Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1915-03-27
But the ship was settling

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Gardiner, fiercely.
Il watched for you she answered.
81 looked and you were not in any of
the boats. They tried to put me
aboard but l escaped. Did you think
l would go without your"
And suddenly she was in his arms,
clinging to him, and their lips met for
the first time in seven years. 1t was
a miracle of joy to both of them, being
together there, the only human beings
in that little world of smoking planks
and steel that was slowly settling be-
meath the water.
Dear" said Margery, 81 want to
tell you now that l have always loved
you, and only you"
"And l you, Margery," he answered.
And they forgot their peril, and the
approach of death, and, side by side,
their arms about each other they
watched the kissing fight of fire and
water until the water won.
The submerged stern blazed no
longer. Only the sea threatened them
now. But the deck was getting lower,
and the bow uplifting, and, anxious
only to prolong those moments of hap
piness that had come back out of the
past, too late, they sought the upper
bridge.
Silently they sat there, watching the
slow, up-creeping of the water. Over
the horizon faint light was creeping,
and slowly dawn hung out her flaming
banners in the sky.
A drilling rain began, and, forget
ting that in a little while they would
be struggling in the waters, they
moved within the shelter of the little
room that had been occupied by the
wireless telegrapher. There they
crouched together.
"If we could have our lives over
again!" said Gardiner. II never knew
how sweet life was meant to be-"
1--WE would be wiser, DEAR" an
swered Margery.
Mechanically she turned over the
papers heaped upon the little table,
representing messages received for
many on board, but not delivered.
Gardiner stared out into the sea. 1t
seemed impossible that the ship could
remain afloat more than half an hour
longer.
"Margery," he said, 81 believe there
will be a chance for us. l am going
to throw this table overheard when
the end comes, and we will spring to-
gether It will keep us af1oat until
until some possible rescue. And, If we
live, you will come with me. You
shall be mine forever, dear, and we
will start our new life in a new
world"
Eyes. I will come with you" she an
swered mechanically. Her face was
very pale Gardiner looked at her; he
was surprised at her ready acquies-
cence; he had expected that the pas
sion which swept him off his feet
would at least be met by the plea of
duty. There was no shrinking in
Margery's mind
Il will come with you, to the worlds
end" she answered, slipping her hand
in his.
He strobe out on the tilted deck,
and, clinging to the rail, peered sea-
ward, where the ball of the sun was
it rode a tiny craft.
"Margery!" he shouted, drawing her
to the rail.
1t carried the hope of life. And the
minutes passed and they stayed there,
watching the ship grow larger. The
vessel had been sighted, and, though
the stranger could not know that there
we're living beings aboard this dere-
lict, she was pushing hard toward
them for investigation.
Half an hour had passed. The ves-
sci was now plainly to be seen. She
was a British cruiser. 1t was a furi-
GUS race between her and the sea.
Clinging to the rail, Gardiner felt the
deck at an angle of 60 degrees beneath
him. The ship was trembling, pre-
cursor of the final plunge under the
waves. But life was looking at them
again, and the war vessel was very
near
He tore his coat from his back and
waved 1t frantically. The cruiser was
now less than a mile away. Suddenly
a boat shot forth from her side.
And the last minutes of the fight
were never clear In the mans mind,
so close was the finish. But he seemed
to remember that, as the ship strained
and heayed, and gathered herself for
destruction, they slid down the up
raised side into the boat that lay be-
meath, manned by dozen sturdy blue
jackets. There came the hard ply of
oars to escape the dreadful vortex, and
suddenly where the liner had been
was only great swirl of bubbling wa
ter
Half an hour later the two sat side
by side upon the warship's decks.
Gardiner was studying his compan-
ions face Would she regret2 Would
she change? Would life alter her will