Adventure stories; Islands -- Fiction; Love stories; Shipwrecks -- Fiction
"No, I thank you; I'll look," said Hugh, resolutely turning to the
pages. Lady Tennys leaned weakly against the counter and looked through
blurred eyes at the racing lines of ink. Hugh rapidly ran his fingers
through the list, passing dozens of passengers they had known. As the
finger approached the "R's" it moved more slowly, more tremblingly.
"Reed--Reyer--Ridge!" "Hugh Ridge, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A." He grew
sick when he saw his own name among those who were dead.
"She was saved," he murmured, for there was but one Ridge there.
"Look for Vernon," whispered his companion.
"Van Camp--Valentine--Wilson." It was not there--nor was Veath's!
"Are they on the list?" asked the clerk.
"Let me see the names of those who were saved," said Hugh bravely, joy
and anxiety welling to the surface like twin bubbles.
"Two pages over, sir."
Over went the pages so ruthlessly that the scribe was in trepidation
lest they should be crumpled beyond redemption. Hugh read aloud in an
unnatural voice:
"Costello--Hamilton--Ridge--Shadburn--Veath."
His hand fell upon the page and his head dropped forward till his lips
touched the name that danced before his eyes.
"Here it is! Here it is!" he shouted, hugging the book.
"Thank God!" cried she, tears rushing to her eyes. Together they read
and re-read the name, scarcely able to believe that she was truly one of
the few to escape. "And Henry Veath, too. Oh, Hugh, it is a miracle--a
real miracle!"
"Old Veath saved her! I knew he would if he had a ghost of a chance.
Tennys, Tennys, I can't believe it is true." He was beside himself in
his excitement. Captain Hildebrand, the clerk, and the other attachés
looked on with happy smiles. In this moment of relief they forgot
completely that, in leaving the island, they had been filled with a sort
of dread lest they should find her who might come between them.
"We must find Veath," went on Hugh rapidly. "Is he in Manila?"
"He is in the Government Building, sir," answered the clerk. Already
Hugh was edging toward the door, holding Lady Tennys by the arm. "Is Mr.
Veath a relative?"
"No; he's more than that. He's a friend. We were on the _Tempest Queen_
together when she went down."
"You were--on--the--what did you say, sir?" gasped the clerk.
"He doesn't know who we are, Hugh."
"That's so. Add two more names to the list of saved and scratch 'em off
the other. Put down Lady Huntingford and Hugh Ridge."
The clerk's eyes bulged. Every man in the office came forward in
amazement.
"It's the truth," volunteered the _Winnetka's_ captain. "I picked them
up last week."
"Where's the cable office? I must send a message to Miss Ridge. When did
she sail for the United States?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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