Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-11-03
West Wind Drift
By GEORGE BARR McCUTCHEON
hl Ganrn RnrrM McEu
Copyright, 1890. bv George Barr McCutoheon

been tricked There was no land IN
sight The glasses o. the ships onlcers'
clustered far forward, we're directed TO-
ward some point or the starboard Dow,
but II there was land over there II was
not visible TO the naked eye junior
engineer saluted Captain Trigger ana
left the group.
There 10 land ahead---a long way
on" ha announced as he passed through
the throng in the saloon deck
Up above the Cnmor OF questloIs
shouted from all sides rs the crazed peo.
pie hocked behind the INES messsnEer eI,tnG oil
Land ahoy Ahoy-yoy-yoy ne
"olled over and over again. his chin
raised like that OF dog baying at the
moon.
Every person on deck was either
carrying n lifebelt or was already en-.
cased In one Grim orders OF the ntght
just past. Here and there were to Se
seen men who Clutched tghtly tne
IDENTIFY they were expecting 20 step
ashore at once. In any case, they be-
longcd to the class OF people who never
fail to crowd their way down the gang
plank ahead of every one else. inc
fashionable ocean liners always have
quite number OF these on board. In
variably in the first cabin.
Percival ranged the decks In quest OF
Ruth Clinton. She was we'll at on the
boat d,ck, where the rail was not 80
rrowded as II was forward. Her arm
vas about the dropping, pathetic figure
Of her aunt. They were staring intently
orec+ ,Ibrapt oIivo ,yIth .hn anirif Of
,n,,,h n1, ao,,'t,a 49, aSIrG ,,1aer
the doubt and skepticism OF age. He
49,, Nt,,I,i, ~, IC,. ,,,, oS'n2tn 20
" re;aiIinS news 70 S''f them He wcnt 80
far az to declare that he could see land
quite clearly--and 30 could they II they
would only look exactly where he was
nS ~ yo,,, arst Yec, ~ IN '' boa ri to se.,
the land
80 ,,','" 49, ,,..,. H., ,uo,,,, ,o,,,
Ruth was hatless, Her braided brown
nair had been coiled 80 hastily go
ihougthicssly that stray strands fell
.,oso about her neck ana cars 10 us
hioWn EaYly by the breez" across her
check; Her blouse was open at the neck
her hiue serge jacket mar IN me "Inu.
Every .vestige OF the warm; soft color
iwt,, mGI 'cit a.fd tGr iace' Hhe was oe"''S p"'e
win emotion -,...-
Perciyal was, suddenly conscious OF
mist hedimming his eyes
Several people were grouped near
Inern at the rail, listening 10 NlCEHestlCh'
,n Lhe s:owaway Joined them. AS II SEM,
ing ms presence Futh turned suuuehS
an" a." saw ", MN -..,-,. ,,,.
On she cried tremuIouSiyi ~, nave
nave you seen ", MT. i"rClNalF
NC" he replied. ut won't be rieible
lTT an hour or so longer. Us or tneTe
T,ri ,hnI, t'ouEn, re Wv tt,,Ts
6f - Gnu .,i,,[ 80 ii tSc
~ - DeloI' me SUI .CE"a' ~. ~ pun fH'
Tbot,s ~ ,rIst ~ born bn snt on
IN mni !h'Sl HTer iHeTS; ne VIZ T "a',
~ ~ Tr,i,S 49, 49, uboro
tha, .trIT -. i.nJ :, hjdGS, 7, u0n't
~ S,tc, 5titrto,' S boSoro ,yn olI 20 ~ =
90, jt = -"''' ~'''''''' ''
',IJow ,.- ovv,v "a 10" che asked
cortr0iiIrr bar v0ica Hyi,h nm effort DO
| thav know" can thry estimateo',
"ITj iii Won What let;a do" he said
,brtnt,' "i ot,o o." ~, or ~ e,ir dccl,
, I'ye gof Mr. C;rav's RiRsSrs We can scG
.,.," ,In thera I ct mo assist you, Mrs
Spofrord The sun deck is pretty badly
smashed up and Uttered with all sorta
Of wreCkage, but we can manage It all
right"
Mrs, Spofford looked at him intently
for a moment
IT remember YOU now" she said Are
you sure-are you positive there Is land
over there"
II have Captain Triggers word for
It."
And mine. too" added Mr.. Nickle-
stick. You may rest assured Mrs. Spot
ford. that we Will al be on dry land
before many hours"
Percival leaned close to the speaker
and said in a very low but emphatic
tone:
you don't know n thing about II. so
keep your mouth shut. II You're
n man, you won't go on raising false
homes in the brcasts OF these women"
NicklcstiCli's law fell He VIII lspcred:
"YOu don't mean e say thero is Il
chance we won't be able To-"
. But perC!vaI had turned away with
the two women. Mrs Spofford took his
arm. leaning heavily against him IIcl
! iIg,re had straightcnad, however. Ife
1 had given her the needed confidence,
. They made their way up the stems lead
. ing TO the topmost deck others had al
| ready preceded them \ dozen mon and
| women were looking out over the sen
! through their binoculars They recoS-
nlzed Landover Madame CarenI.Amori
( (clutching her Jewel case). Joseppi. Fits
/ and ono or two more. Olga ObOslsy was
well forward, seated on the edge Of n
/ partially wrecked SkylIght and ventila-
/ tor. Her three dancing girls were with
/ her, closely grouped
TerCtvnl purposely remained near the
steps He knew full well that the ships
hours were numbered. II was only a
! question OF time when she would
| founder In tho leo Of one OF the big
| stacks they huddlcd close together and
waited for the lifting OF the veil. The
wind was soft hut strong up there at the
top Of the vessel. He took hope In the
! shores Of that unseen land and that
| slowly but surely the Doraine was drirt.
/ ing thither
Suddenly, as II n curtain were being
/ raised far-of Inc appeared on tho
surfAca Of the waters Higher rose tho
curtain and Ike magic the line dcvrl.
. oped into an irregular ridge. the ends
! II which sank below the horizon far 10
I the right and left
Irr"iNal T"lt IA" girls hand on his
~0. He shot a swift glance at her face
Il was turned away. She was staring at
. The mystic panorama that was being un.
vriied oN there on the rim OF the world
J Wer eyes were bright. her IIps were
parted In the ecstasy Of hope revived
her smooth white neck was beating rap.
, ldlv, rhythmiCally He could see II lie
/ laid his bandAEed hand frnly upon hers