The Republican journal., 1877-05-10

ting around their double windows" And
then he stretched himself on the sand. and
lay looking upward into the deep blue of
the night, bathed in the moonlight. and
! listening dreamilytO the soft sound of the
water as it returned slowly. slowly back
from the African coast. He thought many
thoughts, and deep ones too, for his mind
was OF high order; and at last he was
so far away on ideal heights that, coming
home after midnight, it was no wonder if,
half uncOnsciOusly, he felt himself above
the others; especially when he passed the
little Sisters closed door, and thought,
smiling not unllindly, how simple she was
The next morning the two men went off
in their boat again for the day, this time
alone. There We're still a few more ques-
tons to settle about that shark, and, to
tell the truth, they both liked Il good day
| OF unencumbered sailing better than any
| thing else.
About four o'clock in the afternoon Mel
Nyna, happening to look ont of the door,
saw Il cloud no bigger than a mans hand
low down on the horizon line Of the Sea.
! Something made her stand and watch it
/ for 4 few moments. Then, Miss Luke !.
Miss Luke, Miss Luke Miss Luke she
called quickly. Down came the little Sis
| ter, startled at the cry. her lace work still
in her hand.
"l.ook" " said Melvyna
/ The Sister looked. ANA this is what she
saw: a line white as milk coming toward
| them on the water and behind it black
| ness
| 'What is it 2" she asked
"a tornader," said MelvNna with white
| lips. "l'ye only seen one, and then was
over in the town; but its awful. We
must run back to the thichet." Selling
her companions arm, the strong North
ern woman hurried her across the sand,
through the belt Of sand hills, and into
| the thlcket, where they crouchcl ON its
far side close down under the protecting
backbone The bushes Will break the
sand, and the ridge Will keep us from be
ing buried in it," she said. II dursn't stay
on the shore, for the watcl'll rise"
The words were harlN spoken before
the tornado was upon them, and the air
was filled With the flying sand, 50 that
they could hardly breathe Half choked,
they beat with their hands before them 10
catch Il breath. Then came Il roar, aud
| for an instant, distant as they We're, they
caught a glimpse of the crest OF the great
wave that followed the WhllWind 1t
seemed to them mountains high, and
ready to en%ult the entire land. With Il
rushing sound it plunged over the keep
ers house, broke against the lower story
Of the tower, hiSsed across the sand, sWal-
lowed the sand hills, and swept to their
very feet, then sulenly reccded with SLOW,
angry muttcring \ gale Of wind came
next, sngularly enough from another di-
| rectlon, as if to restore the euuipoise Of
| the atmosphere. But the tornado had
! gone on inland, where there We're trees
to uproot, and houses to destroy. and
much finer entertainment generally.
As soon as they could speak, Where
are the Two out in the sail boat ?" asked
the Sister.
The last time | noticed their sail they
We're about a mile outside of the rect"
Il will 90 and see
$50 and sec, Are YOU crazy! You
can never get through that water
The saints will help me, / think, said
the little Sister.
She had risen. and now stood regarding
the Watery waste with the usual timid look
in her gentle eyes. Then she stepped tor-
ward with her uncertain tread. and before
| the woman by her side comprrhendcd her
| purpose she was gone, ankle-dvcp in the
tide, llnec-deep, and finally Wading across
the sand up to her waist in water toward
! the light house. The great wave was no
deeper, however. even there. She Wadeu
to the door Of the tower, opened it with
difficulty, climbed the stairway. and gain
cd the light room. where the glass Of the
windows was all shattered, and the little
chamber half full of the dead bodies OF
| birds, swept along by the WhirlWind and
dashed against the tower, none of them
! falling to the ground or losing an inch Of
their level III the air as they sped onward,
until they struck against some high object.
which broke their mad and aWfll Journey.
Holding on by the shattered easement.
Sister St Luke ga2cd out to sea. 'I'lte
wind was blowing litrcely and the waves
We're dashed to fury The sky was inky
| bIaek. The reef WAS under water, save
one high knob of its backbone, and tothu
two dark objects were cinging Further
| down she s;iW the wreck of the boat driN-
ing before the gale. Pedro was over in the
village: the tide was coming in over the
high sea, and night was approaching. She
walked quickly down the rough stone
stairs, stepped into the water again, and
Waded across where the paroquet boat
had been driven against the wall of the
house. baled il out with one Of MclNNna'S
pans, and then, climbing in from the
window Of the sitting room. She hoistcd
the sail. and in /; moment was out ON the
dark SEA.
| MeNynu had ascendto to tie top OF the
| ridge, and when the sail came into view
| beyond the house she fell down on her
knees and began to pray aloud: ''Oh,
Lord, save her: save the lamb, She
don't know what's she is doing, Lord.
| She's as simple as a baby. Oh, save her,
out on that roaring sea Good Lord,
good Lord, deliver herr Fragments of
| prayers she had heard in her prayer meet
| ing days came cOmillSedlN back into her
mind, and She repeated them all again and
again, Nlingng her hands rs she saw the
little craft tilt far over under its all too
large sail, SO that several times, in The
holloWs OF the waves, she thought it was
gone. The wind was blowing hard but
steadily, and IN direction that carried
the boat straight toward the reef; no tacks
NtIt ivy to0ttl III vi t''ttl i!it
black -robed little figure simply held the
sail rope, and the paroquet drove on. The
TWO cllnging to the rock, bruised, exhaust
| ed,With the waves rising and falling around
| them, uidnot see the boat until it was close
upon them.
"By the great heaVensi' said Keith.
His face was pallid and rigid, and there
WAS a ghastly cut across his forehead, the
work of the slarp-edged rock The next
moment he was on board brought the
boat round just in time, and helped in
Darlington, whose right arm was injured.
You have saved our lives, senora," he
said abruptly.
'By Jovc, yes, said Darlington. eve
could not have stood it long, and night
was coming Then they gave all their
attention to the hazardous start.
Sister st. Luke remained unconscious
of the fact that she had done anything
remarkable. Her black gown was spoiled
which was Il pity, and she knew of Il balm