The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1916-07-21

AGAIN. ulu NOT KNOW IL, Uul uhu
slept the clock around and 1t wss
night again.
Once more / woke, troubled be-
cause ] could sleep no better. ]
struck a match and looked at my
watch. 1t marked midnight And !
had not left the deck until three!
should have been puzzled had not
guessed the solution. No wonder |
was sleeping brokenly, had slept
twenty-one hours. l listened for
while to the behavior of the Ghost,
to the pounding Of the seas and the
mufled 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. But
in the galley, though fire was burn.
ing and water boiling, l 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 l understood.
His life fiickered out In the storm"
l said.
But he still lives" she answered,
infinite faith in her voice.
Gle had too great strength"
Eyes," she said, 'but now 1t no
longer shackles him. He is free
spirit"
HE is a free spirit surely" an
swered, and, taking her hand, l led
her on deck.
The storm broke that night, which
is to say that it diminished as slowly
as 1t had arisen. After breakfast
next morning, when l had hoisted
Wolf Larsen's body on deck ready for
burial, 1t was still blowing heavily
and large sea was running. The
deck was continually awash with the
sea which came inboard over the rail
and through the scuppers. The wind
smote the schooner with 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
l barred my head.
Il remember only one part of the
service" said, "and 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 1t down. 1t was gone.
"Good-by, Lhcifer, proud spirit"
Maud whispered, SO low that 1t was
drowned by the shouting Of the wind;
but saw the movement of her lips
and knew.
AS we chung to the lee rail and
worked our way aft, happened to
glance to leeward. The Ghost, at the
moment, was uptossed on a sea, and
caught a clear view of small
steamship two or three miles away,
rolling and pitching, head on to the
sea, as 1t steamed toward us. 1t was
painted black, and from the talk OF
the hunters Of their poaching exploits
l recognized 1t as United States
revenue cutter. | 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 l had forgotten to
make provision for flag-halyard.
I'VE need no distress signal" Maud
said. "They have only TO see us"
I'VE are saved" said, soberly and
solemnly. And then, in an exuber
ance of Joy, Il hardly know whether
to be glad or not"
/ looked at her. Our eyes were not
loath to meet. We leaned toward
each other, and before l knew II my
arms were about her.
Need II" ! asked.
And she answered, There is no
need, though the telling Of 1t would
be sweet, SO sweet"
Her lips met the press OF mine
and, by what strange trick Of the
Imagination / 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. Hush,
hush"
my woman, my one small woman"
I 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 futtered down and yelled
her eyes as she singled her head
against my breast with happy little
sigh.
| looked toward the cutter. II waa
very close. A boat was being low
cred.
zone kiss, dear love-" | whispered
| aOpa lriea mora hefOre thew come"