The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1912-03-08
CHAPTER TX.
Waiting for Dawn.

I'D into the wind and dropped, racing
he girl and with his back to her re-
treating assailant- He had to drop al
most vertically in order to avoid be-
Rg blown out into the sea after he
struck the ice. Even as 1t was, he
vent slithering down the CLASSY slope
Toward the water, and only managed
10 check his impetus by throwing him
Self fiat on his face and clutching at
&lummock which CHANGED to offer him
a precarious hold. He had come down
#'all adrift" as sailors say, and his
@Constrous wings, powerless for flight
but instinct with Tapping perversity,
cost him momentary struggle while
@ne was getting them bundled into con-
Arollable shape.
"a But, thanks as much to luck as to
skill, he presently found himself upon
his feet uninjured. He at once set
put, making what haste he could,
across the ice toward where he had
last seen the girl, shouting up the
gale to her at the same time, to know
IL she were safe. He heard no an
swer, but presently made her out, dim
ly. only pace or two away. His first
act then, even before speaking, was to
take out his pocket electric bulls-eye
aud turn 1t full upon her.
Its just to make sure you're not
hurt-that really got down here in
time he apologized. II wish might
have saved you the terror, but it
wasn't until you cried out that I
knew"
I'm not hurt" she assured hfm-
I'm little dazed, that's all.-Nc,
lot with fright, with wonder. l hard
ly had time to be frightened. But l
thought you'd gone this morning, that
you had abandoned us just as you said
you would And yet, when I cried
out just now, for help, 1t was you that
II called to. And then you
came, out of the sky, Just as l was
sure you would. For l was certain,
dreams Now, that it's over, I find
h myself wondering again if you are
real. Tn not hurt at all"
81 Before he could find anything to say
In answer, they heard another shot,
B mueled in the fog, from the direction
e of the Aurora, and in prompt reply to
IT. another vo1ley.. '-'->-''-~'--~~
Wasn't there firing before?' she
81 asked. Can any one be attacking the
1. yacht? There is no one there but
Tom, you know, and he's disabled
Cant we-cant l. get out there any
way? The boat came ashore in 10
right here"
II Without making her any answer, he
sicarried the unwieldly bundle his wings
simade into the hut and left it there.
then returned to her and offered her
his hand.
We'll go down and look for your
boat" he said.
Along the waters edge they
searched, aided by the little beam from
his bulls-eye, the sound of intermit-
tent firing from the yacht urging haste
all the while. But 1t did not take long
to force the conviction upon them that
the boat was gone. Blown adrift,
most likely, was Cayley's explanation.
He, felt her trembling. Whether
with cold or dread, he did not know.
but he took her arm and steadied her
/ with the pressure of his own.
"Come back to the hut he said
,"-he sitration isn't as bad as you
think I'll tell you when we get 70
shelter where we can talk"
She turned obediently,, and breasted
h I'm, Nnst
again until they were safe in the lee
of the hut Then he said:
II don't think Fanshaw Is alone
there on the yacht. The relief party
and the first party from the Aurora
got together some time this afternoon
and started back toward the shore.
They should be aboard the yacht by
now, though when the fog fell it put
an end to my activities. The Walrus
people have undoubtedly attacked
them, but they shouldn't have any
trouble in beating them off. They out
number them and they are better
armed; in fact, so far as l know, the
Walrus people aren't armed at ALL
They knew-your people / mean
that the yacht was likely to be attack
cd. I told them 80 myself, and then
their pretended guide confessed.
How did you know about the Wal
rus?" she asked curiously.
'The Portuguese was one OF them;
he had guided your first party down
Into a little valley Of perpetual fog.
under orders to abandon them there.
When he saw me sailing about over
head-through the fog, you know-hs
broke down and confessed and then
well. he made a clean breast OF 1t. He
knew nothing of the details Of his
leaders plans; but the mere fact that
he had been delegated to guide the
party into a place from which It was
to be expected they could never get
out, was conclusive as to his fnten'
lions at least"
He had spoken rather disconnected
". his sentences punctured by the
sounds of firing from the yacht BY
the time he finished they were almost
continuous.