Western Kansas world., 1917-11-01
cause of the SAIL" she said "You dis

cause of the sail,' she said "You dis
armed the man?'' a.
"Yes, have his revolver in my
pocket, and the knife also. He win
make no more trouble. Come, we will
divide biscuit between us, and then
it will be your turn to lie down"
"But doesn't McCann have any?"
'sHe has had more than his share al
ready. I'll offer him 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 I could
take no chances. There is no harm
| done. Come; are you not tired enough
to rest2'
She glanced up into my face.
"You will call ME at midnight, If I
fall asleep?"
eff I feel worn out then, and the
sea keeps as it is, or no worse. There,
take my coat for pillow. No, really 1
shall not need it; 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?"
81 have every faith in the world" I
answered heartily, determined to con-
ceal my doubts. ''If the weather holds
pleasant, we should be far enough
| south by morning to be in the north
Atlantic lane between New York and
Liverpool. Lie down, and rest, Miss
Vera there is no sign of any storm
brewing, and tomorrow you'll probably
have the deck of a liner under your
feet"
/ know not how much she may have
believed of what said, but she smiled
me a cheerful goodnight, and lay down
| in the bottom of the boat, my coat fold
| ed under her head. She rested there
motionless, her face Shadowed by one
| arm, and very soon her regular breath
| ing convinced me she slept like tired
child. I looked at her shadowy figure !;
/ then forward to where Mccain hung
silent in the bows.
What if we should not overhaul a
| ship? What if some evil fate would
permit of our floating on unseen? 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 I 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 gibbering idiot.
| My Godi I must stop thinkingi I
must be man for her. sake; aye, and
retain my self-contro1, 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
dared not trust her to steer the craft
| through such rough water. She slept
undisturbed, not even changing her pO-
sition, a mere dim outline at my feet.
Forward Mccain had slowed himself
away beyond the bow thwart, and
could see nothing of him under the
blight of the sail. / was the only one
awake in the leaping boat, fighting its
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
in 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
Lying on your coat. You must be tired
L
nearly to DEATH"
Far from it; and we are to be
blessed with another day of sunshine.
Perhaps by afternoon the sea will have
gone down, and can get a nap. Are
you ready for breakfaSt?"
My explanation did not satisfy her
I could read that in the expression of
her face, but she made no further pro-
test.
She drew out the biscuits from the
locker, broke one in two, and handed
the half to me. Still clinging to the
bag, her glance fell upon the slouching
figure of Mccain in the, bow, and then
her eyes sought my face questioningly
you are not going to offer him
any?"
He deserves none; he has already
J had more than both of US together
How many are left?"
"Seven fit to eat. But" she hesi
tated, yet went on bravely enough
, please, he is not accustomed to being
: deprived of food, and is really suffer
ing. Let him have my share, for an
not at all hungry-truly am not.
Il shall insist on your eating said
almost sternly. "Your share is little
enough to sustain life. If it comes tt
+ a choice between saving you, and tha
: miserable thing yonder. my course i.
taken- However. / grant your reques
now, although I doubt if he show!
u