Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1922-07-06
THE WRECK
BY MYRA A. WiNGATE


a, 1922. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
A girl came swaying down the car,
slender and tall. IN blue serge OF
pleasing lines, and paused with one
hand on the back OF seat to await
the clearing NJ the crowded aisle.
Hamilton noticed the slim whiteness
Of the hand and the odd shoTtness OF
the little finger. Once, her eyes, clear
and impersonal met his.
He glanced out al the autumn land
scape through which the road lay, and
again nj his watch, calculating the
time Of arrival.
4 terrific shock and rendlng crash
and roar! shouts, and sickening pain.
and darkness horrible From that
darkness Hamilton gradually emerged
10 consciousness that some one was
grooming as If IN pain. and later
realization that IT was he who
groaned. with the effort 20 drag him
self clear Of the wreckage came the
knowledge that his right leg was
pinned fast. He set his teeth to bear
the pain Somewhere a girls voice
was saying
STEADY, steady"
She came crawling toward him, I'M
der the wreckage
Something to dig with she said.
An interval and she was back with
sharp fake OF rock
"There" she said at last now one
heroic effort and | think you'll be
free"
Another effort, and they were clear
Of the wreck In her exhaustion she
dropped her head on her arms and he
turned his face and reverently kissed
her dust-begrimed cheek Again the
blackness descended.
II his friends had known how many
times I'm the next five years Hamilton
made the trip over that branch road
in the hope of meeting a girl with
short little finger and contralto
voice they would have considered him
slightly mad Although he was quite
as likely 10 find her in San Francisco,
he felt constrained TO seek her in
that one spot. Travelling down that
way for the twentieth time he leaned
from the window to scan the platform
at the little station Of summer
colony.
STEADY! Steady" said the sooth-
ing voice
He could distinguish the short little
finger where the hand rested upon the
collar Of n wriggling small boys sailor
suit
Hamilton caught up his suitcase
and bolted from the car.
Her face lighted with recognition
81 knew you at once Mr.. Hamilton.
How do You do? After all, you know
some of the rescuerS would have
found YOU, eventually, so you needn't
thank me except for being spared
some discomfort"
The tail man and two children were
fast approaching Hamilton said
quickly: 81 can't help being everlast-
ingly grateful"
ITS quite all right" she assured
him, and was swept away in the crowd
Of h0me-comers. one of whom saluted
the tall man with cheerful: How
are you. Hunt?" adding, evening,
Mrs Hunt and Miss Page"
After a restless night, he was early
nfoot for tramp through woody
paths along the shore. He finally
threw himself upon the sun-warmed
sands for a doze, from which he was
startled by the sound OF trampling
hoofs As he sprang TO his feet the
horse SHE'D and would have bolted
dangerously but for Hamllton's quick
hand upon the bride.
STEADY. Roman" soothed the rider,
Good morning. Mr. Hamilton. We do
not often find fellow explorer SO far
abroad"
lie replied gravely Good morning,
Mrs Hunt"
you make a strange mistake, Mr..
Hamilton" said the girl deliberately.
81 am Jane Page My sister is Mrs,
Hunt"
81 thought you'd know would
come he said confusedly.
''Then there was a man. and some
one said, Mrs, Hunt | thought YOU
hndn't waited II was natural mis-
take"
"Circumstantial evidence and not
sufficient TO convict. Miss Page as.
sur"d him Then suddenly she bent
md lightly touched the perplexed fore,
head with her lips.
Come down" he said masterfully,
holding out his hand. I'VE have so
much to say 10 each other that il viii
take all the rest Of the yenrs to say
H."
Please don't say 1t ail--yet." she
begged Remember we really scarce
ly know each other"
Wen have all the rest Of the sum
mer to learn he said decislvely. And
II YOU like it"
Yes, answered Jane mischlevous.
Ia I mn, D..