The Washington times., 1912-03-21

in an ecstasy of joy, some embrace
him, some dropped on their knees be
fore him and sought to kiss his hands.
Cosmo could not restrain his tears. and
the crews OF the launches were equally
affected.
Many OF these people could only speak
the patois OF the mountain, but some
were refugees from the resorts in the
valleys below, and among these were
two English tourists who had been
caught among the mountains by the
sudden rising of. the food. They eX--
hibited compare tive sang froid and
served as spokesman for the others.
''Bah Jove!" exclaimed one OF them,
but you're welcome, you know! This
has bees demnition close call! But
what kind of a craft have you got out
thereT'
I'm Cosmo Versai.''
Then that's the Ark we've hea I'd
about! 'PoR honor. I should have rec
, often enough. You've come to take us
| OF, L suppose2"
Certainly" replied Cosmo. "How
many are here2"
'All that you see here: about hun
dred I should say. No doubt there are
others on the mountains round. There
must have been a thousand of us wher
we started, but most Of them persisted
| overcome by the downpour, or swept
away by the torrents. Lord Swansdown
Indicating his companion. who bowed
graNely and stiffly) and myself-I'm Ed
ward Whistlington-set out TO walk over
! the Pyrenees from end 10 end, after
| the excitement about the great darkness
died out, and we got as far as the
! Marlboro, and then running down "a
Gavarnie we heard news of the sea ris.
ing, but we didn't give too much credit
| 10 that, and afterward keeping up iT
| the heights, We didn't hear even a ru.
| NOR from the world below.
| The sky opened on us like a broad
| side from an aerial SQUADRON, and how
I NaNN 10 FvEI -
! I can hardly tell. We were actually
carried down the mountainsides by thC
| water. and how 1t failed TO drown III
VIII be an everlasting mystery Some
how. we found ourselves among thes'
| people, VINO were trying to 90 up, as
surinG US that there was nothing bu
water below. And at last we discovered
some sort of shelter there-and herr
we've been ever since"
| You cannot have had much to eat
said Cosmo.
Not too much. I assure you re
piled the Englishman, with a melan
choly smile. But these people shareC
with us what little they had, or coult
| find-anythlng and everything that We
eatable. They're deviliah fine lot,
| tell you!
when the terrible rain suddenl,
ceased and the sky cleared" he re
sumed, 1--WE managed to set dry, afte
a day CT two, and since then we've beel
chewing leather until there isn't a sho
or a belt left. We thought at first o
trying to build rafts-but then wher
could we go? It wasn't any use to sal
out over a drowned country, with moth
ing in sight but the mountains aroun
US, which looked no better than the on
we were barely existing on"
| Then l must get you aboard the Ar
before you staIVe," said Cosmo.
Many have died of starV alton al
ready" returned Whistlington. ''YoD
can't get US off too quick"
Cosmo Versal had by this time free
himself of every trace of the reluctanc
which he had at first felt to increasing
the size of his ships company by add
ing recruits picked up at random. Hi
| sympathies were thoroughly aroused
and while he hastened the loading an
departure OF the launches, he asked tn
| Englishmen, who. with the impassiv
endurance of their race, stayed be
hind to the last, whether they though
that there were other refugees on tn
mountains whom they could reach.
| IT dare say there are thousands o
the poor devils on these peaks aroun
| US, wandering among the rocks " re
piled Edward Whistlington, but fame
you couldn't reach EN-"
"If l see any I'll try" returned CosmC
sweeping with his telescope all tn
mountain f1anks within view.
At last, on the slopes of the lofty Mon
Aigu across the submerged valley ia
ward the south he caught sight OF sev