Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1876-04-08

has forgiven me, Will not you do the same
and come to mef'
He took step toward me but retreat
/ ed. Il have nothing to forgive" 1 an
| swered, cOldly. i'If she whom you 5
/ wrOuged has forgiven YOU, well and good
/ owe you no i'll Will, but l do not low
/ you or respect y0g now, and never can.
Rose he cried, ''you are crueli Ol
come to me and Ily before il is too late.
"Hush - Fsaid, sternly. '.All tia
/ wild folly is past, and forever. L shal
] be the wife Of ROllin Weatherbee mex
week at tais time, and far from here
/ The Vic of fhe.aniy man i ever leFe5
as suddenly as il sprang to life, and car
| never live again. Go away now ans
/ leave me. GOOd-night and goodbye"
l sped back into the house and lOcket
/ the door behind me, leaving him alone il
/ the darkness, | found mamma had fall
en- asleep in her chair by the stove, ant
was relieved that l would thus be spared
answering any questions.
The wind blew colder and harshei
across the mOOrlands. y dreary rain
began to fall, and the night settled down
desOlate and lonely. Meredith House
was Oppressiyely quiet, and my heart wa;
full Of sad forebOdings. What if the
dreadful autumnal storms should come
on lust after ROllin embarked for Avon
dale. What if his ship went down in
the waters of the lake, and he never came
to me: Would it not be just punish
ment Il my wild folly? Had L not been
untrue 70 him III thought. and almost
broken my VOWS, and fled with another,
and that other base-hearted unprinei-
pied william: Had l not let his kisses fall
on my lips, and listened to his words OF
love: Oh / was ashamed-ashamed
and l hid my face in my hands, praying
God to forgive me, and send Rollin TO me
in safety.
The days that followed were damp and
chill, with mist and wet east winds. But
the dreaded storm did not come on.
Each night / went TO rest with heart
full of anxious fear; each morning
arose, thankful to find only wet winds
and sOmbre skies. Thursday morning
came, gray, cold, chill, like the ones that
had preceded il. Thursday Eight the
ship Cora Bell was expected, and by that
ship ROllin Neatherbee would come to
me.
l was restless and uneasy all the long
day. No glimmer of sunshine lighted
the duh, gray skies. \ damp mist fell,
and the cold cast wind blew over the
moor. By night was almost hysterical,
and my heart was like lead in my breast.
"a wan faced bride yen be, if ye dinna
brighten up bit,' HarwoOd said to me,
and | did not wonder as | caught sight of
my dead white face in the mirror.
The evening came on dark and desolate.
No moon, no stars, only a gray sky, va
ried here and there with dense black
clouds. | could not stay in the house.
1t seemed like prison to me, and seizing
a clOak1 threw the hood over my head,
the cape over my shoulders, and walked
down the avenue, and leaning on the
stone pillars of the gate, looked out tow
ard the lake, Suddenly something caught
my eye; it was bright light, high up
in the air. "A lighthouse of course"
| said mentally, ''but why have / never
seen it before, That is not the light
hOusc that directs ships to AVondale land
ing, for the landing is directly opf lie
Meredith House. / have seen tae u rist
night after night from my chamber WIZ
dow" l turned my eyes in the direction
of the landing. Ii was dark rs pitch.
But of to the left, full half mile, shone
that brilliant light. Suddenly a thought
struck me. my God, it is the light
house on the rocks - l cried, and my
heart seemed TO stand still. l remem-
bered that had been out there once in
my boat, An old fisherman, sitting on
the rocks, and dropping his line in the
water, had answered my queries con-
cerning the lighthouse. 1T is where
lAAG ANh AlzlA - lLOlEAtAl VI Il ' GA NAoEllaN
night" he said. 'Not often used, miss,
for the beacon at Avondale guides the
ships safe TO tie landing. But this is
lighted sometimes to show where the
danger lies, if the night Is DER dan
geroUs."
