Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1916-01-27

| BnOulu own IL ATLer MS ueHtn.
Another FIVE years brought a sti
| greater change. One morning Will
sitting at his desk In bis Office Nj
Barrows was stricken with apoplex
and died in a few days. Bess. Will
she loved her adopted father, had LOOK
ed forward to a day, after he had fir
ished his career, to her union wit
John Baxter. She now had doubl
reason for wishing this union. She ha'
suddenly come into the possession 0
q shipping business and believed-tha
which she wished to believe-tha
Johns seafaring life would have fittet
him to manage 1t for her. John wa
at sea at the time and was not expect
ed to return for several months.
Miss Andrews, after coming into pos
session of the business, appointed The
best man In 1t to manage It under hel
direction, she going to the office fire.
quently to overlook it But, being 1
practical woman with some head fol
business, she soon perceived that hei
manager was unequal to the task. She
longed for Johns return, firmly be
lieving that, though he had not been
educated for the purpose, his knowl
edge of sea trading would be valuable
Then came a disappointment News
came that the Petrol, which John on
sailing had been appointed to com
mand, had been wrecked In storm on
the east coast of Africa and all hands
had been lost The statement that all
had persisted was given on hazy au.
thority, and Miss Andrews hoped that
some of the crew. including the cap
tain, might have gained the shore In
safety. Africa at that time was a WILD
country, and persons wrecked on Its
coast were liable either TO be muir
dered or made slaves. Miss Andrews
fitted out ship, made one Of her I'M
cle's most trusted captains master and
sent him to look for any members OF
the lost crew that might have been
saved from the wreck. She would
have gone with the expedition, but al
this time she was trying to supply her
uncle's place in the management of the
business.
The Last Hope-such was the name
Miss Andrews gave the rescue vessel
sailed for the coast of Africa on the
10th of September. The last words
she spoke to Its master were:
Captain, I'll give you 500 for ev-
cry seaman you bring back. 5000 for
each officer and $1,000 for the captain.
And If you win bring them In time for
I'll add $1,000"
''I'n do the best can, in any event"
'eplied the captain, and. weighing an
,hor, he sailed.
There were no wireless messages In
hose days, and the Last Hope was not
leard from except on being spoken by
In incoming ship on the way out. A
month passed and she did not return
Six weeks more went by, and since
nothing was heard from her It began
o look as II the Last Hope had failed. |
rhe day before Thanksgiving Eliza
eth Andrews had given up any hope |
he had cherished of having Captain
}axter with her for the anniversary. |
The shut herself up In her home, in
ending to pass the day without max.
ng any effort to observe the usual
but being alone was SO try.
ng that she determined to 60 to her
flee and and relief in occupation.
She had not been there long when
he received telegram, Last Hope
lgnaled." Then followed three hours
( suspense. Had the mission been
uccessful? II so was Captain Bax-
er among those who would return on
be incoming vessel7 She tried to think
hat she was as interested In the 9TH
rs safety as In his, but she knew In her
cart that she was not She swayed
etween believing that she would meet
err lover again and that she would not
he latter filed her with despair, the
primer made her tingle to the tips Of
er fingers.
It would be some time before the
essel would reach the dock, and part
( this time she could get away with
ludhluS uET RtCPdA aAlOAb w HV W
leet the ship, and a part she would
pend on the way. Her impotence to
now what had been accomplished led
er to start to the dock so early that
be was Obliged to wait there an hour,
nd this was the longest hour of all
nd filed with flashes Of hope and
espair.
When the ship came In and was
wung around there ON the upper deck.
landing beside her master was a fig
re which Miss Andrews eager eyes
for John Baxter. He saw
er, and smiling, waved to her
These two who were eager to come
Dgether were kept separate for awhile
niger by gap Of water some of the
line not twenty feet wide. The ship
1as at last locked. and as soon as the
angplank was run out Captain Bax-
er, for whom all the others gave way,
and was met on the dock
Y the girl who had been instrumental
a bringing him and others Of his crew
ONE. Notwithstanding those looking
n, the couple were locked In an EN-
race. after which Miss Andrews wei
omed the others to their native shore.