Unlucky: A Fragment of a Girl's Life

abode, the difficult question now arose where next to go. Long and anxious were the consultations that took place between husband and wife upon this subject. At last Colonel Desmond, glancing over

ied that a voyage would be pleasant enough. And if they returned by Germany even the colonel might be brought to see the wisdom of placing Helen at one of those excellent German schools of which Mrs. Desmond had been wont to speak scor

clared that the place had not suited her, and that she was thankful to see the last of it. Neither was the colonel sorry. Only Helen's heart ached as she drove with her paren

hbourhood of the fever. "My poor sister! No doubt she will feel the boy's loss; but, after all, there will be one l

live to trouble them yet. You see if he doesn't. And as for his being t

her thin lips, and glan

nually paining you is impossible. It is a piece of modern cant to say that it is. Of cou

rs and made no reply. He did not find h

he said after a pause, looking kindly at Helen,

ting a strong restraint upon herself, for she d

terposed the latter. "If I were in her place I sh

w himself back with an impatient gesture, while Helen's lips quivered and her cheeks flush

eemed almost like a dream to Helen, so chang

ick-coming dawn. Helen, sitting a little apart from a merry group of fellow-passengers on the steamer's deck, was under the spell of this wonderful summer's night. There are certain phases in nature which seem to work upon highly-strung people until they experience a kind of spiritual quickening, some such quickening as we imagine may come to us after death. It was this influence that was upon Helen now. The day had passed pleasantly enough except for one incident. Mrs. Desmond had not found the voyage come up to her expectations. In crossing the North Sea she had been horribly sea-sick, and now, although scarcely a ripple disturbed the surface of the Baltic

hed to He

ammered, going forward sl

o last with the sole purpose of annoying her. A good many people, howe

ch the shawl?" s

would make you m

which Mrs. Desmond mentally decided

id at last. "It is utterly ruined. Th

said Colonel Desmond, patting Helen's

ated a lady who was sitting next to Mrs. Desmond, and who t

gs that hurt others? Would she never have a chance of showing that she was not really wicked? that she longed to do those sweet gracious actions that came so natur

o herself; "but I always do t

gone his own way, imagining his little girl safely in bed. Gradually the various groups of passengers dispersed, calling out merry good

t showed itself far away against the horizon. There was no moon visible, only that curious gray shroud veiled sea and sk

idly than any other, there came back to her the scene in Jim Hunt's dying chamber. She could almost have fancied that she was sit

was the ship and the gray waters and shadowy, d

ad was visible. At a small table by the bedside sat a lady, busy, apparently, over a gaily-coloured scrap-book. Her back was turned to Helen, but as the girl advanced timidly she raised her head and said: "I think I have

k, but no words came. It was all curious, for Mrs. Bayden must surely see her n

d grown pale and pinched, and it was almost difficult to recognize him, so changed was he. He lay quite still for what seemed to Helen a long time, but at la

n't you see her, mother? I am

er lapping against the ship. Only there was a change. The air was cold and charged with moisture. The distant coast-line had disap

ned that Harold lived, that he was waiting for her, and that they would meet again. This conviction gave her neither pleasure nor pain, but was so settled that it would have surprised her more to have seen her father standing beside her than Harold. She was curiously tranqui

y, "Ship ahead!" Then she started up and saw what looked through the mist like a phantom ship bearing down upon the doomed vessel on which she stood. Half paralysed by vague fear, although quite ignorant of the reality of the peril, Helen remained rooted to the spot, whilst a few minutes of agonizing suspense ensued, and the

and it became known that water was pouring into the engine-room, extinguishing the fires. There followed a few minutes of indescribable confusion, d

the boats! Save your

was lashed to the ship close to where Helen was standin

ly, terrified child, was just about to place Helen in the already heavily-weighted craft, when

is not here! Save

and Helen there had been a sort of friendship, pressed fo

elen, disengaging herself from her would-be

children," the officer, fancying that Helen also was safe, thrust t

crowd that had surged round her melted away as the boat passed out of sight. She rallied h

her knees. Heart-rending cries and pitiful prayers filled the air. Mothers were calling wildly on their children, husbands on their

ith cold, she scrambled on for some distance. Once or twice she fancied that she heard her father's voice calling her, and replying as well as she was able, she struggled on

d the sea-horses moaning and fretting round the doomed vessel, as though waiting for their prey. Helen

as no answer, only a faint moan that sounded as

y she descried a crouched-up figure close beside her clinging to a hand-rail that had formed par

" she asked. "

lf. Then she started back, for in the wild, terror-stric

am

el

is my f

om Helen's lips in

ond shook

hat I was trying to preserve, and that he had taken from me and thrown on the deck. There was plenty of time, e

father?" repeated

you. It was a terrible risk; I told

t for that profound sleep that had fallen upon her on deck

sake us," she said, wrenching her hand fro

enched skirts, "it is so terrible to be alone, and I am so weak. If any help came I might be pa

hope of life. And the water was always mounting higher. She was not weak like her stepmother. If no other help was at hand she might cl

be able to help you," she

rs that had closed so appealingly on hers once, but that were irresponsive now. Did a recollection of that day, when Helen h

you, Helen; but I meant to do m

s no need for more words. The past flashed back upon the girl's mind. Here wa

lf down beside her stepmother. "Don't be so sad, mamma," she went on so

Couldn't you say a prayer, child? I can't remember one, although I have always s

our Lord's prayer, and then Mrs. Desmond wandered on again, wondering about this and

the troubled course of the past year. "I couldn't bear you

smond's mind began to wander. Helen listened to her disjointed talk, soothing her as well as she was able; raising her voice occasionally to call imploringly on her father, little dreaming that he, having left his wife as he believed in safety, and having received an assu

watch the water gradually engulfing the ship. Sometimes she felt almost unable to endure

y want to find another place where we might be a li

ply was to cling yet more closely to the lithe young figure by he

anse of gray, seething waters, unbroken by even a passing sail. Helen's heart sank within her. Must it come, this awful death? Was there no help anywhere? The strong life within her rebelled at the thought, and she looked round her, wondering whether her strength would enable her to drag Mrs. Desmo

" she

ossibly the sight of the forlorn childish figure standing, as it appeared, utterly alone on the doomed vessel, touched them

stretched, calling out words of encouragement to Mrs. Desmond, who still clung to her

. "Pass the rope round you and tr

oping down and adjusting the rope, not round he

e said. "Hold fast to the rop

, clutching feebly at the ro

men, "there is not

ng water. A minute or two later her dripping, senseless form lay upon the raft, which was itself almost engulfed immediately afterwards as, with an awful booming sound, the wreck settled down lower into the water. A

those same waters only a few short hours before, no trace remained, save here and there some floating wreckage. No trace either of the brave little soul whose perplexities were all over n

stepdaughter's heroic behaviour towards her no one ever exactly knew. Her husband learnt much of what had passed through her ravings during her illness, but he dreaded recurring to so painful a subject. Very sadly, after many months had elapsed, they returned to their home in Bloo

Grange. Mrs. Desmond trembled as she walked, and the colonel took her hand gently and led her towards the churchyard

EMOR

RO

August 10

be

ay and about

LE

ugh the Foun

" in the

l and death

kissed the cold stone. "If I