Louisiana capitolian., 1880-06-26

on. He approached, and, after glancing
back to make sure that he was not OBJ
served, vaulted over the low sill, and
passing rapidly, theintervening grounds
and streets soon reached the wharves
where, finging bis purse to the boat.
man In charge, he jumped into q dory,
and, falling back upon the seat, allowed
the ebbing tide to carry him on its bo-
som out toward the open sea. "Thus,"
thought be, "are tho pulses Of my life
rushing out to the great ocean Of eter-
nifty" Az the little boat neared the
ocean lie lifted his head, and seeing the
great waves boating upon the bar, for
the first time swerved from his purpose.
mot tberel Oh, not tberew he mur.
INJURED aloud. II want rest; aud there 1t
is Ill unrest" .
Just then he caught sight Of q narrow
creek which separates Plum Island from
the mainland and forms slight con-
Meeting link between the months Of the
Merrimac and Park Rivers. Selling the
paddle, he sculled the boat toward the
inlet.
i'll can only retain my strength long
enough to reach the extremity of Plum
Island, what 4 charming spot that will
be to die on such a beautiful green
sod, well up above the sea, where can
be alone. What winding stream this
is,' he continued, as he penetrated fur.
ther into the marsh. See! there, at
last, Is the end of the island Shall |
reach it' did not dream starvation
was so horrible
He staggered and fell into the bottom
OF the boat as the dory, through u mo-
ment of negligence on his part, ran into
the bank, but the swift, outrushing tide
of the Parker River reached up the
stream, dislodged the boat, and carried
it along with increasing impetus sea-
ward.
Eldon lay passively where lie had
fallen, but was soon sensible that tho
boat had stranded q second time by a
slight shock and the arrest Of its mo-
ton. Lifting himself up, he saw that
tho spot was the very one no had wish.
cd to reach. Stepping ont, he clambered
up the bank with difficulty, while the
little boat, relieved of his weight, and,
as if it had performed it's mission,
swung once more into the current, eager
for battle with tho breakers.
Eldon had thrown himself at full
length upon the sward, exclaiming:
Come, death, come quickly and gent.
Iy, and release me from this torture.'
But death was not at his command.
As he lay there through tho long after.
noon and experienced all those strange
renewals of life and strength that the
vital powers put forth before succumb-
ing to inaniton, he began to question
whether fate, having thus far mocked
every effort Of his life, was not now
standing at the door Of the tomb, deny
ing him an entrance TO its peace.
But his attention was finally dis.
tractcd from his suft'erings by the ap-
pearance of a sail boat that seemed to
be making directly for the shore. HIS
first sensation was n fear of discovery.
but as he remembered that that part Of
the coast was guarded by a treacherons
bar, upon which even now the great
waves were broken and beaten back, he
smiled at his uneasiness.
Was the boat occupied And was the
occupant aware of the danger ahead "
lie strained his eyes in that direction
and made out, as the sail whipped VIC.
lently around-could he believe his sen.
ses the figure of a woman! She bad
either lost control Of her boat, or was 80
bewildered as not to know her near
danger. A stiff sou wester-sole
snvenir of the previous nights storm
kept the caps on the waves and drove
the boat on like winged steed. The
woman sat firmly in the stern, clenching
the tiller ropes so tightly as to swell the
veins on her delicate hands. She seemed
at last to comprehend her dreadful
situation, and gazed in terror upon the
great white mountains Of water that
spent their force on the sandy bar. She
cast one wild l,ok backward toward
the open sea, bnt the great waves only
hurried her Oh toward shore with tenfold
greater speed Suddenly she seemed to
have reached some determination, as she |
slightly altered the course of the boat
What was her aim now Surely no.
the great black rock that stood out on
the outer edge of the sandy beach
Would there not be less danger in at
En-, En-, ~,