The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-01-28

+ T. iE@,Tg-.W1T7- 90. T-T7..7
went down the long street of the
village to the, pleasant little home
which Walter had given her. A
week passed, and the haunting fear
still followed and made he wretch.
ed: Twice she met Sarah: Bolton,
and each time she raised a warning
finger, and went by without speak;
ing a word; but with that omibus
look upon her dark face.
+" Two weeks later and It was time
for the coming of the Floating
Feather, and every day for hours,
Nelly stood upon the beach and
looked out upon the broad expanse
of water for the coming, of her
husband and Sarah Belton, up in
the light house tower, looked down
upon her and delighted in her
grief: 't."'''. )" ..' >''
) ..Aye, watch and wait, watch and
wait, you little simpleton. He will
comes but onlyas I'say, the water
drippingrfrom his drowned locks" !"
= And Nellie heard the voice. and
went away, fol, she could. not see
the white sails Of husbands schoon-
er coming up from the west. The
set in a threatening bank Of clouds,
and old salts shook their heads, and
muttered a fear that some craft
would lay her bones upon that
shore before many hours1had: pass
ed, The evening" was, sultry, and
oppressive, and about nine o'clock
the wind began to, come, ino ftful
gusts, increasing in violence, as the
night wore on. At twelve a fear
'fuf gale was blowing, such an. ;. one
as the oldest sailor III tie port
'couldnot boast Of seeing and Nef-
Aia Warden was pacing up and down
the Aoortof her house, wringing
hen h9ndsand7 moaning in agony,
when the door was thrown open,
and Sarah Belton ran in, her black
hair floating in the wind.
"Come, she cried, wildly. "The
tompest I have invoked is here, and
the fiour4of his' doom is nigh 90"
,as'Silence,,' miserable woman !''
cried Nellie, throwing out her hand
in :al sublime gesture!of"A wife's
prayers, are, stronger than yours;
and my husband will be7saved." "ba.
'"Came, and see, - screamed the
mad woman-ffor mad she must
have \, BEEN" sthe sea and the
waves roaring r Ha, :ha, ha! 'aud
the deep givesoupits dead" 3a'
They ran out! together in that
wild night, sand d down AMONG the
crowds OF frightened people on the
beach, It was*a hard port to make
in a storm, especially when, coming
from the Vest = Upon both sides,
five hundred, yards from shore, q
snhken reef extended, over which
tie breakers dashed in wild confu-
sion, ", As they gazed, the. distant
flash at sea announced theocoming
Of some craft dashing down to- her
fate. .%'Ht7A'9
, ssShe is coming-she is coming,' %
cried Sarah. Belton:'f 'It "is the
Floating Feather coming TO- her
DOOM .,.t,., ,c.n,orao.aa *is -,Y..
THROW the, witch into, the! lake, .
groowled a rough 'lougshoreman,
SWhat does SIZE want here? Light
up} the fires, boys? If, it is Walter,
he knows where we light them. in a
storm,."z ,'@r5q etT 2Hfd} ih"f '''
Three times they tried to light
the greatheap !of 'colnbustible mat
ter, and as, many times the wind
scattered the fire. Then it ignited,
and the flame went roaring up to
the summit Of the tall pile too, late
to aid the doomed schooner, for
soon as the fame 'ascended, they
heard the loud crash, and knew
that she was on the reef; and in
ten minutes the Floating Feather
was a wreck, torn to pieces by the
power. of the surf, and her people
-at the mercy Of the waves. Wal
Eterr Warden, as they saw, by the
light Of the great fire, was standing
at the wheel, and as the schooner
broke up he disappeared in the
wild yeast churned"up by the break
ers.oit..-,.A isjH9U go - s".
l. Il told you,'' hissed the venge.
full woman in the ear eof the wife
'sHe, is gone.!'' .a4:... Q. . ..t"a.. E"
A. dark form drifted in, on the
crest of a giant wave, and a brave
sailor, with a rope about his waist
dashed into the surf. A moment
of desperate struggle, and the gal
lantman with the floating form in
his grasp was dragged ashore; anc
whata shout went up when they
saw the face Of Walter Warden
safe but powerless from the strugglt
which had robbed. p his sinews o
their strength. A moment more
and Nellie was by his side, sobbin3&
out 'herjoy. y i, .,a.s..,,. -, -.
the State Asylum for 'Lunatics sa
rah Bolton sits, waiting ever TO
the, coming of the Flyating Feath
er across the lake, which is ,'alway
before her eyes. ...~ !. ..,....t .s.a