The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-02-27

mo: want to save the dog. and I want
to find out what it's got In its mouth"
ship toward the tossing white dot among
the waves that marked the weakening prog
ress Of little Cyrus.
As the boat drew up to him, the strong
hands Of Selwyn reached down and plucked
the exhausted, chilled, quivering form from
the water. But Selwyn was not Harry.
And Cyrus had been told to take the paper
to Harry. He growled as the Lieutenant
tried to pull Pauline's drenched note from
the set teeth.
You'll have to hold him. even II he bites
a couple Of u.s." said selwyn to the men
nearest him. We've got to see this note"
The sailors gripped the struggling Cyrus.
body and head, while Selwyn forced open
the snapping jaws. Cyrus fought to the
last, but there was not enough strength left
in him to prevent his defeat
swift glance at the paper. and selwyn
muttered an oath in his excitement
make for that wrecked target over
there-No L." he shouted. PUT all you've
got into it. There's q girl on board the
hulk and it's sinking.
As the men strained eagerly to the oars
and the boat shot through the waves. Sci
wyn stood up with the signal flags and wig
wagged to the waiting Admiral on the deck
Of the battleship the strangest news that
that warscarred veteran had ever received
ct sea.
Pauline crept back to the cabin after dis
patching Cyrus on his desperate errand. No
more shots fell near the target, but the
boom Of guns continued distantly. A great
loneliness appalled, her heart She was
even remorseful now for having sent the
dog to an almost certain death in the tower
ing waves. How could that tiny body buff
fet the sea for miles? It seemed to
Pauline now that she would rather have
him with her-at the end.
For the end doomed very near. The cabin
Of the wrecked target-boat was now a lake.
from the force of the thrush Of the ever
widening leak, partly from the violent rock
ing Of the hulk. Pauline sat down on the
tou step Of the cabin entrance. and. with her
hands pressed to her face. watched the rapid
rising of the tide. Every new inch damp
ened on the line of the dry wall marked .
moments progress toward her doom.
''H could only make it seem that didn't
get into trouble with the motor boat" she
said to herself
"Harry will never forgive himself for let
ting me CO. 1 shall have broken his heart.
him. Oh, II I ever-by any chance should
be saved, I win marry him. marry him.
marry him tomorrow. and never do another
foolish thing as long d live
A sudden lurch Of the side-heavy craft
sent splash Of water to her boot-top. She
drew back and got to her feet She was not
afraid Of the dampness. for she was drenched
head to foot from her frantic endeavors to
stay the leaks in the cabin: but these instn-
uating. subtle tongues of water that grew
more and more menacfng each moment made
her shudder. She thought Of the man IN
"Toilers OF the Sea" who had sat In the
rock-cleft while the tide crept up over him
and killed him But he had wanted to die.
He had lost the one he loved. She-she
wanted, with all the strength Of her pulsinG
youth, to live and love.
It seemed hours since she had sent the
dog overheard, but she knew that the ships
that doomed clearly to her vision were
really miles away. She walked to the
forward deck and leaned against the sur
viving mast Of the target Into the mas,