The Lincoln Star from Lincoln, Nebraska • 11

SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 29, 1906. THE LINCOLN DAILY STAR. Illustrations by Charles Grunwald Wm. R. A.

Wilson Rose of Normandy" Copyright. 190S, by LITTLE, BROWN AND COMPANY. amid the gently tupping waves, her fair face turned serenely heavenward; the apimreiitly lifeless body of a man floated alongside, whoee sword was entangled In one of the roH binding the parts of the raft together. CHAPTER TWO. Wherein the Dead Returned to Life and Caused Much Joy and Consternation.

All cjuebec put aside Its pleasure and Its gayety. and mourned. eJ.ispHitl Itnguln upon his arrival had told the news of the disaster, and proclaimed himself the sole survivor from Ihe Ill-fated ship. He became at once strings torn and bleeding, the other mute In deepest sympathy. There are moments like these of profound af Miction when the spirit, leaving the outer world, withdraws Into some hidden recess of the soul and sits alone inni-inunlug with Its sorrows and obtains relief fur Its feelings, surcease of its grief, and gathers fiesh spiritual vitality and strength from the vast storehouse of eternal pity and compassion.

The dropping of a burnt log In ths fireplace, the distant baying a dog In the I-ower Town, the cry of the n-linel on guard these sounds smote upon ilulleel ears. Suddenly the Governor snt uptight, his eyes raised, his flgtire tenso and vibrating with suppi el excitement. The sound of a familiar voice seoiulngly near at hand thrilled him. "Here Philippe! Ptre Philippe!" It called. "Alme'! Her voire! Did you not hear it? Tls her spfrlt calling to me wish the nutne she used as a little child." There was the sound of hurrying footsteps Umn the hard polished floor of the adjoining room and the (Hi king of a tiny pair of heels Ufsin the threshold; then the heavy door swung opn and an apparition stood In the half-light of the doorway.

"1'ere Philippe! I'ere Philippe! Where are you?" resounded through the room, and Ihe Governor started up, owr-turnliig the chafr In Ms nntaxciueiit, and faci ei about In Ihe (llne Uon of the door. Hi'fote the pslonlslod msn could move the apparition darted across the Tcsntl and tluug llself Into bis arum. "Almee! My loved one! MA mlgnonne limn bijou, my little plge-on "and the nun's voh'e became an Irnrt Iculut murmur of sobs and en-dealing mimes. At length he eil in el himself nnd holding the girl at arm's length f-xchilnied: "It is then really you In the flcidi nnd not your fpliil?" Then turning to Mnchime I'leurnt, who snt orenuiii em the hassock trembling with. Joy nnd flight, "C.iuio, come, arise ami In log ominously on the wood.

"I repeat again, your luck has an "ugly look." "Perhaps," Interposed a third with an uneasy laugh us he saw the flashing eyes and detected an approaching quarrel, "perhaps Roguln's luck has Its source in his having dabbled In the Black Art while in Pails." The winner, who had laid his cauls face down upon the table, looked about at the men clustered around him. "I call you gentlemen to witness this Insult received at the hands of de Chatlgnac. I shall take the matter up when once we land, and demand satisfaction." "You shall have none from me," came the contemptous reply; "I refuse to cross swords with a cheat, a card swindler." With a cry of rage nnd a whitened face Gaspard Koguln sprang up and, seizing his sword, vaulted Impetuously over the end of the table toward his accuser. Just at that moment there was the sound of a terrible crash and the noise or splintering "timbers. The ship's progress was so suddenly stopped that the shock sent the entire company In the little cabin sprawling In a heap on the floor, while the chairs and benches were overturned and the lantern extinguished, tine by one the men disengaged themselves from the confused mass of bodies, arms, and legs, and groped their way to the door and up onto the deck.

Here everything was In confusion. Officer were running to and fro bawling orders, cursing the men or belaboring them with knotted ropes ends for showing cowardice or delay. The mainmast had snapped off close to the deck and lay athwart It amid a network of tangled rigging. Here group of seamen was busily engiged trying to cut tills heavy mass loose so as to right the vessel, which was careued over badly to one side; there a group labored hard preparing the small bouts for launching, while still others ran hither and thither in their tenor, doing nothing but add to the confusion. Passengers pouied up from below decks nnd stood huddled together In CHAPTER ONE.

