Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-08-11

preaching and was no longer conscious
of her presence.
She heard footsteps in the larger
room coming toward the office door.
Henry was in suspense. A rap came
at the door. He whitened, and wet his
lips.
"Come in," he summoned.
One of the office girls entered bring
ing white page Of paper with three
or four lines of purple typewriting up
on 1t which Constance recognized must
be a transcript OF a message just re-
ceived
She started forward at sight Of 1t,
forgetting everything else; but he took
the paper as though he did not know
she was there. He merely held it un-
til the girl had gone out; even then
he stood folding and unfolding it, and
his eyes did not drop to the sheet.
The girl had said nothing at all but
having seen her, Constance was
athrill the girl had not been bearer
of bad news, that was sure; she
brought some sort of good news! Con-
stance, certain of it, moved nearer to
Henry to read what he held He looked
down and read
"What is it, Henry?"
His muscular reaction, as he read,
had drawn the sheet away from her;
he recovered himself almost instantly
and gave the paper to her.
"S:35 a. m., Manitowoc, Wis.," she
read. "The schooner Anna S. Solwerk
has been sighted making for this port
She is not close enough for communi-
cation but two lifeboats, additional to
her own, can be plainly made out. 1t
Is believed that she must have picked
up survivors of No. 25. She carries
no wireless, so is unable to report.
Tugs are going to her"
1.-TWO lifeboats !" Constance cried
THAT could mean that they all are
saved or nearly all doesn't it, Hen
ry; doesn't it?"
He had read some other significance
In it, she thought, or, from his greater
understanding of conditions in the
storm, he had been able to hold no
hope from what had been reported.
That was the only way she could ex-
plain to herself as he replied to her;
that the word meant to him that men
were saved and that therefore 1t was
dismaying to him, could not come to
her at once. When it came now, it
went over her first only in the fash
of incredulous question.
The telephone buzzer under his desk
sounded; she drew close as he took
up his receiver.
"Manitowoc? he said. II want to
know what you've heard from the Sol
werk You hear me?
The men the Solwerk picked up. You
have the names yet?'
''The Benton?"
"Oh, l understand! All from the
Benton. / see! No; never
mind their names. How about Number
%? Nothing more heard from them"
Constance had caught his shoulder
while he was speaking and now clung
to it. Release-release of strain was
going through him! she could feel it,
and she heard it in his tones and saw
1t in his eyes.
"The steamer Number 25 rammed
proved to have been the Benton" he
told her "The men are all from her.
They had abandoned her in the small
boats, and the SOlwerk picked them
up before the ferry found her"
He was not asking her to congratu-
late him upon the relief he felt; he
had not so far forgotten himself as
that. But it was plain to her that he
was congratulating himself; it had
been fear that he was feeling before
fear, she was beginning to understand,
that those on the ferry had been saved.
Horror and amazement flowed in up
on her with her realization of this in
the man she had promised to marry.
For an instant she stared at him, all
her body tense; then, as she turned
and went out, he followed her, calling
her name. But, seeing the Seamen In
the larger office, he stopped, and she
understood he was not willing to urge
himself upon her in their presence.
Pm willing to go home now, mother,
If you wish" she said steadily.
When they had gone down to the
street and were in the car, Constance
leaned back, closing her eyes; she
feared her mother might wish to talk
with her.
Toward three O'Clock, the office
called her, but only to report that they
had heard from Mr.. Sheriff. He had
wired that he was going on from Man
istique and would cross the straits from
st. Ignace messages from him were to
be addressed to Petoskey. There was
no other report except that vessels
ere still continuing the search for
survivors,, because the Indian Drum,
. -.,.yAlsh had been beating, was beating
"short," causing the superstitious to
be certain that, though some of the
men from Number 20 were lost, some
yet survived.
Constance thrilled as she heard
that She did not believe in the Drum
at least she had never thought she