The Magic of Two Hearts

Episode 8

At length, it grew gray, and then, with a sudden glory peculiar to South Africa, the great red sun arose and began to dispel the mist from the surface of the sea. Half an hour more and this was gone, and now the bright rays brought life back into their chilled frames as they stared at each other to see which of their accomplices was still left alive. They even asked for food, and biscuit were given to them with water.

All this while Agnes remained unconscious. Indeed, one callous fellow, who had been using her body as a footstool, said that she must be dead, and had better be thrown overboard, as it would lighten the boat.

“If you throw that lady into the sea, living or dead,” said Mr. Thompson, with an ominous lift of his eye, “You will go with her, Mr. Batten. Remember who brought her here and how he died.”

Then Mr. Batten held his peace, while Thompson stood up and scanned the wide expanse of sea. Instantly, he whispered to a sailor near him, who also stood up, looked, and nodded.

“That will be the other line’s intermediate boat,” he said, and the passengers, craning their heads round, saw far away to the right a streak of smoke upon the horizon. Orders were given, a little corner of sail was hoisted, with a white cloth of some sort tied above it, and the oars were taken out. Once more, the cutter moved forward, bearing to the left in the hope of intercepting the steamer.

She came on with terrible swiftness, and they, who had miles of water to cover, dared hoist no more sail in that breeze. In half an hour, she was nearly opposite to them, and they were still far away. A little more sail was let out, driving them through the water at as quick a rate as they could venture to go. The steamer was passing three miles or so away, and black despair took hold of them. Now the resourceful Thompson, without apologies, undressed, and removing the white shirt that he had worn at the dance, bade a sailor to tie it to an oar and wave it to and fro.

Still, the steamer went on, until presently they heard her siren going, and saw that she was putting about.

“She has seen us,” said Thompson. “Thank God, all of you, for there is wind coming up." Pull down that sail; we don’t need it anymore.”

Half an hour later, with many precautions, because the wind he prophesied was already troubling the sea and sending little splashes of water over the stern of their deeply laden boat, they were fast to a line thrown from the deck of the three thousand ton steamer Castle, bound for Natal. Then, with a rattle, down came the accommodation ladder, and strong-armed men, standing on its grating, dragged them one by one from the death to which they had been so near. The last to be lifted, except Thompson, was Agnes, around whom it was necessary to reeve a rope.

“Any use?” asked the officer on the grating as he glanced at her quiet form.

“Can’t say; I hope so,” answered Thompson. “Call your doctor.” And gently enough, she was borne up the ship’s side.

They wanted to cast off the boat, but Thompson remonstrated, and in the end that also was dragged to the deck. Meanwhile, the news had spread, and the awakened passengers of the castle, clad in pajamas, dressing gowns, and even blankets, were crowding round the poor castaways or helping them to their cabins.

“I am a teetotaler,” said second officer Thompson when he had made a brief report to the captain of the castle, “but if anyone will give me a whiskey and soda I shall be obliged to him.”

Although the shock of the blow she had received upon her head was sufficient to make her insensible for so many hours, Agnes’s injuries were not of a really serious nature, for, as it happened, the falling block, or whatever it may have been, had hit her forehead slantwise, and not full, to which accident she owed it that, although the skin was torn and the scalp bruised, her skull had escaped fracture. Under proper medical care, her senses soon came back to her, but as she was quite dazed and thought she was still on board the Atlantis, the doctor considered it wise to preserve her in that illusion for a while. So, after she had swallowed some broth, he gave her a sleeping draught, the effects of which she did not shake off till the following morning.

Then she came to herself completely, and was astonished to feel the pain in her head, which had been bandaged, and to see a strange stewardess sitting by her with a cup of beef-tea in her hand.

“Where am I? "Is it a dream?” she asked.

“Drink this and I will tell you,” answered the stewardess.

Agnes obeyed, for she felt hungry, then repeated her question.

“Your steamer was shipwrecked,” said the stewardess, “and a great many poor people drowned, but you were saved in a boat. Look, there are your clothes; they were never in the water.”

“Who carried me onto the boat?” asked Agnes in a low voice.

“A gentleman, they say, Miss, who has wrapped you in a blanket and put a life-jacket on you.”

Now Agnes remembered everything that happened before the darkness fell— the question to which she had given no answer, the young couple who stood flirting by her—all came back to her.

“Was Mr. Holmes saved?” she whispered, her face gray with dread.

“I dare say, Miss,” answered the stewardess evasively. “But there is no gentleman of that name aboard this ship.”

At that moment, the doctor came in, and he, too, plied with questions. But having learned the story of Holmes’s self-sacrifice from Mr. Thompson and the others would give her no answer, for he guessed how matters had stood between them, and feared the effects of the shock. All he could say was that he hoped Mr. Holmes had escaped in some other boat.

It was not until the third morning that Agnes was allowed to learn the truth, which, indeed, it was impossible to conceal any longer. Mr. Thompson came to her cabin and told her everything, while she listened silently, horrified, amazed.

“Miss Bernard,” he said, “I think it was one of the bravest things that a man ever did.” On the ship I always thought of him rather a head-in-air kind of swell, but he was a splendid fellow, and I pray to God that he has lived, as the lady and child for whom he offered himself up have done, for they are both well again.”

“Yes,” she repeated after him mechanically, “splendid fellow indeed, and,” she added, with a strange flash of conviction, “I believe that he is still alive." If he were dead I should know it.”

“I am glad to hear you say so,” said Mr. Thompson, who believed the exact contrary.

“Listen,” she went on. “I will tell you something." When that dreadful accident occurred, Mr. Holmes had just asked me to marry him, and I was going to answer that I would—because I loved him. I believe that I shall still give him that answer.”

Mr. Thompson replied again that he hoped so, which, being as honest and tender-hearted as he was brave and capable, he did most earnestly; but in his heart he reflected that her answer would not be given this side of the grave. Then, as he had been deputed to do, he handed her the note which had been found in the bosom of her dress, and, able to bear no more of this painful scene, hurried from the cabin. She read it greedily twice, and pressed it to her lips, murmuring:

“Yes, I will think kindly of you, Anthony Holmes, kindly as a woman can of a man, and now or afterward you shall have your answer, if you still wish for it. Whenever you come or wherever I go, it shall be ready for you.”

That afternoon, when she was more composed, Mrs. Jeffreys came to see Agnes, bringing her baby with her. The poor woman was still pale and shaken, but the child had taken no pain at all from her immersion in that warm water.