Contain a Storm at Sta, a Quarrel, a Deadly Peril, and Drtion. Like ft tiny sin-ck upon an angry naste of waters the dauntless little ship L'Ecume fled, quivering In every beam and timber before the coming storm, on her long and tedious voyage from La Rochelle to Quebec. The cul-; nilnaiing tempest of a boisterous witi-f: ter seemed about to be let loose In one last, beta ltd. passionate outburst of wind and wave. The vessel, true to her name, danced lightly upon the crest of each succeeding ridge, dip ping down easily Into the Intervening trough only to rise again with Jaunty bow and -dripping wills to meet the Mx ririt advancing wall of water.

Three days of fog had been suc-: ceeded by a. day of partial clearing. 1 which gave way toward nightfall to 1 the signs of an Impending tempest. The master of the ship had urged Its oti- ward course with all the sail lie dared, hoping to -grtwithtn the. helteHug entrance of the broad St.

before the storm broke. This object he was unable wholly to accomplish, one by one, the sails were taken in, and he atidhla hardy Breton sailors bulsed themselves In putting the ves- sel In the best possible trim to wilh- stand the coming trlHl. Several hours passed. Daylight had disappeared entirely and blackest night 1 had come. As they sped onward the anxious, watchful eyes of the sailors detected a change In the wind that led them to hope that they might after all escape the full force of the gale.

I Accordingly a smull sail was shaken I cut which gave additional speed to the little craft In her race against the 'elements. Soon the waves seemed to shorten, and the pitching and tumbling fif the boat changed to a less rough notion, albeit the wind still tore fierce- ly through the resounding rigging. sweeping the deck lib. a force dlltloult for even the seamen to withstand. The passengers of this the King's or ship were all below'.

They were one hundred and fifty In number, consisting i i- i 'oT'v V-V 2 f. of a few soldiers to recruit the outposts of New France: artisans nnd farming i peasants to Bid In developing the na- tural resources of the Colony: a few gentleman of Quebec returning from a visit to the gay world of Paris and the Court; girls In charge of quiet-eyed nuns, coming out to find husbands and homes in the new land all eHger for he safe ending of a disagreeable and perilous Journey. During the moments when the vessel's motion was most alarming manv prayers were said. WEAVING MARVEL0U9 TALES OF KNIGHTS AND beads counted, and votive randies promised upon their safe arrival. But when the force of the storm had somewhat abated many of the passengers tell to work carefully tacking up their belongings in ant id pa tie of a speedy elghtlng of land and dropping of the huge anchor in the peaceful basin before the frowning heights of the queen city of the great continent.

However, In one of the cabins neither prayers were Said nor the perils of the deep feared, for here a doen men, officers and gentlemen passengers were congregated about a rough table beneath the rays of a dimly burning, swaying ship's lantern. SoundB of merriment arose as tajes of adventure and gallantry were related, and glasses "were raised and emptied many times In Jovial wishes for the future, as though striving to overwhelm the de-pressing din of the storm without by Ihe noisy cheer ithin. As the night wore on the gaming Spirit manifested Itself, and at one end of the table five of the men were soon at play. One of them proved i himself a steady winner, and the pile of gold before each player quickly melted away, while his own increased. "Confound you for a lucky dog." cried one.

whose handsome, boyish face, sunny enough before, was now clouded with a petulant, vexed air. "there foes the last louls dor I shall have until my first pay day In this barbarous country whither we are going. where. It Is said, one sees more beaver skins In a week used as money than Ve does good yellow gold in a year." "Say, rather, more red-skins," laughed one of the other officers. "In the winter they feed on the King's grain, and In the summer kill the King's soldiers." The winner smiled, apparently entering Into the spirit of his compan object of universal Interest, and was compelled to rehearse again and again the details of the awful event and his miraculous escape.

Fluttered by the attention bestowed Uoii him his self-love urged htm to magnify bis own deeds. I.Ike all liars when there Is no chance of their falsehood being rcfulcd, he lied largely nnd well. Ills story grew In tilling until he appeared to his hearers a veritable" hero, ho tnicTcooly allayed ihe general panic, skillfully superintending the launching of the bonis, and then when all were tilled had generously refused to add his weight to the tiny craft al-ri'Scly overloaded, but hud entrusted his own safely to a fruil spur. He was finally providentially rewarded for his unselfish heroism by finding ml einpiy boot ndrlft. In which he reached land Unharmed.