His words all came back to me now,
with dreadful distinctness. The light
seemed TO burn into my very eye-balls-
the light that Shone clear and white-not
4. I,
cruel rocks. Quick rs lightning it all
flashed through my mind. Some one had
lighted the lamp, to wreck the Cora Bell
upon the rocks. Who could that some
one be but Breeze Rogers He knew
ROllin Weatherbee was coming to me on
that ship, and he was fiend, enough to
wreck an hundred lives, for the sake of
Killing one man. What could be done
how could the danger be averted? With
out evers glance back to the house, l
opened the gate and sped toward the lake.
knew every inch of the ground.
On went till l reached the hut of
fisherman. / gave a loud knock at the
door, then burst it open without waiting
10 be bidden- \ stalwart man and his
burly son sat over the CRATE. Both start
ed 10 their feet at the sight of my deathly
face and staring eyes. ''Why, Miss Rose,
but" / stopped them.
'.FOr Gods sake / cried, ''cOme with
me, The beacon ut AvOndale landing
has not been lighted, and the house ON
the rocks is burning 4 white light, and
the Cora Bell will be 4 wreck unless some
thing is done. One of you go to Avandale
and see why the keeper has neglected his
duty, and one of you come with me to the
lighthouse on the TR~ks.''
with you, Miss Rose, why
Yes, with me. l can't stay here, l
must go with you in the boat and see that
hat the light is put out. | am not afraid.
The night is dark, but the lake is not
rough. The only danger is threatening
.he Cora Bell. We must be quick.
On we hurried, | keeping pace with
he long-limbed fisherman. Down To the
landing the young man hastened, and up
INTO the lighthouse; while l sprang into
he boat which the old man unlocked and,
scarcely waiting for him to seat himself,
seized an oar aud rowed with all my
might. How slowly we Went--hOw slow
". Would We never reach the rOcks:"
And all the time that wicked, hateful
light burning into my very eye-balls. I
There at last. fhe light made the land
ng less dangerous than | had thought. |
The old man fastened his boat, and |
,lambCred up the rocks.
Careful, miss" lie continued, ..those
rocks are wet and slippery but reach !
,d the lighthouse, and entered with
heart 50 wild with fears for the Cora Bell, |
that forgot all dangers for myself.
ran like q squrrell up the stairs, up the
adder-ou-up-Up-t l reached the
tower. opened the door, | leaped into
-he loft, " here the lamp cleaned and
dashed its white light into my very eyes.
A man with daredevil face, turned at
-he noise. He had been 50 intently, gaz-
ing through glass out upon the waters,
that he had not heard my approach.
'.Fiend - cried, ''what would you do -
md with one bound, l dashed my whole
force against the lamp, shattering it in
oieces. and extinguished the baleful.
For one moment we were left in utter
darkness and . mans voice hissed-
.sGirl, YOU shall rue thiS-I have You in
nv power now" I felt his iron grip
upon my wrist, and screamed outright.
then the door burst Open-the light of
4 lantern flashed into the tower, and
the burly form of the fisherman entered
and stood behind us. seize him-bind
him :" l cried. He viii kill me-"
The burly fisherman set down his lamp,
and caught the arms of Breeze Rogers,
and quickly as thought pinioned them
to his back. l tore up the skirt of my
dress and twisted il in stout cord, that
securely fastened the Villains limbs. He
mOyed-sO suddenly had been
the tisherman's attack, so irOn-like his
hold. ''NOw bring him down." | said,
q will lead the way with the lantern"
He took Breeze Rogers 1.-THE, slender
figure in his arms as if il had been 4
child's, and followed me down the lad
der. lI was a treacherOus descent, but
we landed safely upon the rocks, and
took our seats in the boat. Breeze was
not gagged, yet he had said no word
made no sound. We had not rowed half
the distance back TO the landing, when,
JOY Of joys. the light flashed out from
Avondale Beacon House, reaching far