other harkens. She goes to the window.

"Is that the lake?" she asks.

"Yes; it's too late in the year for David to be on any boat."

The wife of David Lockwin cannot sleep. She cannot even write another
letter. "How happy are lovers who may write to each other!" she says.
The gale rises and she waits. It is midnight and David is not home.
Now, if he should arrive, he would probably keep his state-room until
morning.

She awakes at daylight. She dons a wrapper and creeps to the front
door. There are the morning papers. She scans every paragraph. Ah!
here is David!

"NIAGARA FALLS, Oct. 16.--Congressman Lockwin left here to-day for Owen
Sound, on Georgian Bay."

Georgian Bay! Where is that? She seeks the library. She finds a map.
Georgian Bay! Perhaps David has some lumber interest there.

The paper is scanned again. Owen Sound, Owen Sound. She is reading
the marine intelligence. Yes, here is Owen Sound.

"OWEN SOUND, Oct. 16.--Cleared--Propeller Africa, merchandise, for
Thunder Bay. Gale blowing, with snow."

Thunder Bay! It is still more incomprehensible.

There is a cry in the streets, hoarse and loud--a triumphant
proclamation:

"Extra! Full account o' de shipwreck o' de Africa! Full account o' de
big shipwreck!"

A white arm reaches from a front door. A dime is paid for two papers.
The door must be held open for light to read.

"Appalling calamity! Unparalleled feat of journalism!"

Hideous it seems to Esther Lockwin. She clings to the newell-post.

"Death, off Cape Croker, of Congressman Lockwin!"

There may be two congressmen of that name.

There may be two! It is a dying hope. Can the eyes cling to the
column long enough to read that paragraph?

"Congressman David Lockwin, of the First Illinois, died of his wounds
about daylight in a yawl off Cape Croker. His body is lost with the
yawl!"

There is a shriek that awakens the household. There is a white form
lying in the hall near an open front door.

The servants rush up-stairs. There is a hubbub and a giving of orders.

The voices of the street come into the hall-way as winds into a cave:

"Extra! Extra! 'Palling calamity! Hundred and fifteen congressmen
drowned! Extra! Extra!"

CHAPTER II

CORKEY'S FEAR OF A WIDOW'S GRIEF

Corkey and Noah are nearing the residence of Esther Lockwin.

"You bet your sweet life I don't want to see her nibs. It just breaks
me all up to hear 'em take on, rip and