Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-12-11
CHAPTER X.
The Past a Blank.

liS dSt q 6iduH.
1t was perfectly true that Florence
had cast herself into the sea. 1t had
not been an act of despair, however
On the contrary, hope and courage had
prompted her to leap. The night was
clear, with only a moderate sea run
ming. At the time the great ship was
passing the banks, and almost within
hail she saw fishing schooner riding
gracefully at anchor She quite read
lily believed that if she remained on
board the George Washington she was
lost She naturally forgot the marvel
man hide at sea.
So, with that quick thought which
was a part of her inheritance, she
seized the life buoy, climbed the rail
and leaped far out. AS the great, dark,
tossing sea swooped up to meet her
she noted a block of wood bobbing up
and down. She tried to avoid it, but
could not, and struck it head on. De-
spite the blow aud the shock of the
chill water she instinctiyely clung to
the buoy. The wash from the mighty
propellers tossed her about. hither
and yon, from one swirl to another,
like chip of wood. Then everything
grew blank
Fortunately for her the master OF
the fishing schooner was at the time
standing on his quarterback by the
wheel, squirting through his glass at
the liner and enyying the ease and
comfort of those on board her The
mate, sitting on the steps and smok
ing his turning-in pipe, saw the mas
ter lean forward suddenly, lower the
glass, then raise it again.
Lord almighty"
| Whats the matter, cap'n?"
Jake, in Gods name, come ere an
take a peek through this glass. I'm
/ dreamin'!"
The mate jumped and took the
| glass. Where away, sir?"
"a pint OFF tn sta'board bow. SEE
somethin' white bobbin' up?"
"Yessir! Looks like some one
dropped a bolster r piller over
board Gods whiskers!" ht
broke off
Then l amt really seem things.
J cried the master. Eli. Y lubbersi" h,
yelled to the crew; "lower tn dory
They's woman in TIL water out there
]. seen her leap tn rail- Look alive
Sharp's tn word, Mate, you g
long"
The crew dropped their tasks ant
| sprang for the davits, and the star
board dory was lowered in shipshap
style.
1t takes a good bit of seamanshi
to haul body out of the sea, int
a dancing bobtailed dory, when on
moment it is climbing frantically heay
onward and the next heading for tn
bottomless pit They were very ter
der with her. They laid her out in tn
bottom of the boat with the life buo
as pillow, and pulled energeticall
for the schooner She was alive, bs
cause she breathed; but she did not sti
SO much as an eyelid. 1t was stii
bit of work, too, to land her aboar
without adding to her injuries. TIL
master ordered the men to put her
his own bunk, where he nearly stra1
gled her by forcing raw brandy dow
her throat
We'll, she's alive. anyhow"
When Florence finally opened he
eyes the gray of dawn lay on the Sc;
. dotted here and there by the schooner
| of x.,1s nh, ~ 5,<1 Iov
ing in midair, as at the moment ther
was visible to the eye no horizon.
Don't seem t. recognize nothin,."
}, "Mebbe she's got fever" suggeste
the mate. rubbing his bristly chin.
/ S"Fever nothin'! Not after bein' i
/ tn water half an hour. Mebbe she b
, one O. them wooden floats we lef
] Them dinged liners keep on crowdil
} u.s." growled Barnes, with fishe
mans hate for the floating hotel
Went by without toot. See e
| jes' like tn bankers wife goin'
| church on Sunday? A mile minute
fog or no fog, it's all the same
them. They run us down an neve
} stop. What tn tarnation we goil
to do? She'll haff t. stay aboard ii
tn run is over. can't afford t. yam
up my mudhook this time O. day"
Guess she can stand three r fou
t days in our company, smellin' oi
, cloths, fish, kerosene, an punk t'ba
2 CO."
'If y don't like tn kind O. t'bacc
: buy buy your own. l amt objectil
: none"
The mate stepped over to the bun
, and gingerly ran his hand over th
, girls head. Gods whiskers, cap'l
, they's a bump as bigs cork on Il