The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-26

LORD a'miShty.
''What's the matter. Cap'n?"
cake, in Gods name, come ere an take
a peek through this glass. I'm dreamin'r'
The mate jumped and took the glass.
Where away. sir?"
"A pint of tn sta aboard bow. See some
thin white bobbin' up?'
''Yessir! Looks like some one dropped
bolster r piler overheard. Gods
whiskers!'' he broke off.
Then 1 amt SEEM things cried the
master. Hi, y lubbers!' he yelled to the
crew; flower tn dory. Tney's a woman In
tn water out there. seen her leap tn rail.
Look alive! Sharp's tn word! Mate, you
60 long"
The crew dropped their tasks and sprang
for the davits, and the starboard dory
lowered in shipshape style.
1t takes good bit of seamanship to haul
q body out OF the sea into a dancing bob
tailed dory, when one moment it is climbing
frantically heavenward and the next heading
for the bottomless pit. They were very tender
with her. They laid her out in the bottom of
the boat. with the life buoy as a pillow, and
pulled energetically for the schooner. She
was alive, because she breathed; but she did
bit Of work, too to land her aboard without
adding to her injuries. The master ordered
the men to put her in his own bunk, where
he nearly strangled her by forcing raw bran
dy down her throat
"Well, she's alive. anyhow
When Florence finally opened her eyes the
gray Of dawn lay on the sea, dotted here and
there by the schooners Of the feet, which
seemed to be hanging in midair, at the
moment there was visible to the eye no hori-
1on.
Don't seem t recognize nothin'."
"Msbbe she's got a fever" suggested the
mate, rubbing his bristly chin.
"Fever nothin'! Not after bein' In tn
water half an hour Mebbe she hit one O.
them wooden floats we left. Them dinged
liners keep on crowdin' u.s." growled Barnes,
with fsherman's hate for the floating ho-
tells. went by with never a toot, Sec 'er,
jes' like tn bankers wife goin' t. church on
Sunday? A mile minute; fog fog, it's
all the same { them. They run us down an
never stop. What tn tarnation goin' to
do? She'll ha9 t stay aboard till tn run is
over can't afford { yank up my mudhook
this time O day.
"Guess she can stand three r four days In
our company, smellin' oilcloths, fish, kerosene,
an punk t'bacco."
"If y don't like tn kind O. tbacco buy.
buy your own. amt objectin' none.'
The mate stepped over to the bunk and
eingerly ran his nand over the girls head
Gods whiskers, Cap'n, they's a bump ~
big's a cork on TIL back O. her head! She's
struck one O. them floats all right Where's
tn arnicar'
For three days Florence evinced not tho
slightest inclination to leave the bunk. She
lay on her back either asleep or with her
eyes staring at the beams above her head.
She ate just enough to keep her alive; and
the strong black coffee did nothing
than to make her wakeful. No one knew
what the matter was. There was the bump,
now diminished; but that 1t should leave her
in this comatose state vastly puzzled the
men. The truth is she had suffered a slight
conclusion Of the brain, and this, atop of all
the worry she had had for the last few
weeks, was sufacient to cause this Darkness
of the mind.
The final cod was cleaned and packed
away in salt, the mudhook raised, and the
schooner Betty set her sails for the SOUTH
west. Barnes realized that to save the girl
she must have a doctor who knew his busi-
ness. Mrs. Barnes would know how to care
for the girl, once she knew what the trouble
was. There would be some news In the pa
pers. A young and beautiful woman did not
Jump from a big Atlantic liner without the
newspapers getting hold Of the facts.
A fair wind carried the Betty into her
haven; and shortly after Florence was Sleep
ing peacefully in a feather bed, ancient it
is true, but none the less soft and inviting.
In NIL this time she had not spoken . single
word.
The poor young thingv' murmured the
motherly Mrs. Barnes "Wnat beautiful
hair! o, John, 1 wish you would give up the
sea. hate it. It is terrible. 1 am always
watching you in my minds eve, in calm
weather, in storms. Pieces Of wrecks come
ashore and always wonder over the death
and terror back Of them"
"Don't y worry mono about me, Betty.
never take no chances. Now I'm goin' int
tn village an bring back tn sawbones- Hell
tell US what t do"
The village doctor shook his grizzled heai
gravely.