Putnam patriot., 1916-06-23

tuduSlH2 Her leAEl Ale was pctStiE= ing furouslv; 5he c6mm5tioa around him was horrible Then abrlptly the lights went out. leaving him in utter blac1ucss; the last fading yellow gleam was photographed briefly upon his retina.
 After scrambling to the cabin deck O'Neil felt for tue little bracket lamp on the wall of his stater0om and 1t it. He dragged life preserver from the rack overhead and slipped the tapes about his shoulders. reilecting that Alaskan waters are disagreeably cold Then be opened his travelling bags and dumped their contents upon the white counterpane of his berth, selecting out of the confusion certain documents and trinkets. Tie latter he thrust into his pockets as he found them, the former he wrapped in handkerchiefs before slowing them away.
 All at once he whirled and faced the door with au exclamation of astonish- ment, for q voice had addressed him.
 There, clinsins ts the casing, stood woman-a girl--eyidently drawn out of the darkness by the light which streamed down across the sloping deck from his statereom. Plainly she had but just awakened. for she was clothed in a silken nightrobe which failed fo conceal the putin IS of her body She had flung d quilted dressing gown of some sort over her shoulders and with one bare arm and hand strove t0 hold it in place. He saw that her pink feet were thslst into sofL heelless slippers that her hair. black in this light, cas- eaded down te her waist, and that her eyes. which were very dark and very large, were fixed upon him with stare like that of a sleepwalker,
 Tt 5s SD dark--so strange-so stilIr' she murmured. What has nappened?.
 Sod. Didn't they awaken youE" be cried in sharp surprise.
 'ls the ship=sinkiHgf Her odd be wilderment of voice and gaze puzzled him.
 He nodded We struck a rock. The passengers have been taken off We're the only ones left. In heavens name. where have you been?7
 T was asleep
 He shook his head in astonishment. How you failed te hear that hub 6ub"-
 'I heard something. but l was i'll My head T took something to ease the pain"
 "Ah Medicinei It hasn't warn off yet I see You shouldn't have taken it. Drugs are nothing but poison to might he some excuse for reamting to them lnJ1 you He was talking to cover the panic of his thoughts, for his own prcdicament had been serious enough. and hsr presence rendered ii d0ubly embmrassing What in the world te do with iler he scarcely knew His lips were smiling. but his eyes were grave as they roved over the cab in and out iHte the blackness of the night
 Are we going to drownG" she asked duly
 "Nonsenses lie laughed in apPar ent amusement showing als large strong teeth
 "Im wretededly afraid" she whis- 9ercd through Wbife lips
 None Of that~ lie said biusquely I'll see that uo1hing happens 10 you. He slipped out Of his life preseryer and adjusted il ever her shoulders first drawing her arms through the sleeves of her dressing gown and knot ting the cord snugly around Her waist Just as 6 matter of precaution. he assured her. We may get Wet Can you swim 2"
 She shook her head
 Never mind: I can-~ He f@und an other life belt fitted il fo his egvn form and led her out upon the deck. Tho scuppers were awash new. aGd sh gasped as the sea licked her hare feet
 Slipping his arm aborf her. he l'f1s her to the door of the main cabin an entered She had elasle1 h.s ne X E tightly that lie could scarcely breath but. lowering her uHtil her feet Fr on the dry carfet. he gently ilns ' i' arp-lN
 "Nvw. my dear eIill.~ hs' to'd he you must do eXa tly as ! Tell saf Come! Calm yourself IF I woli'i sa. you any f-rtlser." l1c Leli l.er 1T 1a her shoulders. T fc@y Ia Q e sWi.a with you. you mustn't oliag c re so'
 o'%en judged tA2t t--e ah,i was at least q quarter of q mic isc.l the beach. and lis heart sank. for he ooubi- ed that either be er his compaEioa could last lons iB iilese waters 1t oc- cured to him that Bremen miyht be close by. waiting for fbe Nebraska to sink-it would be unlike tue little cal1- tain to f0rsake his trust until the last possible r.on.enf-bLt he reasoned that the cargo cf lives in the shippers boat would induce him to stand well off to avoid accident He called Justify time after time. but no answer came.
 Meanwhile the girl stood quietly be- side him.
 There followed wait which seemed lone. hrt v4s Hl reality of but few minufcs. fir tie ship WIS sliding back wari and the sea was creeping up- wald fas.er aud faster. Al last they heard a shaslderiHg sigh as she parted from the rocks and the air rushed up through the deck openings with greater force. The Nebraska swung slua@ishiy with the tide. then, when her upper structure had settled flush with tue sea. Murray O'Neil took the woman in his arms and leaped clear of ths rail
 The first gasping moment of immer- sion was faiTIy paralyzing; after that the reaction came. and the two began