The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-01-15

nun as n mother talks TO a SICK child
cajolcd and commanded him; and
though he was restless and voluble
yet he obeyed her readily enough.
As the rain began to descend, Aga
tina bethought herself earnestly as to
what could be done. She first per.
suaded James to drink little more OF
the milk, and afterward took what was
left herself-less than half cupful.
Then she set the bucket out to catch
the rain. She felt keenly the need of
food and water; and now that there
was no one to heed her movements,
she found IL difficult to keep up the
show OF courage. She still trusted In
Hand; but even at best he might yet
be several hours in returning; and
cold and hunger can reduce even the
stoutest heart. II Hand did not return
but there was no answer to that IL.
She believed he would come.
The soft rain cast pail over the
ocean, so that only a small patch Of
sea was visible; and II flattened the
waves until the blue-fashing, white
capped sea of yesterday was now a
smooth, gray surface, touched here
and there by bit of frothy scum.
Agatha looked out through. the deep
curtain of mist, remembering the
night, the Jeanne Dare, and her re-
cent peril. Most wildly of all she
heard in her memory voice shouting.
Keep up! I'm coming, I'm coming!"
All, what welcome coming that had
been! Was he to die, now, here on
her hands. after the worst of their
struggle was over? She turned quickly
back to James, vowing in her heart 1t
should not be; she would save him IL
it lay in human power to save.
Her hardest task was to move their
camp up into the edge of the brush
wood, where they might have the
shelter of the trees. There was a
place, near the handle of the sickle,
where the rockwell partly disap-
peared, and the underground from the
cliff reached almost to the beach. 1t
was from here that Hand had begun
his ascent; and here Agatha chose a
place under a clump of bayberry,
where she could make another bed for
James. The ground there was still
dry.
She coaxed James to his feet and
helped him, with some difficulty, up to
he more sheltered spot. He was
stronger, physically, now in his deliri-
lm than he had been during his period
Of sanity in the night. She made him
sit down while she ran back to gather
IN armful of the fir boughs to spread
,ut for his bed; but she had scarcely
started back for the old camp before
lanes got to his feet and staggered
lftersher. She met him just as she
was returning, and had to drop her
DAD, take her patient by the arm, and
yuide him back to the new shelter.
lie went peacefully enough, but
eaned on her more and more heavily,
Until at last his knees weakened under
Tim and he fell. Agatha's heart smote
Ter.
They were near the bayberry bush,
hough entirely out from its protec-
ion. AS the drilling rain settled
Town thicker and thicker about them,
agatha tried again. Slowly she
oaxed James to his knees, and slowly
he helped him creep, as she had crept
oward him in the night, along the
tones and up into the sheltered cor
Ter under the bayberry. 1t was only
little better than the open, and it
lad taken such prodigies of strength
o get there!
Agatha made a pillow sfor James
lead and sat by him, looking earnestly
It his flushed face; and from her heart
he sighed, "Ah, dear man, 1t was too
lard! 1t was too hard!"
1t was a long and weary wait for
lelp, though help of a most efficient
lind was on the way. Agatha had
,een looking and listening toward the
PIPER wood, whittier Hand had disap-
She had even called, from
ime to time, on the chance that she
ould help to guide the assisting
arty back to the cove. At last, as she
istened for a reply to her call, she
card another sound that set her Won
ering; it was the p-p-peter-peter of a
motor boat. She looked out over the
mall expanse of ocean that was visi-
lie to her, but could see nothing. New
rtheless the boat was approaching, as
Is putting proclaimed. 1t grew more
nd more distinct, and presently a
trong voice shouted "Ahoy! Are you
here?"
Three times the shout came. Agatha
lade trumpet of her hands and an
wered with a call on two notes, clear
nd strong. "All right" came hack.
nd then. Call againl We can't find
oui" And so she called again and
gain, though there were tears in her
yes and lump in her throat for
cry relief and Joy. When her eyes
leared, she saw the boat, and watched
lille it anchored well off the rocks;
hen two men put ashore in a row.