Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-04
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CHATTER IL (COntinued).
rTH1S time his feet plunged against some
J. thing gracefully solid. lie was dashed
forward. still battling with the raging tur-
moil of water and second time he felt
the same firm vet smooth surface His
dormant faculties awoke. II was sand.
with frenzied desperation. buoyed now by
the inspiring hope of safety, he fought his
way onward like maniac.
often he fell; three times did the back
wash try to drag him to the swlrllng death
behind but he staggered blindly on, on,
until even the tearing gale ceased to be
laden with the suffocating foam. and his
faltering feet sank in deep. soft white
sand.
Then he fell not to rise again. with a
last weak flicker of exhausted strength
he drew the girl closely to him and the
two lay casped tightly together needless
now of all things,
How long the man remained PROSTATE
he could only guess subsequently. The
Sirdar struck soon after daybresk and the
sailor awoke to hazy consciousness of his
surroundings to find a shaft of sunshine
1lckcrng through the clouds banked up in
The east The gale was already passing
away. Although the wind still whistled
with shrill violence II was more clustering
than threatening The sea. too. though rum
ming very high had retreated many yards
from the spot where he had finally dropped,
and it's surface was no longer scourged with
venomous spray.
Slowly and painfully he raised himself
to a sitting posture, for he was bruised
and stiff with his first movement he be-
came violently ILL., He had swallowed much
salt water and II was not until the spasm
of sickness had pdssed that he thought of
the girl
She had slipped from his breast as he
rose and was lying, face downward In the
sand. The memory of much that had hap
pened surged into his brain with horrifying
suddenness
"she cannot be dead he hoarsely mur-
INJURED, feebly trying to lift her. surely
Providence would not desert her after such
an escape. What weak beggar l must
be to give in at the last moment. I am
sure she was living when we got ashore
What on earth can l do to revive her?'
Forgetful Of his own aching limbs in
this newborn anxiety, he sank on one knee
and gently pllowed Iris's head and shoul-
ders on the other. Her eyes were closed
her lips and teeth firmly set-a fact to
which she undoubtedly owed her life, else
she would have been suffocated-and the
pallor of her skin seemed to be that terrible
bloodless hue which ind Gates death. The
stern lines in the mans face relaxed, and
something blurred his vision He was weak
from exhaustion and want of food. For the
moment his emotions were easily aroused
"Oh II Is p'tful," he almost whlmpered.
at cannot bel"
sleeve OF his thick Jersey across his eyes
to clear them from the gathering mist.
Then he tremblngly endeavored TO open
the neck of her dress and unclasp her COR
sets He had vague notion that ladies'
in faint'ng condition required such
treatment and he was desperately resolved
to bring Iris Deane back to conscious exist
ence If II were possible. His task was rem
dered dfIicult by the waistband of her
dress He slipped out clasphnife and
opened the blade.
Not until then did he discover that the
nail of the forefnger on his right hand
had been torn out by the quick probably
during his endeavors to grasp the unsteady
support which contributed so materially
to his escape It still hung by shred and
hlndered the free use of his hand. Without
any hesitation he seized the offending nall
in his teeth and completed the surgical
operation by a rapid jerk.
Bending to resume his task, he was star
tied to find the girls eyes wide open and
surveying him with shadowy alarm. She |
was quite conscious absurdly so in sense. |
and had noticed his strange action
Thank God 7" he cried hoaTsely. You |
are alive"
Her mind as yet could only work in a
single groove,
why did you do that'" she whispered.
"Do what?"
Bite your nail off !"
1T was in my way, wished to cut
open your dress at the waist. You were
almost dead, / thought and 1
wanted TO unfasten your corsets." |