The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-07-24

! ming surge OF the wsrers. all was -
lence. The pale forerunners OF DAVE
had appeared. Their swim after the
boats of the Jeanne D'Arc had warm
ed their blood, so that for a while
they were not conscjous OF the I'LL
OF the water. But as the minutes
heightened, one by one, fatigue n
cold numbed their bodies. 1t was a
test of endurance for a strong man;
as for the girl, Jim wondered at her
strength and courage. She swan
su%perbly. with unhurried, steady
strokes. If she grew chatteringly
cold. she would start into a vigorous
swim, shoulder to shoulder with
James. II she lost her breath with
the hard exercise, she would take his
Rand, 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 buffeted, but rocked
up and down on its heaving bosom.
Once, while they were resting on
the water, Agatha broke a long ST.
lence with, Il 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
iowly, but quite cheerfully and nat
lrally. Il am wondering what there is
beyond"
I've often wondered. too" said
Jim.
i've sometimes thought, and I've
said it, too, that I was crazy to die,
just to see what happens" Agatha
went on, laughing a little at her own
memories. But | find I'm not at all
eager for 1t, 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 a while.
What do you think death means?
Shall we be we tomorrow, say. pro-
vided we can't keep afioat?" she
asked by and by.
Way, 49,, 4 IhAhh SoB 1919 $780,
II don't know why or how, but guess
we go on somewhere; and | rather
think our best moments here-our
moments Of happiness or heroism, IL
we ever have any-are going to be
the regular thing" Jim laughed a
little, partly at his own lame ending.
and partly because he felt Agatha's
hand closing more tightly over his,
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 a
bad idea" and then cheerfully turned
to a consideration of the possibilities
Of q rescue at dawn.
James had evolved a plan to walt
till enough light came to enable them
to reach the Jeanne Dare, If she was
still aflcat; then to climb aboard and
hunt for provisions and life preserv-
ers or something to use for a raft.
IL he could do this, then they would
be in "a somewhat better plight. at
least for a time. He prayed that the
Jeanne Dare might still be afoat.
The two talked little, leaving ST.
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
a complex and artificial society; they
we're lot even man and woman; they
we're 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.
sky, ~endlessly far away and far above.
A twinkling star looked down on the
cup of ocean, glimmered a moment
and was gone. The light strength
ened. A pearly, i%ridescent CULVER
came upon the waters. repeating
itself wave after wave, and heralded
the coming of the Lord Sun over the
great murmuring sea- AS the light
grew, they could see a constantly wild.
ening circle of ocean, OF which they
were the center. AS they rose and
fell with the waves, the horizon fell
and rose to their vision, dim and un-
defined. Hand in hand they Hoated
In vaporous silver.
"The day has come at last. thank
| Cod" breathed James.
YES, thank God!" answered the
girl.
Are you very cold?"
The sun will Don warm u.s."
Where did you learn to swim?"
"In England, mostly at the Isle Of
Wight, but I'm not half such a
dolphin as you are"
"Oh. well, boys have to swim. you
know, and I was a boy once" Jim
answered awkwardly. Presently he
asked. 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.
CTo BE CoNTINUED.)