The Press., 1917-02-15
Adriift The Story of a
 Castaway
By CLARISSA MAcKIE
,AAAAH%AAAA~~~~~%~~~~%~

the two rivers that HOW east anu west of Manhattan Island and the great bay south of it yachts were being over hauled. their engines oiled, their sails repaired. their furniture uncovered. Indeed, everything was being done to prepare them for commission. =...
 From tho dock of yacht club in the East river a party was pulled ill a dinghy to trim auxiliary craft anchor ed short distance out in the river. It had already been prepared for q lengthy trip. They were Dr. and Mrs. Mortimer and their daughter, Evelyn, a girl of eighteen. Frederic Doerr, engaged to Evelyn, went cut with the others to the yacht. but a:ter going down the companiOnway, Ostensibly to inspect the cabin. but really to bid each other a fond goOdby, the young couple returned to the de k. and Doerr was pulled ashore. There he fingered while the anchor of the yacht was got up and began to steam down the river Then, with last wave, Wh.ch was re- turned by hts young h"n"cc, he turned away.
 Dr. Mortimer and his famii., were bent on a cruise in $Or' '"l waters. It was late in the season for " land trip to the south. but not on the ccean. and 1t was their intention t" visit Cuba. the Panama canal and other ob- jects of interest. remaining ashore only a day or two at time.
 They had reached a point off the coast of Florida and were stcaming along at midnight in a fog when there came q crash. Those in their berths below arose. dressed hastily and went on deck. Down in the hold the water was coming through a hole. Dr. Mortimer examined it and. believing that the yacht would surely sink, went on deck again and told his wife and daugh- ter that they had better prepare for such a result Mrs. Mortimer preferred to die aboard the yacht rather than commit herself to the black waters. but Evelyn, remembering her lover and that it was her duty to try to live for him, suffered her father to get together articles for a raft, and when he had bound them together and dashed her to
 
 This was unfortunate. The water did not gain in the yacht as rapidly as had been expected. and when dawn came and the fog cleared away there was a steamer on the port bow not mile away. Assistance was immediate Iy afforded. and the pumps were man. ned. Before the day ended the yacht was in condition to pursue its journey and arrived safely at Cuban port.
 The sun shone down on the stretch of white beach on the fringe of palms bending in the soft south wind.
 Blake Northing at the wheel of his motorboat idled in these pi ant Flor ida waters, wondering if it was time to return to his cottage on the beach and waiting for his mothers signal that luncheon was ready.
 Something strange came bObbing over the waters toward him. In the distan@e it looked like a gray island. Later it resolved into various articles of ship with a huTnan being lashed upon it. AS soon as Blake made this discOv- cry he turned the mOtorboat about and met the approaching raft.
 When he had made 1t fast to his own craft he gently tOu"hed the sea soaked bundle of humanity and dis covered it to be a girl-a girl so pale and lifeless that he believed her to be dead.
 His mother met him at the little pier and took the bundle from his arms She was a tall, majestic woman. strong and vigorous and young.
 "Where did you find her. Blake? asked Mrs. Worthing.
 Blake told her in few words.
 "I'm going over to BarnacIe after the dOctor-dO the best you can for her mother" said Blake, as he changed his wet clothing and hurried off up the beach.
 Mrs. Worthing put the castaway into her little spare room under the cot tage roof, and with tho help of Mandy the maid, she endeavored to bring con sciOusness to the girl. .-.#
 But in vain. 1t was not until afteT the physician had arrived and worked over her for another hour that atlas the gir! opened pair 0 fOrgetmeno blue eyes and smiled faintly at tht anxious face bent above her, Thei she went to sS'ep.
 She did not awake until morning and Mrs. Worthing discovered tha while she remcSnbeEed many things bound for South America, she could not piece together her past life O identify herself completely. ..... .
 My name" she said slowly. "i Evelyn Ames-my father is Dr. Anne.
 and we were taking a raration-fa ther-oh, my poor father"' Then sh' broke down and cried because sh' could only guess her fathers fate. Sh could not even remember where sh had lived, and although Mrs. Worthin| and her son lah red patiently to bright en the dulled memory their effort were 1n vain
 "Pleasc don't bother about me.
 aannot remember" she would CT wearily.
 Mrs. Worthing was not ill pleased q K this. She had always longed for | OauRnIST, anu IlO" Suc lHOpOSeu ' adopt Evelyn ,Ames for her owI
 Blake, who had fallen ill love with tn
 bea itiful caStaway. smiled secretl
 and thought that if he had his Wa ] the stranger would be his mother
 daughter, but she would also be hi |, wife.
 And in the meantime tho Northing
 could find np trace of tho nameles
 vessel on which Evelyn had sai.ed fo
 Rio Janefro. There had been no vel
 sells lost, and investigation showed ths
 there was no physician by tke name c
 Ames who might Ee the f.t.!cr of Eve } lyn. They advertised and wrote letter. and in the end they. were ssln wiser tha 7 before.
 Then one fair morning. while the su
 shone on the summer seas and th wind murmured among the palm Blake Worthing told Evelyn of hi