The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-05-05


watch. It marked midnight. And l
had not left the deck until three!
l should have been puzzled had ] not
guessed the solution. No wonder !
was sleeping brokenly. ! had slept
twenty-one hours. listened for a
while to the behavior of the Ghost,
to the pounding of the seas and the
muffled roar of the wind on deck. and
then turned over on my side and
slept peacefully until morning.
When | arose at seven ! saw no
sign Of Maud and concluded she was
in the galley preparing breakfast. On
deck | found the Ghost doing splen
didly under her patch of canvas. Bnt
in the galley. though a fire was burn
ing and water boiling. found no
Maud
discovered her in the steerage, by
Wolf Larsen's bunk. looked at him.
the man who had been hurled down
from the topmost pitch Of life to be
buried alive and be worse than dead
There seemed a relaxation of his ex'
pressionless face which was new
Maud looked at me and I understood
Ills life flickered out in the storm"
said
But he still lives" she answered.
infinite faith in her voice.
"IIe had too great strength"
yes" she said, "but now it no
longer shackles him. He is free
spirit"
HE is a free spirit surely" | an
swered. and taking her hand. I led
her on deck.
The storm broke that night. which
is to say that it diminished as slowly
as it had arisen After breakfast
next morning, when had hoisted
Wolf Larsen's body on deck ready for
burial, it was still blowing heavily
and large sea was running The
deck vas continually awash with the
sea which came inboard over the rail
and through the scuppers. The wind
smote the schooner with a sudden
gust, and she heeled over till her lee
rail was buried. the roar in her rig
ging rising in pitch to a shrek. We
stood in the water to our knees as
| bared my head.
II remember only one part of the
service" said, land that is, And
the body shall be cast into the sea-
Maud looked at me. surprised and
shocked; but the spirit of something
! had seen before was strong upon
me, impelling me to give service to
Wolf Larsen as Wolf Larsen had
once given service to another man.
lifted the end OF the hatch cover
and the canvas-shrouded body slipped
feet first into the sea. The weight
of iron dragged it down. 1t was gone.
"Good-by, Lucifer, proud spirit"
Maud whispered, SO low that it was
drowned by the shouting of the wind;
but l saw the movement of her lips
and knew.
AS we chung to the lee rail and
worked our way aft, I happened to
glance to leeward. The Ghost. at the
moment, was uptossed on sea, and
I caught clear view Of a small
steamship two or three miles away
rolling and pitching head on to the
sea, as It steamed toward us. It was
painted black, and from the talk OF
the hunters of their poaching exploits
I recognized 1t as United States
revenue cutter. l pointed 1t out to
Maud and hurriedly led her aft to the
safety of the poop.
| started to rush below to the flag.
locker, then remembered that In rig.
ging the Ghost had forgotten to
make provision for a flag-halyard.
I'VE need no distress signal" Maud
said. "They have only to see u.s."
1--WE are saved" said, soberly and
solemnly. And then, in an exuber'
ance of Joy, 81 hardly know whether
to be glad or not"
I looked at her. Our eyes were not
loath to meet. We leaned toward
each other, and before / knew 1t my
arms were about her.
"Need II" asked.
And she answered, There Is no
need, though the telling Of it would
be sweet, so sweet"
Her lips met the press OF mine.
and, by what strange trick OF the
Imagination l know not, the scene In
the cabin of the Ghost flashed upon
me. when she had pressed her fingers
lightly on my lips and said. flush.
hush"
"My woman, my one small woman"
l said, my free hand petting her
shoulder in the way all lovers know
though never learn in school.
"My man." she said, looking down
at me for an instant with tremulous
lids which fluttered down and yelled
her eyes as she Struggled her head
against my breast with happy little
sigh.
looked toward the cutter. It was
very close. A boat was being low
cred.
Zone kiss, dear love-" l whispered.
zone kiss more before they come
"And rescue us from ourselves
she completed, with a most adorable
smile, whimsical as had never seen
II. for It was whimsical with love.
THE END.