The Ilapstiiffs upon the Chateau, the lnti-iiilaiit's I'lilace and other public buildings were dressed in morning, and a day uppolnted oil which all Ihe good InliotiltantH of the city were bidden to repair to the Cathedral, where a solemn muss was sung for the repose of the souls of thosa lost nt set; Ihi'u CJueliie resumed once more Its struggles with living problems, leaving the done! to slumber In their atery si pulcher. Madame Klciirul, the Governor's houseke eper, good, pinna soul, hud shed a te-ar nt the Cathedral and then hurilcd back to the Chateau to superintend the preparation of ft nieul Hint should tempt the Governor's appetite. wlih h. since the flrst news of the wreck, hud disappeared entirely. Her hfty yrwrs tifservlce In Ws-fHHH-yr-W In Km nee and the New World, had made Iicr devotion lo hhn nature, and nil events or sorrows were of sinull moment to her except as they uhVcted hhn.

Hut all her painstaking was of no avail, for when she entered the room In summon him to the nnul prepared with such loving cute, she found lilm seated alone before the fire absorbed In gloomy meilltutlon. "Come, your F.xcellciu she f-clulmed In her clieerful bustling manner, "your dinner Is walling for you all hot and smoking. You will open your eyes when you see how many of your favri lte dishes I have prepared for you. You will Injure your heulth If you do not erit Instead of moping here) in the dark and blinking at the fire fur all the world like one of those Gascon owls Unit used to frighten yoll when a boy," and tlm good dumo palled him gently on tho lutiul In much tint sumo motherly way ns, when a young girl many years ngo, she had first taken charge of the little motherless child In the Clinton on the banks of the fur-oH OaroiHie, The Governor, however, shook his head sadly as he selzid her rough, wllhercd hand and drew her down until she snt he-side him on a hassock. "My heai Is heavy tn-nlght, ma chere nmln.

and I need your c-eimfort and sympathy as In the old days, rather lhan your food, My thoughts are sjid Indeed since le bon Dteu has taken frm me the one fair flower le ft blooming In he deserted garden of my life. Kor Almee is gone, the loving, happy-hearted Almee, whose existence has been the only bright ray of sunohlne amid the clouds of difficulties, dangers and perplexities that have surrounded me since coming to New Kranee. My old heart hud looked forward so esgcrly tn welcoming her back from her two years' schooling III Paris, no longer a child, but overflowing --with 4he beauty, charm and grace of her full womaiihiHid; and now now to think I hat she lies beneath the cruel waters, her loving glances quenched. her laghter stilled forever. Hut no, Dleu me piirdonne for these unhappy thoughts! I will not think of her thus, but rather that her blessed spirit Is now in Paradise, looking.

down upon my grieving heart Injlovlng pity for its loneliness." A sympathetic pressure of the hand from the good dame filled hi a moment of silence. "How well I remember," he continued In a minis-cent tone, "the day of the btg fight when, hard pressed by the Kngllsli officer, I would have fallen had not my gallant friend Felix de Mar-say, Aimer's father, stepped between us and received lh" fatal blow Intended for me. How his dying words ring I my ears even now: 'My little? flower ma mlgnonne! you will guard her as your very own, and be her father? And I promised as he expired In my arms. I have tried to fulfill my word. You remember how.

thinking tbe gloomy walls of the Chateau were fvWltted for her bright young life. I pla. 1 her In charge of her old nurse In Yne little cottage beyond the I'rsullnes? and now, after I found her father's affairs were helplessly entangled with those that rascal Roguin, 1 forbore to enter upon a hopeless legal fight but aban Jwed everything to him, preferring tt, Mire for her myself, making her my heir Instead? And how I have kept up the harmless fiction that her was In keeping and thus satisfied her foud spirit? Two ye-ars ago yau know I sent her to the convent In Paris (fiat she might acquire the finer touches and feminine accomplishments she could not receive here, to fit her fo the highest station to which she might be called. It was her own eagrness to return that led her to take passage In the Ul-fate-d L'Ecume In company with a maid and one of the nuns, rather than wait until the spring storms were over. Ah me! the ways of God are past finding out.

