Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1917-11-15

tfme-yet the memory is always with
me-. When / sailed for Egypt year
ago it was with the uncertain thought
that I might continue the trip around
the world, and when I reached Cairo
l had fully determined on the longer
journey. 1 remained in Egypt long
enough to absorb the mystery Of the
country; then took passage for the
far East. / kept no track of the days.
1 just sat in my steamer chair and
watched the polyglot crowd. Occasion
ally 1 saw a man, an American, who
was as interested a spectator as !, but
chance never brought him near my
corner.
rome night we were caught in the
tail of typhoon. 1t must have driven
us upon a hidden reef, for there was
horrible jar; then the hurrying Of feet
and screams. Everything was dark,
but at last 1 got into my clothes, Sc
cured my money and letter of credit,
and. snatching up a wrap, stumbled
to the deck. There was no one in
sight, but heard man say:
"'She's sinking fast. We must get
out of this. There's small boat that
has been overlooked that we can man.
age between u.s.
HE was already outside and, catch
ing me by the hands, swung me out
and downward. He 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 far
drop, but it was sufficient to knock the
breath out of me.
when l came to my senses he was
rowing with all his strength.
"How 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 l
had never known before ard hope
never to know again.
Il can give you but the barest out
line, 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
COCOuulS, uCNCSSlly taught MN IOW "
trap fish. We built some sort of shell
ter, but 1t was no protection from the
storms that swept the atoll from time
to time and that man, whose name l
did not know, took me into his arms
and sheltered me from the 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.
HE was brilliant talker, 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 nakedness! And
was afraid-afraid when he left me,
afraid when was with him. 9
1--WE had lost all trace of time when
we first caught sight Of smoke against
the horizon. Such tiny little smudge
But after little it grew clearer, big
ger. He stood beside me. his hand
gripping my shoulder until it hurt,
looking at me, not at the approaching
steamer. At the time 1 thought it was
the horrible fear that the steamer
would not See our signal that made
him regard me so strangely. Afterward
I remembered his eyes and knew. 1t
was farewell.
HE left the vessel at Singapore.
! Our parting was conventional. A
touch Of the hand, courteous wish
for pleasant journey and he was
gone. My soul was too scorched by
memory to wish it otherwise.
"That was three months ago. I was
to have been married in June. had no
thought other than the fulfilling of my
promise. Then came a revulsion of
feeling. 1 could not go on with it. So
far as possible 1 told Charles what
have told you. But he could not I'M
derstand. He became angry and told
me when came to my senses IScould
send for him.