the revolver"
He would have said something moro.
but with q little gesture she prevented
him. You've been thinking 1t out"
she said. you know what 1t means
now, and IL feel that I don't. l can't
quite realize 1t yet. You must give
me a 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-
clusion? Well, he had It ready.
How long that silence lasted. Meth
er of them knew. He sat there beside
her, and yet even his eyes allowed
her perfect solitude. He mended the
IRE and attended to his cooking an
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 were. her face
had changed. 1t was grave now. in
tensely thoughtful, but the color had
come back into 1t. It was alive again.
When I asked you a while ago II
there were any chance, you asked me
II l meant a chance for the return OF
the Aurora, and said there was none.
That was what I meant then. but IT'S
not what I moan now. 10 there any
chance at ALL haven't been able to
see IN myself. and I've been over 1t
all pretty carefully. Do you see any7
You-you must tell me the truth.
please"
Il haven't been trying to assess the
chances. ! spent my hour thinking
about something else, and l can't an
swer your question really with . yes
or a no."
mot with a yes, but can't you an
swer 1t with q no? Aren't you per-
fectly sure, in your heart, that there's
no chance at ALI"
mot yet" he answered. There may
be a chance. and II there Is. We
can meet It half way" Then no
stretched out his hand. THAT red
bound book there 10 our Bible now.
Do you remember what your father
said? 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 n chance in a mil
lion Of its resulting In an enectual re-
lief. Yet he went on living As . brave
man lives. q day at q 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 f%oreseen."
Her eyes filled suddenly with tears,
and a smile, Of a divine sad tender
ness, touched for an instant her
mouth. But that isn't our ase you
know. Ours isn't as simple as that"
What makes the difference:
your wings" She said 1t hardly
above a whisper. and as she said It
she turned a little paler and her brave
lips trembled. But In an instant her
will had taken command again. II
am sure you see. It's quite plain"
she went on steadily. "N you will
spread them. those great wings of
yours, ana take to the air with them,
and fly away, ~ you are free to do,
and leave me here alone, as ! 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
90 away. You can't-not a nan like
you, and ! know that. I know
mustn't even suggest It."
Her voice sank again and grew un-
steady. While l 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, Wont you
GOT" she cried out. You said once
that one Of US might be dreaming, but
that one Wal not I. Can't you believe
It's so? CANT you wake up from the
dream that Is turning into . night
mare. and ny away?.-No, you can't!
You can't!-There is only one way out
Of i'll"
There was the conclusion he had
lOIV0G0As Aau AOAO0C0A AOA6 OVAOA0 ~
could formulate 1.-THE inevitable con
clusion that had led him 70 pray for
an hour. And now he thanked God
that tho answer was ready.
But before he could speak she
turned to him with q sudden transit.
ton 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 yer You're
to forget 1t ever happened, and you're
to do something for me that 1 want
will you? l want this for q holiday,
Just rs I set out to make 1t when ]
saw the yacht was gone. Tho days
az bright as It was then. and NJ
can make the hours pure gold. It IL
depends on US. Come. will you do thai
for mel"
Giving him her hands. she had
meant him to assist her to rise, but hl
disregarded the intention and mstt
on one knee beside her. jeanne
he said.
Her color nuttered like . nag n
air being expelled. the liquid IL suck
- IN The cano n emntiaA afmnlv