He knows I would gladly have given what remains of ray old, loveless life, loveless except for her. If by so doing she could have been spared." Tha gray he ad sank upon his breast and the old soldier, valiant before a score of foes but now weary and stricken with grief, surrendered to his overpowering emotions. Thus the two aged figures sat In the flickering firelle-at, the one with bis heart lights; ptlt) up the logs and broach a bottle of my best wine, for this my ntgrrt of tiniiii nlng is-1 in in tl -rntrr-n-rtny of Seated uhout the table with the delayed dinner before them, they beamed upon each other with loving glances while Madame Flcurut, rejoicing In her muster's happiness, bustled In nnd out. scolded the servants and seemed to be'ceiine suddenly twenty years younger. Hut little did the Governor partlike of tho food set before hint.

Ills jtteat was to devour with admlilng gnne ami misty eye the features of his fair young companion, nnd drink In as If vvllh Insatiable thirst every word falling: from her Hps and every gluiue thn darted from her sparkling eyes. Almen told tbe story of her escape; how, when she opened her eyes aha found herself warmly lodged In bed III the humble cabin of one of tho nuiiwr-mis settlers who cultivated the narrow strip of Imiui close to the river's edge, ekeing out their slender means by occasional fishing expeditions; how she had eiulckly recovered from the effects of the cold and exposure and within ft few days was sitting up. Not so with her companion. For days he tossi'd delirious; now chattering unintelligibly, now living over ngulii the terrible scenes of the shipwreck, "ARain he talked of battle," she said, "of siege and camp; and then he would seem to go back to bis childish days In Quebec and familiar names cam from his tongue, among them yours and mine. And oh! Pere Philippe, can I ever be forgiven for my blindness! I recognized hhn then as my old friend and playmate, Raoul de Ciiat-fgnac." "Raoul de Chatlgnac! Impossible! He Is not expected home for some months yet." 'impossible, perhaps, but nevertheless It was he.

Little wonder that I did not recognize hint during those hours of excitement, darkness and misery, fur he has changed wonderfully sine -leaving us all seven years ago. Then he was but a slight, stoop-shouldered lad, and now he Is a tall, broad, soldierly gallant with a most bewitching mustache and only the same generous, hearty smile to remind me of my former friend." "And did he recognise you, ma cherle?" "So. and no wonder, for I kept my head" well muffled In my capote became of the cold, so that I do not believe he once caught a full view of my face. I stayed and did what I could to allay his discomfort until one morning, when they told me he was hiins; If again, I directed them to start me on my Journey to Quebec, not wishing him to recognize me under such circumstances. This they gladly did.

as one of the women folk was anxious to come to the city to buy some fimty, especially as I promised them ft goodly aum. After several delays spent nt the houses of some of their friends upon the way to visit and repair the canoe, we arrived to-night. I baele them leave me at the gate of the Chateau and call on you In the morn- lug for their "Pardleu and they shall have It though It were ft king's ransom," cried the Governor as he struck the table ringing blow for sheer Joy. Thus did the old man and his foster daughter while away the dinner he ul in earnest questionings' and replies. Once more they set before the fire 1 they had so often done before, she with her head laid lovingly upon his kne-e, his hand passing and repassing through the mass of her golden hair; and they were both content.

"You have grown more beautiful, little pigeon, than I had even hoped for. Alas for the manly hearts that will beat quicker at the sight of your sweet face. You will have all the fin ladles of Quebec mad with envy. A a me! If I were but twenty years younger I might try for the prize myself." "You would come nearer winning, Pere Philippe, than any that I know," (To be Continued next Sunday.) Devil's Island Torture Is no worse than the terrible case cf Piles that afflicted me 10 years. Thes I was advised to apply Bucklen's Arnica Siilve, and less lhan a box permanently cured me, writes L.

S. Napier, of Rugles, Ky. Heals ail wounds, Ruins nnd Sores like magic. the Harley Drug; Cc, drufghns, the darkness, women crossing themsel- ves nnd appealing to the suints for sue- i cor, men wringing their hands in ter ror or busily secreting about their per sons the most valuable part of their little property. To all this djn was added the sound of the wind as It shrieked and shrilled about them like an army of evil spirits rejoicing In the mischief they had wrought, while the booming of each succeeding wave is It angrily crashed against the fur ther side of the vessel over whelmed them with Its woeful sound.

