Part 10 (1/2)

The strain of this onrush was not so great The cake held together

Gradually it settled back to its place

Marian glanced in the direction of the wreck They were very ht she saw a small cabin in the stern Lucile arered dizzily to her feet

”I'll help you The wreck--we le or you'll freeze”

Lucile did try She fought as she had never fought before, against the stiffening garainst the almost unconquerable desire to sleep

Foot by foot, yard by yard, they le of ice-piles which was still in restless motion

Now they had covered a quarter of the distance, now half, now three-quarters And noith an exultant cry, Marian dragged her half-unconscious companion upon the center of the deck

”There's a cabin aft,” she whispered, ”a warm cabin We'll soon be there”

”Soon be there,” Lucile echoed faintly

The cli, slippery deck was a terrible ordeal More than once Marian despaired At last they stood before the door She put a hand to the knob A cry escaped her lips The cabin door was locked

Dark despair gripped her heart But only for an instant

”Lucile, the key! The key we found in the cabin! Where is it?”

”The key--the key?” Lucile repeated dreaood”

”Yes, it is! It is!”

”It's inthe key fro Lucile into the cabin

In one corner of the cabin stood a small oil-heater Above it was a hted one, tried the stove, found it filled with oil A bright blaze rewarded her efforts There was heat, heat that would save her coar else would avail, she stripped the clothing away until at last she fell to chafing the white and chilled liainst the desire to sleep

A half-hour later Lucile was sleeping naturally in a bunk against the upper wall of the rooled deep in the interior of abeside the kerosene stove Marian was drowsing half-asleep by the fire

Suddenly, she was aroused by a voice It was a man's voice She was startled

”Please,” the voice said, ”may I come in? That's supposed to be ish”

Marian stared wildly about her For a second she was quite speechless

Then she spoke:

”Wait--wait aout”