Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-05-05

fury, and the sashes creaked and ratified
as if some invisible hand were seeking to
wrench them from their fastenings.
The moments slipped slowly away the
kettle sent out little cloud Of white mist,
and the blankets lying over the chair.
backs were 80 warm that Mrs. Anderson
drew them back once or twice, but Ben
Anderson came not; and now II was nearly
an hour-and now full hour, and still,
though they strained their eyes to get q
glimpse of the lanterns pale glimmer,
everything was dense, pitchy darkness.
II can stand this thing no longer,
mother" Ralph said, catching up his cap.
There's trouble, or father would not
stay 30 long, and I am going to know what
it is, even II he Furnishes me for it,"
Mrs. Anderson knew 1t would be use.
less for her to object, and besides the sus-
pensc was getting too painful to bear much
longer.
"Be careful, dear the waves are strong
and high, and If anything should happen
10 my boy!"
40 nonsenser he interrupted, as she
stopped and kissed him, "what coward
yon would make of me I" but he put his
arms about her neck, nevertheless, and re-
turned the kiss very fOndly and tenderly.
Willful and impetuous as he was, the
mother knew his heart was very tender,
and gentle, and 80 she remembered only
that, and forgot his faults.
Again Myra Anderson waited and lis
tened as the moments went by with lag
ging feet. The tide had turned, but the
storm did not abate, as usual indeed, to
her excited fancy, It grew wilder, every
1xvo l~o 1soo fpn,
her post at the window, and proceeded to
endure it no longer, she thought, rs she
opened the door and stepped out into the
thick darkness and drenching rain. Even
that, fierce as it was, was relief from the
dead incubus of suspense and dread
which had been settling down upon her
tor the last hour.
The wind caught away her breath, it
twisted her skirts about her limbs, 1t drove
the salt spray into her eyes, but still she
struggled on-staggering, falling two or
three times, but resolute as only weak,
timid woman can be, when thOseshe loves
are in peril. 1t had been growing steadily
upon her for the last hour that Ben had
been caught in the surf, and when she saw,
far down toward the Point, the ghostly
glimmer of lanterns moving through the
mist as if carried by invisible hands, she
was sure they had found him-they were
bringing him home! She gave q lit
tie, sharp cry, and put her hand to her
heart.
Hullo! Well, well, if this don't beat
all natur-I declared |" cried surprised
voice, and q lantern was swung 20 close to
her face that its sudden light blinded her.
"What upon earth sent you down here?
It's no place for woman such night a.
this" and Ned Brsdlee looked, as he felt,
astonished
She could not speak, but catching his
arm she pointed towards the shore, and
the moving lights
"Yes, yes" he said hastily, "but 60
home, Mrs. Anderson, you can't do any
good, it's too late |"
She dropped his arm and sped away like
deer through the binding storm of rain
and spray. aatl. .gss
"Goodness sake what does all the wo-
man" he exclaimed, gazing after her an
instant and then hurrying on. Mrs. An
derson Mra Anderson, stopl he called,
making trumpet Of his hands, and hal.
looing with all his might. But she did
not pause nor turn, but, weak, slender wo-
man as she was, kept far in. advance of
him.
The dozen men on the shore were too
busy to notice her approach, but one of
them heard Ned Bradlee's shout and
looked up. He took step or two forward,
and between the dull glare of the lights
on the shore and the one Bradlee carried,
he caught the outline of woman's
form. Something familiar about it
made him pause an instant then with
bound he sprang up the dripping, sedgy
sands and caught her In his arms
"Myrai are you crazyi" he cried,
holding her white, stony lace toward the
light Bradlee brought up. es
40, Bent and you are not dead ~ she
gasped, with long, shivering sob.
dead What put that into your
brains" he asked. with surprise.
You were gone 80 longl and then al
those men-what are they here fori" shs
said slowly, q II just waking from .
dream. a l7Hsa3 hEa ii