Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-03-14


away from the furious waves that boiled
and ragged below, lest porchanee II
should render her giddy. "And how
astonished they will be when they see
me waving my handkerchief 10 them
from that dizzy peak!''
Long before the cold fowls, chicken
salad and sandwiches were spread upon
the grass, the Captain came up from the
steamer.
"Ladies and gentlemen" said he,
elm sorry to spoil sport, but there's a
squall brewin', if ever there was one,
and Wen all be safer well out Mt sea
than on these ragged points OF rock, es-
pecially as the tide is conn' in a deal
faster than we'd calculated on. So If
you'll all step lively, shall be particu.
larly obliged"
The ladies began hurriedly to repack
the, as yet, incomplete repast, and to
gather up their hats, wells, parasols and
gloves-the gentlemen looked around
for shawl-straps, books and baskets;
and once again ran the questions
"But Octavia! Where is 0ctaviapn
And Dorsey Wheeler, straining his
eyes through the gray mist which was
already beginning to gather over tho
landscape, exclaimed:
"Who has an opera-glassp see some
thing on that tall rock that seems TO lean
toward the understanding, am
quite certain, which movos"
The Captain produced his glass
"Though, to-be-sure," said he,
''glasses amt much use i'm such a
plaguey Scotch mist as this. But dc.
clare, there is something up there, Aut-
tering in the wind, like some one wav-
ing signal of Distress"
Bolton snatched the glass from the
veterans hand, and hurriedly adjusted
it to his own eyes.
cit is Octavia's veil," no said. 81
can see the pink flowers like little dots
of color, on her head. Good heavens!
and she has been mad enough to climb
that rock, all for spirit of crazy adj
venture!"
"lt's bad job for her, them" said
the old fisherman, who, having left his
nets to take care of themselves, had
mingled, black pipe and all, in the gen.
eral confusion. "For now the tide is in;
there amt nobody nor nothin' can get
near Mother Carey's Rocks; and if the
wind rises, as it's goin' to do, as sure rs
blazes she'll be blowed into kingdom
come, at the very first puff"
"Can nobody help herP" cried the
Mortified group.
The old salt shook his head.
You'd only come TO your own
DEATH" said he "without helpin' her a
mite. There was man killed thore
twenty-one year ago, come October.
He"
awe are losing timer' said the Cap
tain, impatiently. "Thero's black
squall driving up on the wind, and I'd
not give much for our lives if we don't
get clear of them COMPOUNDED rocks. OF
course, we're all sorry for the young
lady; but so far as l can see she'll have
to take the consequences of her own fol-
ly. It's impossible TO risk a whole
barge-load for her. Ladies and gentle
men, all forward now, ii you pleased"
But Duncan Ray stepped out from the
ranks.
"Bolton!" said he. Mcdowell!
Christian men, all of you! Arc you
going deliberately off, to leave the
sweetest and most precious of our num-
Der to perish in the winds and waves?n
ell don't sec that we can do any
thing!" stammcrcd Bolton. "This good
man says that we should only risk our
own lives to no purpose.
"And you must see, yourself" added
Mr.. Launcelot Mcdowell, "that il
would be certain death to try to cross
the water, now that the tide is rising so
fast!'
There's no time to parlcy!" said
the Captain, impatiently. "rho bell
will ring directly, and whoever isn't on
board then, isn't on board ut all Eth!
Where are you going, Mr.. RayP"
"To the top of yonder cliff" said
Duncan, pulling his hat resolutely over
his brows. "To rescue that girl, or to
die in the attempt"
But at the same moment q slender
figure, with zephyr shawl drawn light
ly over its head, stepped out from be-
hind the old bulkhead-Octayia GLAND
herself.
ado not risk your life, Duncan Rayl"
she said, in a sweet, clear voice.
am quite safe. My veil and hat blew
off, and / could not disentanglo them
from the sharp rocks. But /, myself,
was fortunate enough to make good my
retreat before the dreadful wind got too
high. And came up behind you all,
and heard you talk, and-and- O,
Duncan, l can't bear TO think of it all
Let us 90 back to the steamer as fast rs
we can, and get out of this frightful
place!"
She covered her eyes with one hand
as she spoke, while with the other she
chung close to Duncan Rays arm, rs if
it were refuge beyond all computa-
ton.
But all the way back to New York she
never once condescended to speak to
Harry Bolton or Mr.. Mcdowell; and
when she returned home that evening
she was engaged to Duncan Ray.
"For know now," she said, with o
little tremor in.her voice, "who, and who
alone, would have risked his life for such
silly child as l |"
And Harry Bolton and Mr.. Mcdowell
felt like recreant knights, indoedl
Decidedly awkward" said the
former.
eyes," assented the latter. "Puts
one ahem!-- such an awkward posi-
ton. "-Satarday Night.