De Chatlgnac pressed his wny through the confusion to a point where the master of the ship stood. There he heard nn officer report that the vessel had struck submerged rock, which had torn a Jagged hole in her side some ten feet from Uer bow; that the ship had slipped off after the first ihoek; that the water was pouring in at a fearful rate; and that the vessel was slowly settling at the bow, and all was lost. "To the boats!" was the. cry, and a pitch torch was lighted and placed on the lee side at the only spot available for the launching of the frail craft that were now the only hope of the doomed throng. The fit nt boat was lowered and the oars thrown In, but a spiteful wave Immediately swept It away and it disappeared in the darkness.

The next one was made fast, and the order was given to the passengers to embark. Before anyone could enter a man was seen to Jump upon the rail, his face showing an ashen gray In the fitful glare of the torch, but an officer stepping forward with the cry: "Women first, you coward," dealt him a blow on the Jaw that sent him crashing to the deck where he lay stunned and bleeding. The boat was soon filled and It started safely on Its Journey over the perilous waters. Another was hauled across the deck and launched successfully. At length the last one was ready and de Chatlgnac was left apparently the only person on the wreck beside the master of the ship.

As he was shout to descend a woman's voice walled the boat. "Tor the love of "le bon Dleu" do not leave my mistress behind! I saw her last In one of the Cabins pray. Ing beside the body of the nun who died yesterday. De ChatlgnaeT "bade them wait, and bounded down Into the interior of the vessel again. Plckng up a lighted lantern he hastened from one cabin to another In a frantic search for the missing woman.

Flnnally, when almost despairing, he pushed open a door and beheld In the dim light the figure of a young girl kneeling beside the dead body of a sweet-faced nun. Her eyes were uplifted and her hands clasped upon an Ivory crucifix', seemingly oblivious to the sounds above her, and her own danger. At a glance de Chatlgnac saw that she was young, that her face (which he did not remember having seen before among the mssengers. was, even In the obscure llgtit, pale and exceedingly beautiful. Every evidence of grace and refinement was present in her person although she was clad In a simple, dark garb.

With ft cry of satisfaction he sprang to her side and. laying his hand upon her shoulder, said In a respectful tone: "Come! Mademoiselle, you have no time to lose; we had almost gone without you." The eyes of the girl turned slowly toward his face, her lips moved, and In a voice scarcely audible above the distant roar she replied: "I.cave me. Monsieur; tt Is God's will that I perish." The sweet vibrating tones of her voice thrilled the young man. "Nay," he cried with enthusiasm, "It Is God's will that you escape, and He has sent me to save you, I beseech you. Mademoiselle, that you hasten with me." She shook her head sadly and turned again to her devotions.

De Chatlgnac. accustomed to quick decisions, did not delay to argue, but, bending down, seized her In his arms and bore her rapidly away. He stumbled with his fair burden up the narrow steps and across the deck to the spot where he had left the boat -awaiting him. Stopping with a cry he plac, the girl on her feet and looke over the verge. The light of th- torch showed only a rushing, whirling mass of water thst beat against the ship's side with an angry ions' conversation, but an observer would have noticed that his participation in their merriment did not prevent his keeping a sharp eye upon his own cards and.

perhaps, a too keen glance at those of the other layers, "No lucky star was In the ascendant at my birth." was his reply. Luck follows the as we say In New France. But even the best of luck turns; you may all have your revenge yet." FAIR LAU'ITS. Kor nniMi' nt df Clintlgnno stood inotlonh ns with i T.I-ilMiit'iit, scarcely belli vh the evidence of bh own cyrs, cam? the full rcalitatlon of his late I'i'inp i i ll ly. "Vurs- Mm!" he cried, wild with rage ns lis shook his list impotently after the lapldly disappearing Ilogulu.

"I should huve known better than to trust him In anything." Realising the necesHty of concealing his despair from his partner In misfortune he quickly rt gained control over himself, nnd turning toward her with a smile lie said "Our escape Is but delayed. Mudeniulsclle." Then searching his pockets he continued; "Here we have a bottle of fresh water and flask of brandy. To bo sure solid I Is wauling, but we can gel for a stunt lime on liquid rations." "Ah! Moiisler!" exclaimed the girl sorrowfully, "I have wrought worse than I dreamed. To go down with the ship would have been horrible enough, but to condemn you to a slow death by thirst and starvation is terrlole to contemplate," Hiid she sobbed pitifully. "(loud liiUor Is both food und drink," vnld de t'liatlgnac ti diy.

