Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-11-21

eS, L nave MS revolver IN my
pocket, and the knife also. He viii
make no more trouble. Come, we will
divide biscuit between us, and then
it will be your turn to lie down"
But doesn't Mccain have anyT
''He has had more than his share al
ready. I'll offer him a swallow of wa
ter-that's all. / imagine the way his
head feels, he has forgotten all about
being hungry"
you had to strike him?"
slightly, mere tap of sea disci-
pline." and glanced at my knuckles.
HE was armed. you know, and could
take no chances. There is no harm
done. Come; are you not tired enough
to rest?"
She glanced up into my face.
You will call me at midnight, II
fall asleep?"
IF 1 feel worn out then, and the
sea keeps as 1t Is, or no worse. There,
take my coat for pillow. No. really 1
shall not need 1t; this Is an ideal sum-
mer night, but we are out Of the track
of ships"
But do you still believe we will find
one?"
II have every faith In the world"
answered heartily. determined to con-
ceal my doubts. eff the weather holds
pleasant, we should be far enough
south by morning to be In the north
Atlantic lane between New York and
T fun In
Vera; there is no sign of any storm
brewing, and tomorrow you'll probably
have the deck Of liner under your
feet"
know not how much she may have
believed of what said, but she smiled
me cheerful goodnight. and lay down
In the bottom Of the boat, my coat fold
ed under her head. She rested there
mOtionless, her face Swallowed by one
arm, and very soon her regular breath
ing convinced me she slept like tired
child. looked at her shadowy figure;
then forward to where McCann hung
silent In the bows.
What HEs~EnouId not overhaul q
ship? What II some evil fate would
permit Of our floating on unseen7 And |
there were few eatable biscuits left.
and barely cupful Of tepid water. The |
thought of what the end might be near
ly crazed me, as sat there alone in |
the silence and gloom-I could picture
those final hours of despair, as we lay
starved and helpless In the unguided
boat, the girl mercifully unconscious,
perhaps, and Mccain a gibbering idiot.
My God! must stop thinking!
must be man for her sake; aye, and
retain my self-control, so as to do a
mans work to the end.
At midnight the wind was at its
height, and did not call the girl, as I
dared not trust her to steer the craft
through such rough water. She slept
not even changing her po-
sition, mere dim outline at my feet.
Forward Mccain had slowed himself
away beyond the bow thwart, and I
could see nothing Of him under the
blight Of the sail. was the only one
awake in the leaping boat, fighting it's
desperate way through black waters
under the dull CLEAN of the stars.
The sun had begun to show above
the horizon before the girl finally
awoke, and sat UP in the bottom of the
boat, staring about her with wide-open
eyes, as though startled by the change
n the aspect Of the sea. Finally she
lifted herself to the nearest thwart,
and greeted me reproachfully.
"You have let me sleep all night, and
ying on your coat. You must be tired
nearly to DEATH" +
Far from it; and we are to be
blessed with another day of sunshine.
Perhaps by afternoon the sea will have
zone down, and can get nap. Are
you ready for breakfast"
My explanation did not satisfy her;
could read that in the expression of
Ter face, but she made no further pro-
est.
She drew out the biscuits from the
ecker, broke one in two, and handed
he half to me. Still clinging to the t,
Tag, her glance fell upon the slouching ,
igure of Mccain in the bow, and then ,
Ter eyes sought my face questioningly. ,
"You are not going to offer him
lny?"
"He deserves none he has already ,
lad more than both Of us together. ,
low many are left?'
"Seven fit to eat. But" she hest :
ated, yet went on bravely enough,
please, he Is not accustomed to being Z
deprived Of food, and is really suffer- I
ng. Let him have my share, for am {
lot at allhungry-truly am not.
Il shall insist on your eating" said, +,
.lmost sternly. "Your share Is little
nough to sustain life. If it comes to