The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-01-05

kissed Frant-he always kissed Frant
when he went and when he came-and
was gone.
The cabin was tucked neatly into lit
tie depression in the cliff Across a wild,
sea-Worn gully, close at hand, mile Of
the northern shore was plainly visible
from Its windows, but the southern, where
stood the hotel and the pier, was hidden
by the projecting height of the headland.
Frant busted herself for few minutes
about her work Then she fixed her fire
and her light, put on her waterproof
cloak, drew the hood over her head and
started up the headlands, hoping to see
something OF what was going on below.
The rays from the great light house
made the darkness gray around her, but
though she could hear the sound OF
voices in the occasional pauSes between
| the gusts, she could sec nothing, Accus-
toned as she was 10 storms, hos ever,
she could readily supply the scene hidden
beneath the pail of fog. She could see
the bending masts of the schooners and
| the pitching of the dismantled steam
ship. She could hear in imagination tie
walls for help, and could see the life boat
putting off to the relief of the sufferers
For an hour she strained eyes and ears
to see and hear something beyond the
battling mist and the deatening fog horn
and the gathering and bursting Of the
mighty waves. She felt as though there
was work to do; she wanted to do it, and
though she was drenched through. she
determined to feel her way down the cliff.
There, at least, she could see the great
waves.
The cliff was rough and she found
plenty of points to cling to in her descent,
till at last she stood face to face with the
gray green thunders, which flung their
white spray all over her.
Suddenly her eye caught something on
an incoming wave, thrown ont into feeble
relief by the rays of the headland light,
! Was it box, or a fragment of Ship tim
Der, or-something else
In came the wave again, tumbiing al
most against Frant's brave feet. Again
she saw the light, white burden borne
back by the retrealing tide. She clam
bered up little higher, and waited for
the wave to come again This time it
cleared the beach, and bearing on its
crest the same white burden, crashed past
her into the gully. When ii went back,
there was nothing but foam on its shining
surface.
She rushed in upon the track Of the
wave and felt distractedly about the
ground. Suddenly her hand caught in
something, 1t was a mass Of dripping
human hair-the long fine hair of a
woman.
Frant gave a shrek of horror and drew
| herself away, but it was only for an in
stant; the wave was coming. She seized
! the woman by the arms and began to
drag her through the wild plum bushes
and over the rough stones, and out Of the
reach Of the hungry waves.
She was thinking hard all the time.
Perhaps the woman was not dead. She
had seen people revive after they had
been a long time under water, and,
though there was no feeling of life in the
woman, she determined to try and save
her. Oh, for a light. Oh, for Philly But
she began to drag her limp, wet burden,
half carrying it up the steep, rough bank.
1t was plump young figure, but not
| large, while Frant was strong and tall
and in little time it lay in Frant's new
white bed, and Frant herself, with a flush
on her pale, steady face, was rapidly
stripping off the shreds that remained OF
the poor girls clothing and applying re-
storatives. At last the warmth and mo-
tion penetrated TO the numb young heart.
and just as Phi's step sounded at the
door, Frant's task was done; for the
girl, whose face, even in its death like
pallor, was very lovely, opened her eyes
| teebly.
Phil came in, noisy and staring, but
Frant lifted her finger "What-what is
it?" he stammered.
Al found her." said Frant briefly and
pointing to the girl "a great wave toss
ed her into the gully, and | got her"
you got herr" said Phil, with strain
Of awe creeping into his voice.
There was no awe about Frant. She
was very practical. "Lift her head, Phil
| ly," she said, "while change her wet Dill
! low
The girl opened her eyes again and
tried to speak. The neatness, the
warmth, the light, Frant's tender, cling
ing touch the strong look on her face, all
:, seemed to combine to soothe and quiet
her. "Thank you" she whispered. Then
she went off again to sleep.
Phil stoO like man under spell.
| ohC lopho lIhC oil duStI, ut NulSpcltu
'She isn't" said Frant, laughing trlfe
uncomfOrtably. "She's only a poor gil
that lugged up the gully myself had
gone to the cliff to see if couldn't find
something of you. The tide brought her
in and Jagged her up
Phil, however, did not seem to think of
Frant, of her peril or her herosm. His
gaze was still fixed upon the fair face on
the pillow with rapt admiration.
Frant wished vaguely that he wouldn't
look any more. Somehow her hold Of him
seemed to slip. "Philly" she cried at
last.
ooh, Frant Y he said turning toward
her. "she's purity as an angel, isn't she ?"
eyes," said Frant, sudden faintness
coming over her. ''I'm very tired, Philly" ("
Then he remembered what she had
been through. "You shouldn't so down
IN the dark to the shore, Frantic" he said
tenderly. "The shores different here
from what is was over by the shanty. The
waves don't come in alike, either"
But if hadn't SAID Frant, stroking
the damp, curling hair from his forehead
''if hadn't shouldn't have saved the
girl"
"Sure enough said Phil tondly. "It's
brave one you are, Frant. 'Tisnt many
women can save a life like that. An
who'd thought of working over her af-
ter such a tussle with the breakers? ?"
81 was bound I'd do my BEST said
Frant modestly; "and thenn-with a
pang then she's young, Phlly. Young
people can bear great deal"
The next day the girl, though weak
and feverlsh, was conscious and able to
take food. She asked how she had come
there, and Frant explained something Of
it briefly. "Oh, yes" she said with a
shudder; IL remember The boat broke
up Oh, it was wful"
"Don't think Of it, said Frant, sooth-
ing her white forehead tenderly. "You're
safe now; and Tve the sense to know
that you shouldn't talk" And she sat
beside her, soothing and comforting the
tired young thing, till she went off into
another quiet sleep.
In the meantime, the news spread over
the cape of what Frant had done, and
she became a naiph hOrhoOd haroina "a in