'I'lils supply will surely lie', us until we touch the rugged shore of New France. A for Gaspard Roguin, we are well rid of such a rascal, his hateful presence would but retard our pre-gress, while he would probably drink up our-slock of provisions at a single draught, leaving nothing for us." Manfully be strove to cheer the drooping spirits of his companion, but his own heart misgave him as he saw ths slow progress they were making and reallxed that when the tide turned It would carry theni seaward. Without rescue they might drift back and forth within sight of land Indefinitely. All through that day lie pretended to partake of the brandy and water In equal measure with the young a-1 rl, hut In reality he only wet his lips. Night came.

De Chatignac'a companion slept, securely fastened ss shrt wsf, but he remained awake conquering as best he might the terrible thirst that assailed hhn, vainly endeavoring think out some plan that would ail In their escaiie. Morning dawned and the Coast appeared nearer than before, but evn at the rate they were moving It wo-ild take them at least two more days reach it. The cold, hunger, and the agony of unsatisfied thirst, combined witli the weakness from his partly healed wound, brought on a dangerous falntness. He took the precaution of giving the girl a liberal portion from his scanty store of spirits to combat the effects of the cold and exposure that had begun to manifest themselves. There followed another night of watching and struggling against physical hardships.

After dawn broke ha called to his companion, but received no answer. Alarmed at her silence, he strove to drag himself to her side. A dizziness overcame him; the light of day was blotte-d from his sight; he fell back, rolled over the edge Into the water and was gone. A few hours later a fishing boat came upon an Improvised raft on which was bound the unconscious form of a young gill whose long hair, loosened from its Seed, streamed to an fro mnnotlced snarl as if already balked ton long of Its prey. The boat had disappeared.

He shouted hoarsely, but the only answer, save that of the Infuriated elements, was a groan from the gallant vessel as It struggled stoutly In Us death thrones. "Gone!" he muttered; "deserted!" The girl, who had watched his face, divined th situation, "fill! why," she cried, wringing her hands, "did y.iU not leave me to die, and save yourself. Forgive me, Monsieur, for having been the unhappy cause of your destruction." De Chatlgnac turned from the raging sea tow aid his weeping companion, and a hearty sinlle lighted his features as he replied "Ma fed! Mademoiselle, would you rob a soldier of the delight of rescuing a comrade from the hands of the enemy, even though 1t tie by heading a forlorn hope; or deprive a gentleman of th. pleasure of Hiding Beauty In distress? Great dangers give also great honors. You do not know me.

Mademoiselle, if you can belh ve I regret new peril;" then adding proudly, with a bow, "I fought at Fontcnuy, and am a gentleman of New France." A groan, clearly human, caused him to stoop and examine the nenrliy shadows of the deck. He soon discovered a prostrate form, and dragging It within the circle of light beheld the features of Gaspard Roguin. It was he who had been struck down by the officer for his cowardice. De Chatlgnac put a flask of brandy to his lips. The man opened his eyes, and staggering to his feet, looked wildly about him, then shuddered.

AVhen he recognized de Chatlgnac a venomous light flashed frm his eyes, "Yu here?" he muttered. "Yes, Monsieur Roguin." said de Chatlgnac. "We three are alone. The rest have departed without us. I should have preferred that you had gone with them.

But this Is no time or place to choose one's company. Good counsel Is better often than a great army. What would you suggest for our deliverance?" Roguin made no reply, for the full horror of the situation had returned to him as he stood, biting his nails, looking wildly over tlie dark waters and shaking his head. "I shall be the General then." continued de Chatlgnac; "and you Monsieur, together with Mademoiselle here," he smiled almost gayly at the girl who had been a silent spectator of all that had Just passed "will be my faithful and obedient soldiers. First of all, we must have courage.

Hope Is as cheap ns despair, and makes a man hold up his head." With these cheery words he gave his attention to the relief of their precarious condition. He mad? a tour of Investigation, hoping that the condition of the sinking ship would warrant them In remaining until morning. He found however, that the water had risen so rapidly that Is was a question of minutes rather than hours before the vessel would sink. He hastened back to his companions and, directing the young girl how to hold the torch, he seized an ax and bade Roguin Join him In the labor of cutting the broken mast into lengths which, wh-n lashrd together with broken spars. ould make a serviceable raft.

