The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-10-15
The Echo in Her Heart.

ness, he meant that they should, come
veal. come woo.
Sarah Pentlcy was the beauty of Rough
Reef Beach, and she knew it.. Her
father kept the only shop in the district.
and was the justice OF the peace, and
general authority for its people on oil
points save fishing, physic and theology.
Sarah Pentley was like her father,
brave, generous, proud; and perhaps 1t
was for this reason that. although John
Holt was a good match. she refused him.
I said perhaps" but it might have
been because she had not weighed the
matter, or analysed her own feelings.
She had liked the young skipper, who
had supported his mother and sister for
long wears, and still found time to study
both books and nature, . That when ne
was twenty-five he was looked upon AS
IN authority. and loved and respected
BY all the people. He was trusted, too,
and Sne of the finest vessels that be-
longcd to the fishing fleet of Rough Reef
Beach was under his charge, and many
ofits best fishermen preferred him for a
commander.
Sarah Pentley knew this, and knew
that he had been very successful land had
money laid by; she knew, too, that he
was Il good companion, and many a pleas
ant stroll had they taken across the sands,
when the moonlight shimmercd across
the ripples and filled the air with q flood
Of glorious light.
But she had never thought of love in
connection with him, and when John
Holt had told her, the Sunday eve be-
fore he sailed, that he loved her, she had
been surprised. and refused him.
They had been rambling over the
hills, and had come to a point rom
whence the harbor. with its fleet of
fishing schooners, could be seen. Most
OF them were moorcd close to the dock,
but one. the tincst-looking Of all, rode
near tho entrance, rising and falling
with the swell, as if impatient to be
spreading her white wings for flight.
1.-The Spray looks well, John, and YOU
sail soon?"
Yes, Sarah, I shall 60 out next
tuesday"
do you expect a good season
John?"
Yes"
"How long will you be gomez"
Il cannot say. | may stay away all
summer, perhaps"
And his voice sank low.
lit will depend upon you whether
come home before fall or not"
"On me?"
"On you. yes. 1 may rs we'll tell you
now, Sarah, for my heart has long
wishel to show you its secret. / love
you. For years, ever since we first
gathered shells on the beach. I have
loved you, and eve my boyish dreams
were full OF visions of the time when
you would be the queen of my home.
For your sake l have studied, and sought
to grow worthier of a pure love and
trust. For your sake I have toiled and
saved. that the comforts you now pos
sess might be yours always"
Again he stopped, and she said not a
word; her hands were pressed tightly
together, her eyes were downcast, and
with one little foot she marked half
circles in the grass.
The silence grew oppressive, still she
neither raised her eyes nor spoke. Again
he went on, but the hope that his.voice
had expressed when he began talking
was all gone now.
II have said that the matter of my
coming before autumn depended on you,
and have told you why; will you tell
me whether / am to come or not, Miss
Pently?"
New he was silent, his eyes wander
ng lestlcssly across the sea.
John, you cannol know how much
it pains me to say that do not love you,
but l cannot say otherwise"
He turned toward her, the deep pas
sion of his soul making him fierce, and
the great disappointment making him
will.
do you want to-, or is the fishing
skipper no match for the squire's
daughter"
John"
The pity and reproach in the word
recalled him.
Forgive me, I was wild"
Then he seized her hand in his and
pressed hot kisses upon it. A moment
he held ii, then strobe hastily toward
the haroor.
She .gazed after him, deep sorrow in
her eyes, then turned slowly down the
road that led to the beach.
lOOk OOlln, out muTIluI6Q SOIClV.
The moon rose, and as its light rolled
across the waves, she clambered I'D a
ledge that broke the beach, to look at
the lighted sea. When she reached it's
crest she saw, bearing out from the har-
bor, directly past her position, the white
sails of n vessel.
She was surprised at this, FOR she knew
that no vessel was expecting to leave
before the coming week. On came the
light craft, the land wind sending her
along so fast that she seemed alert with
buoyant life. Soon the schooner was
abreast Ofthe ledge and then Sarah Pent-
ley saw that it was the Spray, and her
heart told her why it was going so soon
with no parting cheer to give it a God
speed.
Somehow the scene grew cold and DIES.
olate to her after the Spray had beer
lost in the shadows, and with a sigh sllt
turned away from it and sought hel
home.
There was much wonder when it wa:
known that John Holt had sailed sc
soon, but none guessed the cause.
The old fishermen who believed ir
him shook their heads wisely, and NUT
tered:
"Cute fellow; smelt the fish"
And the reports that came back durina
the summer seemed to confirm this,
for the Spray was doing better than
ever before.
Other craft called at the harbor, anG
stayed a few days; and such previous
to this season had been John Hollis
custom; but the summer passed and hi
came not. The season was over, anC
the autumnal equinox at hand, and still
the Spray was out.
There came a day that will ALWAYS BIZ
remembered at Rough Reef Backbone
Of those days that take a hold on time:
and acts. and become marks in the yearE
F. known as that Of 1.-THE great food,
or 1.-THE September gale"
The sun had risen gray and lurid,
breaking from the low-hanging mist like
. ball Of hot steel. The air was hot and
oppressive, and the gulls came Hyinc
landward, screaming d~iscordantly.
The weather-wise shook their heads
and kept a ominous silence, or talked in
more ominous whispers.
Then the blue sky paled away to q
grayishness, and the u faded from
sight. Soon the sea grew fretful and
the air was full ofmuttered moan, dreary
and full of woe.
In the east a dark line gathered along
the water and slowly rolled up the sky,
growing blacker as it rose in height.
Still no wind, no rain.
Then, under the low-hanging black.
ness, a white line, growing broad, but
rolling along the face of the sea, told
that the storm had come.