The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-07-26
Caught IN A TYPRO0N
BY SUSAN E. cLAeETT.

AsSSSsNeSes
The two women sitting before the
open fire regarded each other steadily.
In the eyes of one there shone a Curl
Gus contempt. The other woman of
about thirty. was flushed with an emo
ton SHE vainly tried to hide.
you think l was wrong because you
do not fully grasp the circumstances
she said ut last you know that l
have broken my engagement. OF what
led to that decision you have not tire
faintest understanding
True But it would seem that the
reason might have been discovered
within a week of your wedding day. 1t
was scarcely fair to Charles to wait
until them" her friend answered cold
ly.
Ann Cheslay leaned forward and
gave the fire q poke that sent the
flames up the chimney.
you cannot realize, as 1 do, the
comfort of this" she said irrelevanty,
holding toward the blazing logs. 81
never thought to see such a fire again.
Odd as it may sound, / never was as
nearly frozen IN my life as in the trob-
les, l do not like to think of that
time-yet the memory is always with
me. When 1 sailed for Egypt a year
ago 1t was with the uncertain thought
that / might continue the trip around
the world, and when I reached Cairo
/ had fully determined on the longer
journey. I remained In Egypt long
enough to absorb the mystery Of the
country; then / took passage for the
far East I kept no track Of the days.
just sat in my steamer chair and
watched the polyglot crowd. Occasion
ally / saw a man, an American, who
was as Interested a spectator as /, but
chance never brought him near my
corner.
zone night we were caught in the
tail of Il typhOon. II must have driven
us upon a hidden reef, for there Was a
horrible jar; then the hurrylng of feet
and screams. Everything was dark,
but at last I got into my clothes, see
cured my money and letter Of credit
and, snatching up q wrap, stumbled
to the deck. There was no one in
sight, but heard g man say:
"'Shcs sinking fast. We must get
out of this. There's q small boat chat
has been overlooked that we can man
age between u.s.
"IIe was already outside and, catch
ing me by the haads, swung me out
and downward. lie had hooked his legs
about the rails and leaning over he
dropped me into the boat. The steam
er was sinking so fast it was not a far
drop, but it was sufficient to knock the
breath out Of me.
"Whcn I came to my senses he was
rowing with all his strength.
"Ilow long we were on the water ]
DO not know 1t seemed an eternity
before we found ourselves upon a strip
Of beach with palms twisting and
bending in a wind the like of which /
had never known before and hope
never to know again.
Il can give you but the barest out
,linc, Elizabeth-our exhaustion, as we
lay on that length of sand; then, when
strength returned, our search for food
and water. For time we lived upon
coconuts; necessity taught him how to
trap fish. We built some sort of shell
ter but It was no protection from the
storms that swept the atall from time
to time and that man, whose name !
did not know, took me into his arms
and sheltered me from Che wind
my one effort was to keep between
us such formalIty as would have been
natural under different circumstances.
1t seemed to me the only means of saw
ing the situation.
"ue was a brilliant talkcr, versatile,
witty, and he seconded my efforts to
avoid the personal, but as time passed
he became less assured and the Onus Of
it fell upon me. Reserve, dignity
dressed in one ragged garment that
could not hide my nakcdnessl And
was afraid-afraid when he left me,
afraid when / WIS with him.
1--WE had lost ali trace Of time when
we first caught sight Of smoke against
the horizon. Such a tiny little smudge I!
But after a little it grew clearer big
ger. lie stood beside me, his hand
gripping my shoulder until 1t hurt
| looking at me, not at the approaching
steamer. AT the time ! thought it was
the horrible fear that the steamer
would not see our signal that made
him regard me so strangely. Afterward
/ remembered his eyes ana knew. IT
was farewell.
lie left the vessel at Singapore.
Our parting was conventional. A
touch Of the hand a courteous wish
for q pleasant Journey and he was
gone. My soul was, too scorchN by
memory to wish It otherwise.
"That was three juonths ago. ! was
to have been maTied I'm June. / had no
thought other than the fulfilling Of my
promise. Then cdmc q reyulsiou Of
feeling. l could not go on with It. So
far as possible, 1 told Charles what !
have told you. But he could not I'M
derstand lie became angry and told
me when l came tony senses / could
send for him.
"That will nevertbc. / told you the
Indian ocean had burned all feeling
out Of me. That was not true but !
believed it true Until today. This af-
ternoon | saw him on the avcnuc--a
big, broqd-shouldered, athlctlc-lookng