The Washington times., 1913-08-06


\h sciousness fifteen minutes
" " later II was to find the face
of the gold woman bending
over him. He put up his arms and
drew her face down against his hot lips
and held 1t there.
MY wonder woman-my gold woman
you, you," he murmured. and he
found the precious lips which had
kissed him again and again in his un-
consciousness. They answered him as
II they would breathe the strength OF
immortal life into his form.
Not even death can take you from
met" he cried, and started up savageiy.
She might have expected TO nnd the
grim specter to Igrappie at her side.
MOT even-death-"
Layelle sighed and his eyes closed in
seeming WEAKNESS of pain. His arms
fell from her neck.
"Oh, God. you mustn't take him
from mel You must not"'
II was an appeal, a command, chal-
lenge of defiance. The cry with which
she sent 1t heavenvard pierced even
above the roar of the steam and the
warning calls and hamper above.
Although this lone woman's extremity
was great, yet of her association with
Faul Lavelle she had learned to order
her wits in the presence of disaster.
IF the next minute seems TO be the
last, Just keep on fighting-hammertn
ahead" he had said to her so many
times.
She remembered how he had given
strychnine TO MacGovern to stimulate
heart action the oil he had put on the
poor fellows burn. She ran aft and In
a drawer in the medicine chest, which
she looted of bandages and lint, she dis
covered a bottle of brandy. When she
returned to Paul he was just opening
his eyes again. He shook his head at
the liquor when he had taken but sip
of It
ed "or glycerin. There's some aft -"
Emily found bottle of glycerin. A
few minutes after he had swallowed
mouthful of It he nodded that he felt
easier.
'Steam-afraid it got inside" he whis-
pered. "Tired-remember, keep my
mouth shut Steams bad to swallow.
Water injector-on the boiler-blew
out Hit me somewhere in the middle.
Happened all in a second"
the boot Off his left leg, which he had
indicated hurt him most. 1t was scald-
ed from the knee down. His arms and
the backs OF his hands, too were blister
ed. His face was grimed with ashes
and SCOT, but when Emily washed II
she found il free of burn or hurt The
while her loving hands swathed him and
soothed his wounds she crooned like a
wild thing oyer It's whelp.
When he revived she was holding his
head in her lap just as she was in the
Cambodia's boat. His eyelids lifted to
her kisses. He put UP hand and
touched her cheek, and she patted II.
He smiled at the reinsurance that 1t
was not a dream. Many, many times
he had awakened to put out his hand
like that to touch that face and found
only emptiness.
The fade ring which he had put on
FmiIy's finger drew his glance and held
II for a second
but only one with God, he repeated;
only one with God
The escaping steam had spent its
strongest volume and was now no more
than hiss The Daphne had fallen of
before the wind again. and the noise
aIoft had practically ceased.
II feel this is the reckoning, part
With a. SOB she bent and kissed rim
with all the passion Of her being.
And for the touch of those lips"
Paul went on. 1.-The reckoning cannot be
mo, no, dear heart-no. no! This is
not the reckoning-only the beginning
OF the future"
Il have thought OF the future. but II
can't be-for me. II things had been
different / should have found you
though you had been at the ends of the
world. And should have come for you
and taken you" A flash of the old con-
quering spirit lit his eyes. II should
have taken you despite world against
me. II is part of the-the reckoning
that we should-have met. like strange
ships ON the sea, and TO have sailed to-
gether for this little while. But II
wasn't to be that we were to get home
together. And that is right. That is
right"
like you. Yo6 will live. You will liver'
But / don't want to live" he an
swered, very calmly. II am nothing
but a worthless broken thing-ma rked
among men. I could not give you even
That's
Listen, Peul-look up at me so that
you Will know that 1t 10 my soul