The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-03

but none guessed the cause.
The old fishcrmen who believed in him,
shook their heads wisely, and muttered:
"Cute fellow, smelt the fish,"
And the reports that came back during
tile summer seemed to confirm this, for the
Spray was doing better than ever before.
Other crafts called at the harbor and
stayed a few days, and such, previous to
this, had been John Holt's custom; but the
summer passed, and lie came not. The
season was over and the autumnal equinox
at hand and stillAthe Spray was out.
There came day that will always be re-
membered at Rough Reef Backbone of
those days that take hold of time and acts,
and become marks in the ycars-known as
"the great flood" or ''the September gale"
The sun. had risen gray and lurid, break
ing from the low hanging mist like ball of
hot steel. The air was hot and oppressive
and the gulls came flying landward scream
ing discordantly.s
Then the blue sky palcd away to gray
Soon the sea grew frctful, and the air was
full Of woe.
In the east dark line gathered along the
water and slowly up the sky growing
hlacker as it rose in height. Still no wind,
no rain.
Then, under the low-lying blaclness, a
| white line, growing broad, but rolling along
the face of the sea, told that the storm had
come.
Never before had the shock been so great
or so sudden. Sweeping like demons filled
with the power of wrath, the huge waves
broke upon the reef and ran foamlng up
the beach. But there was no rain. The
foam-whirl filed the air, but the clouds held
| firm.
The old men had gathered at Pentley's
shop, while the younger ones were watch
ing the moorings of the crafts in the harbor:
| All could sec the ocean, tossed by the wind
and raging for its prey.
Then cry arose. Through the tossing
crests, far out at sea, came the white line
| of sail. Nearer, noarer-and the high
| ledge was thronged with anxious watchers
| who haa hurried there men from the shop
and harbor, and women and children from
| the cottages, for fear had seemed to fall
upon them all and fill them with dread
| the fear that the vessel in the mad fury
| yondcr was the one that had lives dear to
them-the Spray.
| On she came, the foam flying over her
and often hiding her from view; and still
the stray sights given them had told the
| watchers that their fears were realized
1t was the Spray.
There were white lips and prayers, but
no tears. Death was a thing with which
the dwcllers of Rough Reef Beach were
too well acquainted to call for such q
motion until it came.
They knew that Holt was making for
the harbor, and could he make it, he would
bo safc But would he make it? Still the
Spray came on. White faces watched her,
but whitest of all was that of Sarah Pent-
ley.
ooh, John, John-I love you; I love
you'll"
SO rang the echo in her heart; and if lie
should be lost, would 1t not ring so for
evor2
When she knew it was the Spray that
was driving before the storm, and heard
that it was mere chance whether she
would come In or not, then, with the
shadow of death hanging low over her
lovers head, her heart awakened to the
knowledge that he was all to her.
"Hc shall not die-oh, God is too good ~
she said. And so she waited and watched
A few yards more-only Il few yards
more, and then all would be known.
'Oh, God |" There was despair in the
cry, and death seemed to reach out it's hand
to take the crew of the little craft.
AS she entered the channel that ran
through the reef, gust of wind seized the
| sails of the Spray and shook them, and be-
fore John Holt could shift the helm to meet
the emergency, huge roller dashed the
little craft high on the reef and rolled over
her. A''f'
Then it was that the cry arosc-a cry
that all but one mouth answered, and that
mouth grew firm and set, and whispered
rather than spoke: y
'He shall not die"
A small boat-a mere shell to meet the
mad shock of the sca-lay in the little cove
formed by the ledge, and sheltered by it's
strength. Into this Sarah Pentley Jumped,
and before any one was aware of her inten-
tion, or could stop her; che had pushed out
into the boiling foam at the covc's mouth.
Her father called to her, but she kept on.
81 love him, and will die with him, or
save him." she answered, but the wind
drowned her voice. Eager eyes watched
her, eager hands were stretched out to save
her, when wave came roaring in-but it
seemed that the fate of God was with her.
Slowly, but surely, she went on, the
twirl of the sea sending her this way and
that--7a now other eyes than those On the
ledge watched her.
W Il0 rluoG DTCuklDR schooner
John Holt and his companions saw the little
boat tossing in the foam, yet steadily maxi
ing way. Then Holt recognized the wo-
man WHO was risking all for them, and
shouted o,hor to, go back. She,- did not
hear. KS 2f{s RI
They had doneall to save themselves that
they could. Lashed to spare spar, the
only hope ,afterthe sea had destroyed their
boats, with suchShigh floats as they could
seize, the crew Of tlle schooner were wait
Ing the end, They yrememberedYthat death
had always been king here, and hoped not
for relief.
81 Then the boat came, b,it they knew that
only. one could getsin 1t, and before 1t could
return TO them again the end would Gomez
Quick, along line, /" said Holt, excitedly.
lSs.If the boat can carry one ashore, they can
draw us Into the cove.
A piece Of rope still clung to a Delaying
| pin; this was soon severed from Its hold