Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-12-01
CHAPTER XUI-Contlnued.

h1H wv
"Lie still a moment" said a voice
gently. you will breathe easier short
~ and regain strength"
I knew my fingers closed on the
mans hand convulsively, but the wa
ter yet blinded my eyes. He must
have perceived this for he wiped my
eace with a cloth, and it was then l
perceived his face clearly, and remem-
bered.
'The Sieur d'Artigny" l exclaimed.
'Of course" he answered. "Who
else should it be, madame? Please do
not regret my privilege"
"Your privilege; it's a strange word
you choose, monsieur" 1 faltered, no
yet having control of myself. Surely
Z have granted none"
"Perchance not, as there was small
.hance," he answered, evidently at
tempting to speak lightly. Nor could
I wait to ask your leave; yet surely
I may esteem it a privilege to bring
you ashore alive"
at was you then who saved me? l
scarcely understood, monsieur; l lost
consciousness, and am daZed in mind.
You leaped into the water from the
:anoe?"
"Yes; there was no other course left
me. My boat was beyond yours, a
few yards farther out in the lake,
when the storm struck. We were par
tally prepared, for l felt assured there
would be trouble. Never did | feel
more deadly blast; no craft such as
ours could face it. We were to your
left and real when your canoe cap
sized, and / bore down toward where
you struggled in the water. An In
dian got grip upon you as we swept
by, but the craft dipped so that he let
go, and then I jumped, for we could
never come back, and that was the
only chance. This is the whole story,
madame, except that by Gods help, l
got you ashore"
l looked into his face, impressed by
the seriousness with which he spoke.
"I-I thank you, monsieur" l said,
and held out my hand. at was most
gallant. Are we alone here? Where
are the others?"
81 do not know, madame" he an
swered, his tone now that of formal
courtesy. "'Tis but a short time
since we reached this spot, and the
storm yet RACES. May l help you to
stand, so you may perceive better our
situation"
He lifted me to my feet, and l
stood erect, my clothes dripping wet,
and M limbs trembling so that l
grasped his arm for support, and
glanced anxiously about. We were
on q narrow sand beach, at the edge
of a small cove, so protected the wa
tiers were comparatively calm, al
though the trees above bowed to the
blast, and out beyond the headland l
could see huge waves, whitened with
foam, and perceive the clouds of spray
flung up by the rocks. 1t was a wild
scene, the roar Of the breakers loud
and continuous. and the black clouds
flying above with dizzy rapidity. All
the horror which l had just passed
through seemed typified in the scene,
and | covered my face with my hands.
"You-you think they-they are all
gomez" l asked, forcing the words
from me.
"Oh, no." he answered eagerly, and
his hand touched me. "Do not give
way to that thought. l doubt If any
in your canoe made shore, but the
others need not be In great danger.
They could run before the storm until
they found some opening in the coast
iine to yield. protection. The sergeant
was no voyageur, and when one OF
: the paddles broke he steered wrong.
With an Indian there you would have
fioated."
: "Then what can we doT
: ''There is naught that I see, but
wait. Monsieur Cassion will be blown
south, but will return when the storm
subsidies to seek you. No doubt he
will think you dead, yet will scarcely
leave without search. See, the sky
grows lighter already, and the wind
ID less fierce. 1t would be my thought
to attain the woods yonder, and build
O Gre to dry our clothes; the air chills''
leaked where he pointed, up a mar