Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1920-12-17

and TO walk briskly along the deck until she
reached the forecastle. She could not have ex-
planned to herself what impulse took her there
1t was something outside herself, some strange
power working detached, yet compelling her to
obey its behests.
She crouched up in the bows, watching the
sparkle of water spring ~gurgling from the fore
foot, watching the frothing bubbles stream away
on either side the black bluff bow.
Vainly she shook herself and assured her own
heart of its foolishness. 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 ears strained.
She sprang upon the rail and stood there erect,
her eyes peering intently. Was it fancy or could
she actually see something2
There. in the middle distance ~ver!table
speck in the waste of waters-was 1t a shadow.
was 1t the fin of a lurking shark, OF was twas
it, Two seconds she looked. then she ran aft.
the men watching her in wonder.
there-what is 1t, what is 1t?
Hiram, l heard a cry ~
She was c~lutching at him Historically and
pointing with trembling finger To humor her he
fetched his binoculars and focused them. Mad
deningly slow, she thought him. He searched
idly for a moment, then his figure became rigid.
Back the m~ainyard! !" he roared In mighty
voice. From the %forepeak, whittier he had de-
scended, the mate came aft at a run the men
following fast.
There's a raft out there-some one on It,"
said Hapshott slowly, his voice almost drowned
by the clatter of the swinging yards.
II mas Contoio HapSbott himcaIf xrho cpropo
into the boat that was hastily lowered 1t 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 be-
yond the range of her vision but all was work
ing together for good. She tried to focus the
binoculars on the boat and on the fragment that
foated ahead. but she was all unused to the task.
and could make out nothing but a blur.
The boat ~turned-hung motionless; those
aboard were busy at some task. Then the oars
shot out like the limbs of a gigantic spider; Mrs.
Hapshott's heart beat faster and faster-so fast
that only with difficulty could she draw her
breath.
"ShaIl we haul you up, sir7" hailed the mate,
reaching far cupboard, and from Captain Hap
shott's lips came a 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 mlzzen-
mast. The tackles were hooked on, men swarmed
up them and added their weight to the falls; the
boat leaped upward. was swung inboard.
"Bear q hand here" she heard her husband
say, and then the mists 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 q little childi
Mrs. Hapshott acted exactly as If she had beer
expecting this gift from the sea. She held Out
her arms and took the wailing mite, hushing II
deftly against that broad maternal bosom of hers
coaxing 1t. smiling down into its crumpled face
1t mattered nothing to her how the babe haC
come-it was there; Its tiny fingers around hel
finger; Its little head nestled against her heart.
"A dead woman and a living child-no signs o.
Identification" The words came TO her ftfulIy
forcing themselves through the strange. hallowet
joy that filled her being. "No telling what's hap
pened-inust be wife of some skippt sole sur
vivors-who knows? The woman's dead, poo
thing-but the child seems strong enougll-wil
be later
"Tf we'd been sailing yesterday we'd hav,
passed 1t in the dark likely" said the mate
"we'd never have seen It. God! look at Mrs
Hapshott she's grown younger"
The skipper walked across to his wife.
wen have to advertise" he said, shakiIy
toying with the little grasping hands. "But like
ly no one will claim tits as much ours as an
one's-T1 tell the steward to make some mil
ready"
*sUnto us q child is given,'" mid Mrs. Har
shott solemnly. "Hiram, this u Gods Christina
present to ron and ma"