The Spectator., 1916-04-28

back O her head! She's struck one, O them floats all right Where's th1 arnica?'
 Barnes turned to his locker and rum-i maged about, finally producing an an- cient bottle and some passably cleanI cloth used frequently for bandages.t Sometimes a man grew careless withl his knife or got in the way of a pulleyl block With blundering kindness thei two men bound up the girls head, and then went about their duties.
 For three days Florence evinced not the slightest inclination to leave thei bunk. She lay on her back either asleep or with her eyes staring at the beams above her head. She ate just enough to keep her alive; and the strong black coffee did nothing more than to make her wakeful. No one i knew what the matter was. There was the bump, now diminished; but that 1 it should leave her in this comatose. state vastly puzzled the men. The l truth is she had suffered a slight con- 1 cussion of the brain. and this, atop of all the worry she had had for the last few weeks, was sufficient to cause this l blankness of the mind.
 The final cod was cleaned and packed away in salt, the mudhook raised, and the schooner Betty set her sails for the southwest. Barnes real- ized that to save the girl she mustl 1 have a doctor who knew his business. Mrs Barnes would know how to carei for the girl, once she knew what tho trouble was. There would be some news in the papers. A young and beautiful woman did not jump from a big Atlantic liner without the newspa- pers getting hold of the facts,
 A fair wind carried the Betty into her haven, and shortly after Florence was sleeping peacefully in feather bed, ancient, it is true, but none the less soft and inviting. In all this timel she had not spoken a single word.
 "The poor young thing!" murmured the motherly Mrs. Barnes. What beautiful hair, o, John, l wish you would give up the sea. I hate it. It is terrible I am always watching you in my minds eye, in calm wealth CT. in storms Pieces of wrecks come ashore, and I always wonder over the death and terror back of them"
 Don't y worry none about me Betty. I never take no chances. Now I'm goin' int tn village an bring back tn sawbones. He'll tell us what t do."
 The village doctor shook his grizzled head gravely.
 She's been hurt and shocked at the same time It will be many days be- fore she comes around to herself. Just let her do as she pleases. Only keep
 an eye on her so that she doesn't wan
 der off and get lost. I'll watch the
 newspapers and if 1 come across any
 thing which bears upon the case I'll notify you"
 But he searched the newspapers in vain. for the simple fact that he did } not think to glance over the old ones.
 The village took good deal of in-
 teresI in the affair. They gossiped
 about it and strolled out to the Barnes , cottage to satisfy their curiosity. One
 thing was certain to their simple
 minds: some day Barnes would get a great sum of money for his kindness
 They had read about such things in the family story paper. She was rich
 mans daughter; the ring on the un- known's finger would have fitted out fleet.
 Florence was soon able to walk
 about. Ordinary conversation she seemed to understand; but whenever the past was preached she would