The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1913-01-08

4 smell the salt marsh, which
means landi" He smiled again. Yes,
decidedly"
A moment later II was there, be-
fore their vision--that shield laid on
the misty sea- which was the land.
Only IL was not like shield, but a
rocky spit Of coast land. with FIR
trees farther back. James made for
the nearest point, though his heart
shrank to see how far away II was.
Fatigue and anxiety we're taking
their toll OF his vigor. Neither
one had breath to spare even for ex-
ultation that the land was In sight.
Little by little Agatha grew more
all her strength to fight the water
that mighty element which indiffer-
emily supports or engulfs the human
atom. II she feared, she made no
sign. Bravely she kept her heart. and
carefully she saved her strength,
swimming slowly, resting often, and
wasting no breath In talk.
But more and more frequently her
eyes rested wistfully on James, mute
/ ~ dchiHS MN iOi HtiDs AlO Wdttntu
her minute by minute, often begging
her to let him help her.
ooh, no, not yet can go on nicely.
II just rest a little. There-thank
you"
Once she looked at him with such
pain In her eyes that he silently took
her hands, placed them on his shout
der and carried her along with his
stronger stroke. She was treasured
by his strength, and presently she
slipped away from him, smiling con-
fidently again as she swan along
side
I'm all right now; but suddenly
thought, what If anything should hap
pen to you, and be left alone! Or
what If | should get panicky and
clutch you and drag you down, the
way people do sometimes!"
"But I shan't leave you alone. and |
you're not going to do that"
Agatha smiled, but could only say,
II hope not!"
She forged aheadsa little, and pres
emily had another moment of fright |
on looking round and finding that Jim
had disappeared. He had suddenly
dived, without giving her warning. He
came up second later, putting and
splitting the bitter brine; but his face
was radiant
Rocks and seaweed!" he cried.
The land is near. Come; can
swim and take you, too easily. And
now | know certainly just which way
to go. Come, comet
Agatha heard it all, but this time
she was unable to- utter a word. Jim
saw her stiff lips move in an effort
to smile or speak, but he heard no
voice.
Keep up, keep up, dear grill" he
cried. We'll soon be there. Try,
try to keep up. Don't lose for
moment the thought that you are near
land, that you are almost there. We
are safe. you can go on-only few
more!"
Poor Agatha strove, as Jim babe
her, calamity, hearing his voice as
through a thickening wall; but she
had already done her best, and more.
She struggled for few half-conscious
then suddenly her arms
grew limp, her eyes closed, and her
weight came upon Jim as that of a
dead person. Then he set his teeth
and nerved himself to make the effort
of his life.
1t is no easy thing to strain for
ward swimming the high seas, bear
ing above the surface a load which
on land would make strong man
stagger. One must watch ones bur-
den, to guard against mishap; one
must save breath and muscle, and
keep an eye for direction, all in a
struggle against hostile element
The goal still seemed incredibly
far, farther than his strength could
go. Yet he swan on, fighting against
the heart breaking thought that his
had perhaps gone down
to the dim sea-line" in very truth. .
She had been so brave, so strong.
She had buoyed up his courage when
it had been fainting; she had fought
splendidly against the last terrible
inertia of exhaustion.
"Courage!" he told himself. eve
must make the land!" But 1t took
a stupendous effort His strokes be-
came unequal, some of them feeble
and ineffective; his muscles ached
with the strain; now and then a
strange whirring and dizziness in his
head caused him to wonder dimly
he were above or below wa
ter. He could no longer swim with
closed lips, but constantly threw his
head back with the gasp that marks
the spent runner.
Holding Agatha Redmond in front
Of him, with her head well above the
water and her body partly supported
by the life preserver, he swan some
times with one hand. sometimes only