The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-05-14

/ Of a portion OF the wall. But 1 wa.
not to be an actor III that scene, though
lit was one l shall never forget. ]
could not sec his face; but hers, on
which the moohbeAms foil, WAS pained,,
half-tfightened, Impatient. 9 He swas.
pleading his cause, he was telling the,
| old, old story, with an carnestncss and
eloquence l had never heard surpassed.
She stopped it at last.
=. ''Ob! .Magnus," she cried. ..Oh!
Magnus Thorforth, I never dreamed It
would come to this! Oh! what grief
You cause me, my poor Marntls, nv
poor Magn0s, my more than frieni!''
What more was said need not he
told. In few moments he was gone.
end she was kneoling on. tho greet,
sward, just on the spot where he had
left her, her hands clasped, and her
face upturned to heaven.
Next day, Magnus Thorforth went
sadly away: even his sister looked
sad. She must have known il all. 7
never saw them again.
One day, about month after this.
Maggie and l were together in q cave
close by the ocean, favorite haunt
OF ours on hot afternoons. Our boat
was drawn UP close by. The day was
bright and the sea calm, its tiny wave.
lets making drowsy, dreamy music on
the yellow sands.
She had been reading aloud, and I
was gazing at her face.
I said.
She looked down at me where I lay
with those innocent eyes of hers that
always looked into mine as frankly az
achild's would.
I'm not sure,' continued, "thatI
shan't commence making love to you,
and perhaps ! might marry you. What
would you think of that?"
'Iove" she laughed, as unsteady
as sea-nymph, ''love2 Love betwixt
cousin and COUSIN? Prepos-
te-ous!"
II dare say 1 resumed, pretending
to pout. ''you wouldn't marry nae be-
cause I'm poor"
''Poor!'' she repeated, looking very
firm and earnest now. "lf the man /
loved were poor I'd carry a creei for
him: I'd gather shells for his sake;
but l don't love anybody and don't
mean to. Comes''
SO that was the beginning and the
end Of my love-making with Cousin
Maggie.
And Maggie had said she had never
meant to love anyone. Well, we never
can tell what may be in our Immediate
future.
Hardly had we left the cave that day,
and put OIL from tho shore. ere ratt':
paws began to rutlae the water. They
CAME in trcm the West, and before we
had got half way TO the distant head
land, a steady breeze was blowing.
We had hoisted our sail and were run:
ming before it with the speed Of e gull
on the wing;
Once round the point we had a beam
wind TIL we entered the ford, then we
had to beat to windward all the way
home, by which time it was blowing
quite Il gale.
1t went round more to the north
about st1nset, and then, for the first
! time, we noticed q yacht of small dimen.
sions on the distant horizon. Her in
tention appeared to be that of rounding
the ISLAND and probably anchoring on
the lee side of it. She was in an ugly
position. however, and we all watched
her anxiously till nightfall hid Her
from our view.
I retired early. bit sleep was out of
the question, for the wind ragged and
hcwied around the house like wild
wolves. About II o'clock tho sound
OF gun fell on my ears. l could not
he mistaken, for the window ratified in
sharp response.
lsprang from my couch and began
to dress. and Immediately after, my
ages4 relative entered the room. He
looked younger and taller than hal
seen him, but very serious :.
1.-The yacht is on the Ba," he said
solemnIy.
They were words to me of fearful
significance. The yacht, 1 knew, must
soon break up. and nothing could save
the crew.
quickly followed my relative into
the hack drawing-room, where Mag
gle was with her mother. We gaxed
out into the night. out and across, the
sea. At the same moment; out there
on the terrible Ba. Billie light sprang
up, revealing the yacht and even its
people on board. She was leaning
we'll over to one side, her masts gone,
and the spray dasling over her.
"Come," cried Maggie. there is
no time to loose. We can guide their
boat to the cave. Come, cousin!''
l felt dazed, thunderstruck. Was I
to take part in a forlern hope? Was
Maggie how beautiful and darling
she looked now-to assume the robe OF
a modern Grace Darling? So it ap.
peared.
The events of that hight came back
TO my memory now as if they had hap
pened but yesterday. It is page in my
past life that can never be obliterated.
We pulled out the ford, Maggie
and l, and up under the lee of the is
land, then, on rounding the point, we
encountered the whole force of the
sea and wind. There was glimmer-
ing light ON the wrecked yacht, and
for that we rowed, or rather were
borne along on the gale. No boat save
a Shetland skiff could haze been trust
ed in such a sea.
AS we neared the Ba, steadying her.
self by leaning on my shoulder, Mag
gle stood half up and waved the Ian
tern, and it was answered from the
wreck. Next moment it seemed to
| me we were on the lee side. and Mag
gle herself hailed the shipwrecked
people.
1--WE cannot come nearer" she
cried; clover your boat and follow
our light closely"
Take the tiller, now" she contin-
ued, addressing me, land steer for the
light you see on the cliff. Keep her
we'll up, though. or all will be lost"
We waited-and that with difficulty
for few mlnutes-til we saw by
the starlight that the yachts boat was
lowered, then away we went.