The Detroit times., 1912-04-05
THE %AM
81
SINGER Ga
A GREAT SERIAL STORY BY wv
MARTHA! !, B i 4! !.!!l 1!:!!!, IN

CHAPTER VII.

lluS ubcu 10 lIi6uiS VI ldlS, II OhS NAh
get used TO them" Again there was
the laugh in her voice, under all It's
seriousness, even when she added
I'm not sure that this isn't safer than
being on board the Jeanne D'Arc, al
ter ALL"
II was characteristic OF James that
he forebore TO take advantage OF the
opening this speech offered. The pos
sible reason of her abduction, her
treatment on board the yacht, her re-
lation 10 Monsieur Chatelard-it was
all a mystery, but he could not, at
that moment. seek TO solve IL. Her
remark remained unanswered for a
little time; at last he said: Then
the Jeanne D'Arc must have been
pretty bad"
1T was" she said simply.
Jim wondered whether she knew
more about the crime OF which she
was the victim than he knew, or II
she had discovered aught concerning
II while she was prisoner on the
yacht. Granting that her person was
a prisoner on the yacht. Granting
that her person was so valuable that
a man OF Monsieur Chatelard's call
Der would commit crime TO get pos
session of IL, why should he nave
abandoned her when there was plain
~ some chance OF safety in the boats
He could not conceive OF Monsieur
Chatelard's risking his neck In an
affair OF gallantry; cupidity alone
would account for his part In the
drama. James went over and over
the situation, as far as he UNDERSTOOD
Il, but he did none OF his thlnalng
aloud. Ii flashed on his mind tnat
Miss Redmond must already have sep
arated him, in her thoughts, from the
other people on the yacht; though
perhaps her trust was instructive
arising from her own need OF help.
How could she know that he had
risked his neck twice, now, 10 Ioiio"
the Vision?
Swimming slowly, with Agatha
hand at times on his shoulder, James
turned his mind sharply TO a consid-
GRAFTON OF their present position.
They had been alternately swimming
and floating, hoping TO come upon tue
yacht The darkness or the night
was penetrable, so that they coula see
a fairly large circle OF water ABOUT
them. but there was no shadow OF the
Jeanne Bi Arc Save for the running
surge OF the waters, all was silence
The pale forerunnefs or dawn hau ap-
peared. Their swim after the ooats
of the Jeanne D'Arc had warmed their
blood, so that for while they were
not conscious of the chill OF the wa
ter But as the minutes heightened,
one by one, fatigue and cold numpeu
their bodies. II was test OF endur-
ance for a strong man; as ior tne
girl lin wondered at her strength
and courage. She SWAIN superoly,
with unhurried, steady strokes.
abe grew chatteringly cold, she woulu
start into a vigorous swim, shoulder
70 shoulder with James. II she lost
her breath with the hard exercise, sne
would take his hand so as not TO
lose YOU" she would say and rest
on the breast OF the waves. The wind
dropped and the sea grew quiet, SO
that they were no more cruelty buf-
feted. but rocked up and down on It's
heaving bosom.
Once. while they were resting on
the water, Agatha broke long silence
with. 81 wonder" but did not at
once say what she wondered at. Jim
said nothing, but she knew he was
waiting and listening.
Suppose this should be the Great
Gateway" she said at last, very SLOW
ly. but quite cheerfully and naturally.
81 am wondering what there Is be-
yond"
I've often wondered, too" said Jim.
Eve sometimes thought, and I've
said Il, too, that | was crazy to die,
lust tn see what happens" Agatha
went on, laughing little at her own
But / find I'm not at all
eager for it, now, when 1t would be
so easy to go under and not come up
again. Are your"
mo, I've never felt eager to die;
least of all, now"
Agatha was silent while.
What do you think death means!
Shall we be we tomorrow, say, pro-
yided we can't keep afioat?" she asked
by and by.
why, yes, think So said Jim.
II don't know why or how, put
guess we go on somewhere; ana
rather think our best moments mere
our moments of happiness or heroism,
II we ever have any-are going TO De
the regular thing" Jim laughed
little, partly at his own lame ending,
and partly because he felt Agathas
hand closing more tightly over MS.
He didn't want her TO get blue just
yet, after her brave fight.
But Agatha wasn't blue. she an
swered thoughtfully: That isn't
bad idea" and then cheerfuiiy turned
to a consideration of the possibilities
Of a rescue at dawn.
James had evolved plan to walt
till enough light came to enable them
TO reach the Jeanne dare, II she was
still afioat: then to climb aboard and
hunt for provisions and life presery-
ers or something TO use for ra1t.
II he could do this, then they would
be I'm a somewhat better plight at
least for a time. He prayed that the
Jeanne dare might still be alive.
The two talked little, leaving 81
lences between them full OF wonder.
The details of life, the ordinary per
sonalities, were blotted out. Without
explanation or speech OF any KIND,
they understood each other. They
were not, in this hour. members OF
complex and artificial society; they
were not even man and woman; they
were two souls stripped OF everything
but the need for fortitude and sweet
ness.
At last came the dawn. Slowly the
blue curtain OF night lifted. lifted, I'M
III Il became the blue curtain OF SKY
endlessTS far away and far above. \