Year: 1877

NE.


suddenly felt that was no longer in
my own room. The patter of the rain
ON the panes was changed To the mad
bowling of the tempest, the rattle of the
branches TO the creaking and groaning
OF great ship in storm. 1t had grown
perfectly dark. could see nothing, but
felt the rain beat in my face, and l was
striving 10 keep my feet against a
furious gale, with some one clinging To
my breast--some one about whom my
arm was wound


Couragep | whispered. 81 will
save you or die with you. Courage,
Hildar


1t was my old loves name that ut
tered. i knew that her arms were about
me-that we were ON the ocean, upon a
vessel that had dashed itself against some
fearful rocks, and was fast sinking. be-
gan to distinguish crowds of people. To
hear their cries and screams, and the
shouts of the captain and officers, and to
see the lanterns swinging in the gale, and
even TO catch a glimpse of wild face or
two.


Is this a dream? % said to myself.
ltodoes not seem like one. 1t has the
semblance of reality itself"


Where did / find the rope with which
had bound her To mel | do not know.
but we were lashed together. Time had
passed as it does in dreams. We were on
the vessel no longer; we were in the
water. 1t was dawn. Before me lay a
line of black shore, for which was swim
ming. She was quite senseless her face
was gray, her hands floated on the water.
Was she dead? | did not know; but il
was well that she was motionless and
could not cling 10 me and drag us both
TO death.


l lifted up my head. They were
lighting fire on the coast. There were
boats coming out There was a bell ring
ing. Twenty strokes more and we were
saved. l do not not know whether |
took those twenty strokes or not. do
not know any more about it. Vision or
dream as it was, il has passed am
very i'll in bed. Some one found me
senseless on the floor of my room many
days ago, and | must have been wander
ing about in the rain, for was wet to
the skin. [ believe | am in danger of
death, but / don't seem to care very
much; only / wish | had finished my
dream, or completed my vision, or been
mad little longer, or whatever was ne.
cessary, for | should like TO know
whether | saved myself Just within
reach of. land and now what do | re-
member about n fisherman-looking fell
low in a red shirt? Oh, nothing.


THE sECoNB sToRY.-IIILDA's STORY


Yes, i must have been insane, but il
does seem 80 very, very true. When |
started for home-the home left bride
and returned a widow know thought
a little of poor Herbert Gray. You see,
! dind't use him very well. What a firt
/ was, in those old days! And he took
it very hard, indeed; and they saw he
has not married; and then / liked him
very, very much; and-yes did
think of him little-perhaps good
deal; but that can scarcely account for
it: and knew he was not on board the
Shooting Star, for | knew every cabin
passenger by sight. But how strange il
is-how very strange! Ii does seem
as if it actually happened. Let me re-
member.


We were near Newfoundland, and a
frightful storm arose, and at first the
captain laughed at us for being
frightened, and kept my courage up.
Poor little /, allalone by myself, with no
one TO care whether | lived or died.
And when we went upon the rocks, and
people were all crazy and thought only
of their own lives, gave up all hope.
Yes, / did think of Herbert then, and
wondered if he would forgive me when
he heard of my dreadful death and
then suddenly in the darkness / felt an
arm about me, and he spoke-called me
by name. After all those years knew
his voice, and he said Courage,
Hilda! l will save you or die with
your


And then we were in the water
together. could not move nor speak
but | knew he was doing all he could to
save me-


1t is so vivid. How can think il is
a dream? And that brown fisherman
who speaks Canadian-F French, and wears
gold rings in his ears, and cannot know
my name, swan out and saved me. can
only think of poor Herbert rs if he
were really there. Would il be very
wrong to write 10 him, and beg his par
don for the past? / don't care whether
it is or not. I'll dc IL.