The Detroit times., 1912-04-05


Are you very cold?"
The sun will soon warm us"
Where did you learn TO swim
I'm England, mostly at the Isle oil
Wight, but I'm not half such dolph-
in as you are"
"Oh, we'll, boys have to swim, you
know, and | was boy once" Jim an
swered awkwardly. Presently he ask
ed, and his voice was full OF awe:
Have you ever seen the dawn-a
dawn like this-before?'
Never one like this" she whis-
pered.
When daylight came, they found
they had not travelled far from the
scene OF the nights disaster: or. II
! they had, the Jeanne D'Arc had drift
ed with them She was still atioat,
and just as the sun rose they saw her,
apparently not far away, tossing rud-
derless 10 the waves. There was no
sign OF the ships boats.
At the renewed miracle of light,
and at sight of the yacht. Jimmy's
hopes were reborn. His spirit bathed
In the wonder OF the day and was
made strong again. The night with
its horrors of struggle and It's dark
ness was past, forgotten In the flush
of hope that came with the light
Together they struck out toward the
yacht, fresh with new courage. Now
that he could see plainly. Jim swan
always a little behind Agatha, keeping
a watchful eye. She still took the
water CALAMITY, nose and closed
mouth just topping the wave, like a
spaniel. An occasional side-stroke
would bring her face level TO the
water with a backward smile for her
| companion. He gloried in her spirit,
even while he feared for her strength.
Ii was a longer pull TO the yacht
than they had counted upon, heavy
tax on their powers OF endurance Jim
came up TO find Agatha floating on her
back and put his hand under her
shoulders, steadying her easily.
Now you can really rest" he said
I've looked toward the horizon so
long, | thought I'd look up, way up,
for change" she said cheerfully
That's where the skylarks go, when
they want to sing-straight up into
heaven"
Doesn't it make you want to sing?"
She showed no surprise az the Ques-
| ton.
Yes. it does, almost. But just as
| thought of the skylarks, ! remem-
bered something else; something that
kept haunting me in the darkness all
night
Master in song. good-by good-by
Down to the dim sea-line-
| thought something or somebody was
surely lost down in the sea-line' last
night"
"Whe can tell? But had better
thought than yours: Ulysses, like US,
swimming over the wine-dark seal
| Do you remember II? Then two days
T, and two nights on the resistless waves
he drifted; many time his heart
faced DEATH"
That's not a bit better thought
than mine; but like it, And | know
what follows, too. But when the fair
haired dawn brought the third day,
then the wind ceased; there came a
breathless calm; and close TO hand he
spied the cost, as he cast keen glance
forward, upborne on great wave
That's II, isn't it?"
II don't know, but hope II is. The
wine-dark sea- and the 'rosy-fngered
dawn are all | remember: though I'm
glad you know what comes next. It's
a good omen. But look at the yacht;
she's acting strange!"
AS the girl turned to her stroke,
their attention was caught and held
by the commissions Of the Jeanne
Dare. There was a grim fascination
in the sight.
1t was obvious that she was sinking
While they had been resting, her hull
had sunk toward the water-line, her
graceful bulk and delicate masts show
ing strange against ocean and sky
Now she suddenly tipped down to her
stearn; her bow was thrown up out
of the water for an instant, only to
be drawn down again, slowly but IRE
sistibly, as II she were pulled by a
giants unseen hand. With a sudden
last lurch she disappeared entirely,
and only widening circles fieetingly
marked the place of her going.
The two In the water watched with
fascinated eyes, filled with awe. When
II was all over Agatha turned to her
companion with a long-drawn breath.
Jim looked as one looks whose last
hope has failed.
IT could never have let you go
aDOdTQ, duyWdg ne lONCu hSt ohO"
for that speech. but knew not how to
meet her eyes.
We'll. Ulysses lost his raft, tool"
he managed to say.
"He saw the sunrise, too, just as we
have seen It; and he saw distant
island. that seemed shield laid on
the misty sea. Let's look hard now,
each time the wave lifts us. Perhaps
we also shall see an island"
I'VE must swim harder; you are
chilled through"
"Oh, no." she laughed II shivered
at the thought OF what fright ] must
look. always did hate to get my hair
wet"
"You look all right TO me-"
They were able to laugh, and so
keen. up heart. They tried to calculate
the direction the yacht had taken
when she left port, and where the land
might lie; and when they had argued
about II. they set out to swim GER
tain way. In their hearts each felt
that any calculation was futile, but
they pretended to be earnest. They
could not see far, but they created Tor
themselves a goal and worked toward
Il. which is OF itself happiness.
So they watched and waited, ages
long. Hope, came to them again pres
entity. James, treading water thrust
mn his head and scented the air.
81 smell the salt marsh, which
means land?" He shifted again, Yes,