The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-03-19

"And 1 shall be q murderer o

| ANA shall be murderer ",
God why did desert my post ?"
And in this moment of agony and re-
pentance, Dorr Martins mock;ng face
rose up before him, full of evil exulta-
ton.
"He always said I could not be trust
ed, and he was right"
Dorr Martins triumph was the bit
terest drop in the bitter cup that Isaac
Penrith drained to the dregs that
stormy night
"The sun has set-the hour of grace
has passed." he muttered to himself.
=" I will not live to have widows asking
me where are the husbands who perish
ed on those reefs-I will not look little
| children in their faces and hear them
whisper that I murdered their father !
i will not see Dorr Martin triumph in
my ruin No; better a quiet grave at
the bottom of the sea, than life of re-
morse and dishonor ! My little Lucy
had better mourn me dead than live
to blush for me Goodbye, my fair
haired darling shall never see your
| bonny face more /"
How the wind blew his gray, uncov-
cred hair about, as, murmuring q faint
half-forgotten prayer, he crept down to
the beach, going to seek his death
where the cruel, white fringed waves
writhed along the shore. An instant
he paused, to look last adieu to the
world, the sky, the far-spreading shore,
when all of a sudden a wild shrek
broke from his parched lips.
For, like a red star, trailing its
glory along the tumultuous sea, the
light of the lighthouse streamed upon
his vision The danger signal-the
steady finger of the fire held up to bid
hundred crafts "beware l''-the bea-
con for which many an anxious helms
man was gazing out into the night He
was not dreaming, his senses were not
benumbed, yet the light was all in a
blaze in its huge crystal lantern, and
he was guiltless of the weight of crime
and misery that had so nearly weighed
him down.
When Truman Cliffe rowed up to the
shore an hour afterward, he found Isaac
Penrith kneeling on the wet sand, with
forehead against the chill white rock.
"Well, L say fort % calculated Tru-
man. "You haint been to the light
house and back, cause you hain't got
wings, and none but a bird could ha'
done it Who lighted up?"
81 don't know. Give me the oars,
quick, Cliffe."
Truman started, but made room for
the keeper, and gave up the oars. Not
a word was exchanged between them,
as Isaac rowed with giant strokes, and
the little boat danced over the troubled
billows swift and light as floating leaf.
Nearer and nearer glowed the gigantic
star, closer and closer its glory seemed
to shine, until at length Isaac Penrith
sprang upon the stone ledge, and rush
ed two steps at time up the first stair
way, and into the lantern-room.
"Philip Martin I"
"Mr. !Penrith !"
You-you lighted the signal ?'
did. l came over to bring Lucy
to shore, and found the lighthouse
empty. OF course 1 concluded some
thing was wrong, so I went on duty my
self until L should heac from you"
Isaac Penrlth wrung the young mans
hand.
Philip-if-if there had been no
light on the reefs all this night your
father would have been keeper to-mor-
row, and [ should have been a ruined
man -
The deep color rose into Philip Mar
tins cheek.
eff had been a villain, Mr.. Penrith,
L should not be Philip Martin p
God bless you, Philip God bless
you !" murmured the old man. "I
shall never forget this kindly Office you
have done me %
But Lucy ?"
"Lucy is over at Cllffe's. Take the
boat Philip, and go join her. Truman
is below. And Philip"
Sir ?"
Tell her-well, tell her what you
like p The old man smiled family as he
saw the warm flush deepen on Martins
bronzed cheek, ard the next moment
he was alone.
Philip knew that the coveted prize
was his at last, and the little boat flew
back over the waves almost like an
enchanted bark.
And throughout all the length and
breath of herejoicing nation that night,
there was no Thanksgiving half so fer
vent as that breathed in the lighthouse
when the signal star threw it's fiery
lines far out to sea, and the fog and
mist brooded like phantom over the
face of the great deep.