St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-06-12
BY qHB GATE OF THE SEA.
BY David Christie Murray,
AUTHOR OF "A MODEL FATHER, "a LIES
ACHIEVEMENT" ETC.
CHAPTER VII.-CoNT1NUED.


Crouching behind the bowlder, and SO
sheltering his eyes from the wind, he
could dimly make out the form OF a
great vessel; and just as he was sure OF
her he saw q second tongue of light
flame out from her; but this time
though he listened with all his soul, the
gun was dumb, in the prodigious noises
of the sea. Next, he lost her for a
minute IN the gloom. and found her
again by third tongue OF flame.
Every second of that dreadful minute
had brought the fancied sound OF the
gun S voice to his ears.
Each flash was nearer than the last,
and he could see that the ship was
sweeping helplessly on shore. He
made his difficult and dangerous way
toward her, sometimes sheltered by the
broken ground, but oftener so beaten
by the wind that he could but crawl
upon his hands and knees. All the
time. at intervals which seemed ln-
credibly apart from each other, the
noiseless lightning shot from the YES
sells side. Whenever the inequalities
of the ground hid her from him he
fancied he could hear the gun boom
and boom and boom; but whenever he
saw the flash the gun was dumb. He
came breathless and painting upon the
northern rocks, and could make out
the lines of the hapless ship more
clearly. There was no shelter for her
on the lee side of the island, for, as
Tregarthen knew, the sea was running
nrnlfIpf
myriad times. She drifted with huge
lurches toward this channel, and
Tregarthen, raging with pity and help
lessness, tore along the rocks Ii he
could he would have cast himself upon
the ground and have seen no more I'M
til all was over, but the fascination OF
horror was upon him, and he was as
powerless to resist it as he was to save
q life aboard the vessel. She was in
sight now continually, and he ran
down the broad grass platform with
the wind at his back, and kept
alongside at distance OF little more
than three hundred yards. What with
the dashing spray and the wind and
the Gloom. he could not make out
soul on board. but the flash spoke
twice more to his helpless heart, and
then the great craft seemed resigned te
die in darkness, and even to leap al
her doom, as despairing men have
been known to do. -,
The score of men, women and chill
dren who, apart from Tregarthen
household, made up the sole popuia
tion of the island, were clustered or
the northern rock above the Seagate
Treoarthen's housekeeper, maid ane
man-seryant were there also, and Wher
he.came among them they were al
staring at the fated ship. Against thu
opposite rocks she scarcely showed q
all. and she was as often fancled al
seen: but now, in a strange way, tn'
gloom began to tighten, as gauze a1te
gauze of cloud was torn from the high
er sizes and the moon showed through
at first in mere broadly dispersed nu
feeble CLEAN, but finally snlnlns
through a clear rift, with star or tW'
about her. -,
s.There's where she'll breakr' salt
one old sea-dog, pointing to the south
ern wall of the Sea-gate. he roare'
the words, but only one man hear'
him in the bowling of the wind am
sea.
..You'm right" said the neighbor T
whom he spoke. 1.-THE race sets tel
rible off Gorbay head. " :.
.See her a-comin' now!" cried
third, Selling Tregarthen by the arm
The whole force of the main toe sc
westward. To the northwest OF gn
island iuts out promontory four mile
long and as many broad, and when
west wind blows upon this coast tn
chief course Of the current makes 10