The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-05-30

1t was all over Agatha turned to her
companion with long-drawn breath
Jim looked as one looks whose last
hope has failed.
81 could never have let you 60
aboard, anyway" He loved her anew
for that speech, but knew not no"
to meet her eyes.
well, Ulysses lost his raft TOO!
he managed to say.
He saw the sunrise, too, just as
we have seen it; and he saw distant
island, that seemed a shield iaio
on the misty sea- Let's look hard
now, each time the wave lifts u.s.
Perhaps we also shall see an island
I'VE must swim harder; you are
chilled through"
"Oh, no." she laughed. Il shiV-
cred at the thought Of what a fright
l must look. l always did hate to
get my hair wet"
you look all right to me-"
They were able to laugh, and so
kept up heart. They tried to calcu-
late the direction the yacht had
taken when she left port, and where
the land might lie; and when they
had argued about 1t, they set out to
swim a certain way. In their hearts
each felt that any calculation was
futile, but they pretended to be in
earnest. They could not see far. but
they created for themselves goal
and worked toward it, which Is OF
itself happiness.
So they watched and waited, ages
long. Hope came to them again
presently. James, treading water.
thrust up his head and scented the
air
II smell the salt marsh, which
means land!" He shifted again. Eyes.
decidedly"
A moment later 1t was there, be-
fore their vision--that Shield laid on
;, the misty sea" which was the land.
Only it was not like a shield, but a
rocky spit of coast land, with fir
= trees farther back. James made for
: the nearest point, though his heart
0 shrank to see how far away 1t was
J Fatigue and anxiety were taking
their toll of his vigor Neither
= one had breath TO spare even for ex
ultation that the land was in sight
II Little by little Agatha grew more
y quiet, though not less brave. It tool
n all her strength to fight the water
n that mighty element which indiffer
IT emily supports or engulfs the human
atom If she feared, she made NJ
d. sign. Bravely she kept her heart ant
10 carefully she saved her strength
p, swimming slowly, resting often. ant
y wasting no breath In talk.
N But more and more frequently he
to eyes rested wistfully on James, mute
ly asking him for help He watches
to her minute by minute, often beggini
her to let him help her.
lie ooh, no, not yet: can go on nicely
If just rest little. There-thanl
rs you"
n Once she looked at him with sue
at pain in her eyes that he silently too
I'll her hands, placed them on his shou
der and carried her along with hi
y, stronger stroke She was reassure
by his strength, and presently sh
as slipped away from him. smiling col
e' fidently again as she swan alonl
side.
er Pm all right now; but I suddenl
Is, thought, what If anything should hal
/! pen to you. and be left alone!
VS. what II I should get panicky an
IS clutch you and drag you down. til
lis way people do sometimes!"
But L shan't leave you alone, an
hit you're not going to do that"
wv Agatha smiled, but could only sa
IT. IT hope mott"
~, She forged ahead little, and pre-
a emily had another moment of frigl
he on looking round and finding that il
en- had disappeared He had sudden
lat dived, without giving her warning. +
came up second later, putting az
is. splitting the bitter brine: but his Ia,
sy- was radiant.
sr; Rocks and seaweed!" he erie
les 'The land is near. Come: c;
'ok swim and take you, too, easily. Al
now know certainly just which WI
Ike, to go. Come, come!"
cid Agatha heard 1t all, but this tir
Inc she was unable to utter word. il
ma saw her stiff lips move in an effc
to smile or speak, but he heard
nix voice.
ng. Keep up, keep up, dear grill"
ter cried. We'll soon be there. II
ate try to keep up! Don't lose for
can moment the thought that you are ne
ped land, that you are almost there. Y
vas are safe. you can go on-only I.
an moments more!"
WI Poor Agatha strove as Jim ba
II her, CALAMITY. hearing his voice
cen through a thickening wall; but 6
she had already done her best. and mo
len She struggled for few halfconscie
ace moments: then suddenly her ar
uraw linn har avaa cioaad and I