Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1913-02-27

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he sank back on his bed he whisper
ed: "You are very good to take care
OF me-"
"Oh. no; I'm only too glad. And
now I'm going to build up the nre
again; your hands are quite cold
NO, don't co." he pleaded please
| stay here; I'm not cold any more,
And you must go to sleep again.
ought not to have wakened you; and,
really. didn't mean to-"
yes. you ought I've had lots OF
sleep; ! don't want any more
TITS dark, but it's better than It
was that other night. isn't it?" said
James.
Much better" answered Agatha.
James visibly gathered strength
trorn the milk, and presently he took
some more. Agatha watched. and
when he had finished, patted him
approvingly on the hand. Good boy!
You've done very WE'LL" she cried.
II was so thirsty, thought the
whole earth had run dry. Will you
think ME very ungrateful IL say now
| wish 1t had been water?"
ooh. no: I wish so, too. But Mr..
Hand could only get us a little BIZ
from a spring. for there isn't any
other pail
It was some time before Jim made
out to inquire. who's Mr.. Hand?"
Hes the man that helped us--out
OF the water-when we became ex-
hausted"
Agatha hesitated to speak OF the
nights experience, uncertain how far
Jim's memory carried him. and not
knowing how a sick man, In his
weakness, might be affected. Still.
now that he seemed almost himself
again. save for the chill, she ventured
to refer to the event, speaking in a
matter-of-fact way, as II such endur-
ance tests were the most natural
events in the world James speech
was quite coherent and distinct. but
very slow, as II the efforts to speak
came from the depths OF profound
| fatigue.
"Hand-that's a good name for him.
I thought 1t was the hand OF God,
which plucked me, like David. or
Jonah. or some such person, out of
the seething pillows. But | didn't
think of there being man behind. !"
Then, after a long silence. Where
Is he?"
He's gone off to find somebody to
help US get away from here; car
riage or wagon OF some sort. and
some food and clothes
Something caused Jim to calculate,
thingi" And then he asked. very slow
ly. Where is 'here'?"
II don't know; and Mr. Hand
doesn't know"
"And we've lost our tags laughed
Jim family.
Agatha couldn't resist the laugh.
though the weakness In Jim's voice
was almost enough to make her weep
as we'll.
Yes, we've lost our tags. more's
the pity Mr. Hand thinks we're
either on the coast OF Maine, or on
an island somewhere near the coast.
myself think IL must at least be
Nova Scotia. or possibly Newfound-
land But Hand will find out and be
back soon. and then we'll get away
from here and go to some place where
we'll all be comfortable"
Agatha stole away. and with much
difficulty succeeded in kindling the
fire again She tended It until a good
steady heat spread over the rocks, and
then returned to James. She eurled
up, half sitting. half lying. against
the rocks.
Clouds had risen during the recent
hours, and 1t was much darker than
the night before had been. The ocean.
washing Its million pebbles up on the
little beach. moaned and complained
necessarily. In the long interval be-
tween their talk. Agathas head would
fall, her eyes would close, and she
would almost sleep; but an under.
current OF anxiety concerning her
companion kept her always at the
edge of consciousness. James him.
self appeared to have no desire to
sleep. He was trying to piece to-
gether, 10 his mind, his conscious and
unconscious memories AT last he
said,
Il guess | haven't been much good
for a while-have II"
Agatha considered before replying
You were quite exhausted, think:
and we feared you might be ILL.,"
And Handy Andy got my jobg
She laughed outright at this. as much
for the feeling OF reinsurance 1t gave
her as for the jest itself.
Handy Andy certainly had lob,
with US two on his handslr she laugh
&c.
Il bet he did" cried James, with
more vigor than he had shown before
Hes great man: I'm for him!
When's he coming back :"