The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1884-10-10
Written for The MONITOR.
THE DETECTIVE,
BY CARL 4. LUDWIG.

All day, bleak, bowling, northeast wind
had kept the waves in the ofing seething
and foaming upon the ledge of rocks which
lie at the entrance of the harbor Rain de-
scended i'll torrents, and even the most
| hardy fishermen thanked their 'lucky
stars that they were at home instead of
ON the briny deep, at the mercy of the
| treacherous waves
The excitement which had arisen was
caused by the report of signal gun, which
awakened the village from its slumbers two
hours before sunrise, and at which every
heart seemed to cease its pulsations, as it
realized the import of that sound A yes
sci was on the rocks
In moment oil-skins were on, and out
into the beating storm rushed the sturdy
hearted, whole-souled fishermen, down to
the beach, which was being dashed and re-
dashed by the angry pillows.
Dark though the night, a faint light
could be seen feebly tickering in the di-
rection of the shoals, while ever and anon
came the loud but solemn signal of distress
from the gun.
Stout as were the hearts of the brave
| fishermen, many of the stoutest quailed as
speculations began to run rife as to the feas-
Utility of sending boat to the sufferers
| aid; and none We're there who were willing
to leave their wives and children and risk
their lives in what seemed hopeless at
tempt to save the passengers of the Inflated
vessel.
Soon another fisherman, whose locks
were silvered by the passage of some sixty
years. approached the long line of people
on the shore, leading by the arm his only
daughter, Qor the women of Zaneville fear
ed no storms) the bright, handsome Mabel
Gray, loved by everyone, and for whom
every man in the village would gladly risk
his life in the defence or protection of hers.
The old man referred to was Captain"
Gray, the acknowledged leader of the men
of Zaneville in all matters pertaining to
their workshop-the sea.
Approaching, and seeing no preparations
for the departure Of a boat, and under
standing thoroughly the danger, he could
not censure the men, but disengaging his
arm from his daughters, he stepped to a
boat lying high up on the shore, and called
out:
Now, my lads, who will take an oar
with me ?''
''Oh! father" cried the alarmed daugh-
ter, ''do not try to do it, you will be lost,'
But the old sailor believed that duty de-
manded that he should go to the poor
sufferers, and only called out with renewed
determination:
'Come, my hearties, lend a hand and
shove this boat off, and if you don't want
to go, | will man her alone"
Reluctantly few helped to launch the
boat, and despite the beseeching appeals
that he would not CO. he had taken one or
two strokes when tall, 1.-THE young man
of about twenty-three, came bounding to-
wards the boat, wa wing his hands to the
brave old captain.
Harry Louden was as strong and brave
vile. He had been born there, and lived
there all his life. Everybody knew Harry
Louden, and Harry Louden knew every
body So it was but natural that he should
know the captains daughter; and to know
the captains daughter was to love her.
And Harry's love was not scomed by
Mabel, by any means. The plain but
honest neighbors oftimes volunteered the
verdict that that will be match; and it
is just as it ought to be-
Harry-for it was him who had come
running to the boat-beckoned the old
man back, and said
"Captain, l will take your place; let me
go instead y
"No, Harry, my boy, | cannot let you do
that, replied the old man.
''Well, them said Harry, Il will go
with you
''Be that as you please; but | would
rather have you stay and take care of
Mabel"
mabel has all these good neighbors to
care Tor her, captain. DuG lHoSe poor
wretches out yonder have no one; and that
craft cannot keep off the rocks till morn
ing"
"Aye, aye, boy, you are right. Jump in,
for we have no time to lose; it is a long pull
out there.
Slowly the boat leaves the shore, amid
the pelting rain and dreary darkness, and
few long strokes of the oars, and it is
lost from sight.
How anXiously how eagerly, did the
people now look and long for the dawn,
that the darkness might disappear and the
vessel be more plainly seen, if-ah! if--in-
deed it was not destroyed before then.
After long and tedious waiting, the
gloom began to grow less impenetrable, and
finally, the form of the vessel could be in
distinctly discerned.
At day-break the rain had ceased to fall,
and the wind had in measure subsidized,
although the angry pillows still tossed
wildly in their fury The ship could now
be plainly seen. The forms of Harry and
the Captain could be distinguished by the
aid of glass, moving about the deck.
-, Il int. tha hold