The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-07-10

now, Edam I! L asked umldly; III uoesn
look over well out yonder," and pointed
to the far sea.
"Leave that to me, Elsie, ma darlin' y
He had no right to call me his darling,
but I was beginning to be very much
afraid, and so said nothing about that
But all at once a rush, whirl, and a
roar caused me to scream out as a squall
struck our little craft and made it heel
over, wetting me to the skin at the same
time. As matter of fact, we fisher las
sizes are not at all brave upon the sea,
though it may be almost our native ele-
ment. There are very few Grace Dar-
lings among us. Indeed, we hardly ever
venture into boat at ALL So it is not to
be wondered at that my courage should
fail utterly when we began to ship heavy
seas
"Oh, take me home, Edam, or | know
wen never win back at all p
But he took no notice more than to put
things right and tight in a skillful way l
could not but admire, however angry be-
gan to feel toward him.
"Are you never going to turn, Edam
Carr" l broke out at last.
A suspicion which l had often heard
breathed in the village came back to me
then, and I trembled for our lives. They
said "Edam Carr was gettin' the same
queer look his feyther had afore he went
out of his held and drowned hisself p and
remembering this and the few words his
mother had whispered, / inclined to think
he was mad at times. When spoke he
laughed out loud. 1t was the first time
that ] had ever heard him laugh, and it
gave me an odd feeling.
$50 you're afraid, ma bonnie Elsie? It's
long time since you and were as much
alone together as we are now, nothing but
the boat that holds US two on all that
world O. water Eh, but it's fine to have
you all to myself like this p
care you mad?" 1 exclaimed, my
thought taking words all unconsciously.
Edam laughed again, that horrible, cruel
laugh which had no mirth in it.
''Maybe. Sometimes think am my
self, but if am, it's for love O. you"
His eyes were so bright and so wild l
could not bear to look at them, and his
hand as he took hold of mine, burned
with fever.
"For mercy's sake, Edam, take care! If
ye don't mind we'll be both in the water.
can what o that? At any rate we'll
drown together, and yell never belong to
another man."
l clasped my hands in an agony of ter
ror. Oh, what fool l had been not to
have guessed what might happen2 l
thought of the poor bairns at home wait
ing for me now to give them their suppers
and hear their prayers and tuck them up
in their beds, and the tears rolled down my
cheeks at the thought of how long they
might have to wait.
ooh, Edam, | didn't think ye could be
so cruel !'' l said between my sobs. But
even the tears failed to move him.
"You have been cruel enough to me-
it's my turn nowr' he answered sullenly
as he altered the sail
By this time the lurid gleam had almost
died out from the sky and all was dark
around us. The wind was blowing strong
ly and hurrying the masses Of clouds
across the heavens at headlong speed, and
tearing at the water until the air and the
waves mingled in one wild fray. How
our little boat lived at all in such storm
is more than can understand. In the
hands of less experienced boatman We
should have been lost in no time.
"Do have pity on me and the poor little
ones that have only me to look to, Edam-
dear Edam' '
"Ay, it's dear Edam now you're in my
power, but how long would it last if l lei
you win safe to land? Elsie, if you'll say
you'll be ma wife, I'll make for shore thi:
minute-if not"
"What theu2" faltered
'I'll rnn us straight on the ribs o
Death, and there'll be an end on ~
What was l to do? l tried to be falst
to Willie for the sake of dear life, but i
was no use. 1 couldn't get out the word:
which would make me so If l must di,
must, and there was no help for it, but
oh it was hard, while the young blooC
flowed quick and warm in my veins, to b,
plunged headlong into eternity.
gave one loud despairing cry.
"0h, Willie, Willie can you not hea
me, my sweetheart, my darling? If yol
were only by l know you could save me
It's for your sake l die, Willie; but low
you so, l love you so !"
"Then die, Elsie, for ye shall never b
his wife 7"
l sank down in the bottom of the boa
and closed my eyes. | could not look a
my death, though l knew now it mus
come. A dull stupor crept over me, AM
the agony of fear which held me befor
was gone Was it my disordered imagi
nation which made me think something
had happened which sounds perfectly in
credible?
1t was getting too dark to distinguish
plainly, but, surely, that was Edam Carr
big form | saw at the other end of tn
boat stopping over coil of rope?
Then who was the man busted with tn
sail in the centre Of it?
We were shut off from all human hel
there in the midst of bowling tempest
and yet some one had managed to come o
board, and evidently to give us his ASST.
tance. No other vessel could possibly hav
approached us while my eyes were shu
certainly not without my hearing il
Where, then, had this stranger come from
All these thoughts flashed through m
mind, but at the time I was too stupefe
to wonder much, My faculties SCENE
dulled, and l could neither suffer nor fea
any more. simply waited for the enc
1 could see dimly the sharp ridge of rock
we were nearing, and from which nothin
short of miracle now could keep us.
But this miracle did take place. All .
once our course changed and the bos
turned from its dangerous way. Ther
and not till then, did Edam seem to awaE
en- to the knowledge that he was no longe
managing affairs. With a sudden oath h
started up and crept forward.
When he got to the figure standing wit
its back toward him 1 saw him raise HI
arm to thrust it aside, Then slowly
slowly, it turned and looked him straigt
in the face,
| n - - :llI tsNl ILL., - g.