The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-12-23

and to walk brsbly along the deck until she
reached the forecaste. she could not have eX-
planned TO herself what impulse took her there;
ii was something outside herself, some strange
power working detached, yet compelling her to
obey its behpStS
She crouched up in the bows. watching the
sparkle of water spring gurgng from the fore
foot watching the frothng bubbles stream away
on either side the black bluff bow.
Vainly she shook herself and assured her own
heart Of its fooishness. Vainly she tried to drag
herself away from her self-appointed post. The
air was chill with the beginnings Of the dawn
wind; she shivered repeatedly and remained
Mrs. Hapshott lifted her eyes and searched the
seas far rim Her gaze returned, only to be
lifted again; suddenly she stiffened where she
stood, and her strained.
She sprang upon the rail and stood there erect,
her eyes peerlng intently. Was it fancy could
she actually something?
There in the middle dstance-a veritable
speck in the waste Of waters-was it a shadow,
was il the fin of lurking shark, or was twas
it? Two seconds she looked, then she ran aft
the men watching her in wonder.
"Hiram-out there-what is it, what is it?
Hiram, l heard cry!'
She was clutching at him Historically and
pointing with trembling finger. To humor her he
fetched his binoculars ana lOcuSSeu tIeIl NHu-
deningly slow she thought him. He searched
idly for moment then his figure became rigid.
"Baclx the mainyardr' he roared i'm mighty
voice From the forepeak, whittier he had de-
scended the mate came aft at a run; the men
following fast.
"There's raft out there-some one on it,"
said Hapshott slowly, his voice almost drowned
by the clatter of the swinging yards
IT was Captain Hapshott himself who sprang
into the boat that was hastily lowered; ii was he
who urged the rowers onward. Mrs. Hapshott,
now that the thing was done, was possessed by
a curious calmness, that yet held expectancy
something strange was happening out there he
vond the range of her vision; but all work.
ing together for good. She tried to focus the
binoculars on the boat and on the fragment that
noated ahead. but she all unused to the task,
and could make out nothing but a blur.
The boat turned-hung motOnless; those
aboard were busy at some task. Then the oars
shot out like the limbs of gigantic spider; Mrs.
Hapshotts heart beat faster and faster-so fast
that only with difficulty could she draw her
breath
"Shall we haul you up, sir?" hailed the mate.
reaching far cupboard. and from Captain Hap
shotts lips came hoarse, unreal cry that Jones
took as an affirmative
The boat shot alongside still the captains wife
did not move from her position by the mizzen-
mast. The tackles were hooked on, men swarmed
up them and added their weight to the falls; the
boat Ieaped upward. was swung inboard
"Bear a hand here" she heard her husband
say, and then the mlsts vanished from her eyes
and she saw clearly. Captain Hapshott was com
ing aft, talking earnestly to the mate. And in
his arms he carried little child
Mrs. Hapshott acted exactly as If she had been
expecting this gift from the sea. She held out
her arms and took the wang mite hushing II
deftly against that broad maternal bosom Of hers
coaxing it, smiling down into its crumpled face
II mattered nothing to her how the babe had
comet was there; its tiny fingers around her
finger; its little head nestled against her heart.
"a dead woman and living child-no signs OF
Identification" The words came TO her ftfully
forcing themselves through the strange hallowed
Joy that filed her being. mo telling what's hap
pened-must be wife of some skipper-sole sur
vivors-who knows? The womans dead, poor
thing-but the child strong enough-will
be later"
"If we'd been sailing yesterday we'd have
passed It in the dark likely" said the mate
"we'd never have seen II. God look ut MIRA
Hapshott; she's grown younger"
The skipper walked across to his wife
"Werl have to ADVERTISE" he said, shabby
toying with the little grasping hands. 'But like
ly no will claim it-it's as much ours as any
one's-Tll tell the steward to make some mlb
ready"
"Unto a child Is given,'" said Mrs. Hap
shott solemnly. "Hiram, this IL Gods Christmas
present to you and me"