Roguin obeyed sulkily, but fear of death oiercame his personal feeling atalni-t de ChatignM an4 too, soon made the chips fly Hliout him. A vonieiit of the uhlp ns It settled still further In the water warned them that they must hasten If they woul I avoid the dinger of being sucked down when it sank. Soon the improvised raft v.iis ready and launched. The ihi'e took their places, (he girl Ht-curely id by a couple of lures of rojie around her body; the line was thrown off and they were swept swiftly away from the wreck. Looking buck tiny soon lost sight of the dim outlines of the ship, the waning torch being the only ohj-ct visible In the all-eiRlrc'ing blackness.

They hud left none too nn, for williln three minutes after their departure the fcrod gave up the fruitless struKKl uttered one last Iiihi ticulate, gurgli.lx moiin and Bank beneath the victoriius waves against whh It had buttled so bravely. The torc a tiny point of light, was extinguished, and the three- castaways were left alone with the night aid the water. De Challgiiac heartened his companions by culihig out cheerfully at Intervals telling them that morning could nut be far off; thut they would proliiibly hud they had drlftrd near shore, and prophesied liiey would nil dine the next evening In some hospitable cabin before a blazing fire. The night seemed Interminable, but at length the first faint streak of dawn appeared and with It clearing skies. As they tossed helplessly about uikhi the long swell that followed the storm all three strained their eager eyes to see If laud were near.

Hoon the sun appeared, great red ball of fire rising from the watery east, and all was light once more. With a try of Joy Roguin pointed out the low coast line far away in the distance. But there was no sign anywheie of their ship companions of the night before. "If the Kindly current will only set us in toward the shore Instead of being contrary minded and carrying us out to sea, we are safe, as It will then be only a quest'on of time before we reach land," said de Chatlgnac cheerily. "But for my part I should prefe a good safe boat ith a couple of pairs of oars to any current however friendly Pardleu; what Is that?" he cried ns he turned and looked seaward.

"Is that not a boat or does the sun blind my eyes and fill them with black It was Indeed a boat, floating lightly-on the swell, emotv. but traveling landward so much faster than the rat that it would undoubtedly overtake them In a short time. Nearer and nearer it until they recognized it as the first boat launched from tho sinking ship and torn away by the aves. hen It.reaohed twirn the nearest point de Chatlgnac prepared to swim for It, but after taking a dozen strokes he returned In evident pain. "Ma fol!" he exclaimed as he clambered onto the raft agawtc.

"my wound treats me 111 and will not let me swim even a beggarly scoro of yards. Monsieur Roguin, It must be your duty to reach yorder means of scape and bring It ut," Roguin obeyed with unwonted aiaT-ily. and swam rapidly lovnrc the desired lobject. He soon ached It. climebd in seb.ed the oars and with a'mocklng "Adlea! mes amis; bon vyas!" rowed awny alone.

A moment later one of the players threw down his cards with an oath and arose from the table. "Curse It!" he cried. "My pocket is empty, so I must desist;" then turning to one of the company he said: "Come, de Chatlgnac, take my place, perhaps it will change the good fortune of our friend here, who has won every night since we left The person addressed was a vounr man of some five and twentv. pale as though from recent illness, who wore no uniform yet was possessed of a military bear ing. He had been a ready hand during the etrlv part of the evening to Join In either aom or story; his ling wiih merriment while his hearty laugh had seemed a safety valve to a superabundance of good spirits.

After the play began, however, his mirth gradually subsided, his brows contracted now and then with a frown, while his long, white fingers beat with increasing vigor a nervous tatoo upon the table. As the game progressed his interest qul kened, while the signs of evident Irritation Increased. Several times his lip opened and his hand was raised as If to Interfere, but ever his purpose was he postponed action. "Not tonight" was his reply to the Invitation. "Gaspard Roguin is too titky altogether to suit my taste." The st words were accompanle-d by a con temptuous curl ot the lips as he lanced across the table.

Gaspard Roguin saw th? look, and flushed angrily. "Tour tone. Monsieur. has a savor of offense to my ears; pray alter It." "Not was the quirk rejolner, avhile the slender finger-tips diumined i.