Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1913-03-07

cd their blood. so that for a while
they were not conscious OF the chill
or the water. But as the minutes
heightened. one by one, fatigue and
cold numbed their bodies. 1t was a
test Of endurance for strong man;
as for the girl, Jim Wondered at her
strength and courage. She swan
superbly, with unhurried, steady
strokes. II she grew chatteringly
cold, she would start into vigorous
swim, shoulder to shoulder with
James. IL she lost her breath with
the hard exercise, she 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 we're
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
lowly, 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 1t, too, that | 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 it, now. when it would be
so easy to go under and not come up
again. Are your"
NO. I've never felt eager to die;
least Of all. now"
Agatha was silent a while.
What Go you think death meansf
Shall We be we tomorrow. say, pro-
vided ;se can't keep afIoat?" she
asked by and by.
Why, yes. think SO. said Jim.
II don't know why or how, but guess
we so on somewhere: and l rather
think our best moments here-our
moments OF happiness or herolsm. Y
we ever have any-are going to be
the regular thing Jim laughed 8
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
I ssFEhaf Tgntf r
bad idea" and then cheerfully turned
to consideration of the possibilities
of a rescue at dawn,
James had evolved a plan to wal
till enough light came to enable then
to reach the Jeanne Dare, II she wal
still aaoat; then to climb aboard ant
hunt for provisions and life preserv
ers or something to use for q raft
II ne could do this, then they woul
be in a somewhat better plight. a
least for time, He prayed that tn
Jeanne Dare might still be $aoat-
The two talked little. leaving s
lences between them full of wonder
The details of life, the ordinary pei
sonallties, we're bIotted out Withou
explanation or speech of any kind
they understood each other The.
were not, in this hour. members o
a complex and artificial society; the!
we're not even man and woman; the!
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
until it became the blue curtain o.
sky. endlessly far away and far above
A twinkiing star looked down on the
cup of ocean, glimmered moment
and was gone. The light strength
ened. A pearly iridescent culver
came upon the waters. repeating
itself wave after wave, ard heraided
the coming of the Lord Sun over the
great murmurlng sea- As the light
grew, they could see constantly wild
ching circle of ocean, of which they
we're 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 ioated
| in yaporous silver 49,,
THE day has come at last. thank
Cod" breathed James.
Eyes, thank God" answered the
girl
Are you very cold?"
"The sun will soon warm US"
where did you learn to SWIM
"Tn 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 / was boy once" Jim
answered awkwardly Presently he
asked, and his voice was full Of ave-:
"Ffave YOU ever seen the dawh~a
! dawn like this--before
Never one like this" she whis.
pered.
gro BE CoNTINUED)