Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-16

de" said the girl, Though what on earth
you are going to do don't know and don't
know whether there's going to be an earth.
quake or deluRe, or what.
Gertrude was looking hesitatingly at her
companion.
You needn't think of me- said Carrie
go on. l can run after IL | can't, IT'S
good enough for me"
Gertrude rode on. She was mounted on
a large, spirited horse, whose great stride de-
voured the road But she had ridden since
she was ten years old, and had no fear for
her seat Carrie ran behind, bewailing to
herself her foole hness. She soon knew that
her cousin was making for the head Of the
highest cliff overlooking the sea- below
which the wharf lay. Suddenly, with no
more warning than fash Of lightning gives,
that cloud haud, which had been widening
every moment, flung itself upon the world.
A wind that was not like air. but like blows
from a heavy object, beat and raved over the
island. Iuvoluntarily, Carrie fell to the
ground, and then hattened herself out on the
grass, tearing her fngers into the sod, with
no thought in her mind but the instinct to
struggle for her own safety.
Aud Gertrude She had reached part OF
the bluff where she could look of and down.
| She had seen the little steamer sliding across
the water, not more than half a mile from
the wharf, with Redmans ledge behind it to
the left. The moon was, at the moment
clOudless the twilight had entirely gone
| A lady on the deck, where half dozen pas
sengers for the landing we're waiting, had
seen that figure Of horse, with its slender
gir1sh rider, suddenly appear in the moon
| light on the height and she had waved a
handkerchief, aud felt sure that the salute
was for her. 1t was at that very instant that
| the cloud burst.
Gertrude's horse crouched down, and then
lay fat on its side, fortunately leaving the
| girl free She bent over and clasped her
horses neck, holding on with all her might
and feeling even then as If she would be
caught up like dry leaf and whired in the
air. Where had the moon gomez How could
it be so black, with that moon somewhere in
the sky
Gertrude, as she clung there in the gale
| felt her brain reel aud burn with intensity of
dread. The steamboat her mother and the
bsby2 In a few days, her father would
come. She would have to tell him that they
we're drowned before her eyes. She would
have to live without them. Her mind trav-
ersed all the years to come as lightning
fash glares in dark night.
She has all the time clasped her horses
neck. Now she wondered il she could make
| him rise with her on his back She would
cling like a monkey, if he would only get up.
Without knowing why, che shrank from leav-
ing him.
Tne horse began to move, aud then lay
still, apparently feeling that he must not rise
| with the girl in the saddle. She urged him,
| but he would not obey. Desperately, Ger
trude drew her foot from the stirrup and
crept to her horses head Directly, he gath
cred his legs under him, and stood on his feet.
Nov, am helpless she cried out, the
tall horse standing close to her, and trembling
violently from fright
Oh, when would the moon shine again
Holding on fast to the stirrup, the girl swung
herself forward, trying to peer over the cliG.
But she could not see only dark maze with
vague, white foam tossing where she knew
the edge must be.
high, quivering voice sounded close to
| her. Where are you p
Here !" she shouted in answer.
| She knew the voice and, directly, she was
aware that her cousin was creeping oRard
| her on her hands aud knees.
This gale can't last, " she cried out. Il
must get on my horse again"
The two stood in the shelter that the horse
gave, holding hands and trying to see each
other.
Let me try to put you up" said Carrie.
Get good grip Of the horn"
| The clouds above began to part and float
away, leaving large spaces of star-lighted
| blue and the moon shone, full and yellow,
up in the east. The wind no longer struck
hard blows as with a furious hand but it
| blew so that the girls could hardly stand.
| The landscape and the sea came out vividly
| like a new scene. Gertrude shook the rein
on her horses neck, and started forward to-
| ward the cliff. Carrie ran after them, stag
| gering and plunging, thinking of that boat
which had rounded Lantern Point.
What had really happened she did not
know until later. The small steamboat had
been lifted almost bodily out of the water, as
though it we're toy, and turned over, splash
ing down on the decks, all the human beings
on board who were not shut in the cabins be.
ing turned into the sea- as one might turn a
bowl OF helpless insects into pond.
| The girls eyes went swiftly to and fro
Soon, they saw the steamboats, bottom glis.
tening in the moonlight, tossing, sometimes
almost righting itself. A moment before,
her mother and sister had been gayly coming
toward her. In what horrible foam of water
were they now ?
Gertrude !" whispered Carrie, who had
| crept up to her.
1t was near the full of the tide The beach
was very wide and shallow along this part of
the coast. As they looked, a small boat went
out from the shore TO the steamer and now
the girls could see heads in the water, float
ing garments, clutching hands. The boat
| bounded from wave to wave. In q moment
|
was reaching out for another hand stretched
toward him, when the boat flew round like a
live thing, threw its occupants out, and then
| went dancing off in the moonlight with kind
OF gay motion that was dreadful to see. Two
objects on plank came drifting by. Ger
trude gAzed steadily at these last. Then she
turned to her cousin, aud said resolutely; -
do you see them ? 1 am going"
She gathered the reins in both hands and
| ha hOraa Oh RI
ed at touch of the spur. Down they went,
scrambling, sliding, leaping, the girl sitting
as il nothing could unseat her, her eyes of
fire fixed on that plank that tossed in the
glitter of water.
She was down the bank. She did not
pause. Her horse-noble fellow -gslloped
into the breakers which rolled up the shallow
beach, the water growing deeper and deeper
until it swashed acros his heaving chest.
Close by, just out Of reach, hoated the plank.
Gertrude leaned forward
Mother !" she shouted her voice ringing
out sweet aud clear amid the whistling of
wind and the dashing of water.
Mrs Wetherly, with one hand grasping
the rope which was twisted about the plank,
held with her other arm more firmly yet the
baby of year old.
"Take the baby" she said mechanically,
and tried to hold out the child to it's sister.
Both of you both of you!" returned
Gertrude, almost with command. Here,
let me have her." The girl caught the baby
by its skirts and pulled her up, then wound
her right arm firmly about her. Mother,
you must climb up behind me. Catch hold
of the saddle-any way only do it. There! !"
Mrs. Wetherly, without trying to think of
herself, did as she was hidden. She was a
1.-the and slender woman, or even the love of
life might not have enabled her to scramble
up as she did.
As Gertrude felt her mothers clasp about
her waist, she turned her horse back. BY
the time the shore was reached, many people
had gathered. Helping hands were held out.
When she saw her mother and sister safely
taken from her, she went back. The big,
strong horse was far more useful on such
beach than boats. The girl worked with
sort of glorious fury. Besides her mother
aud sister, she saved that night Ave people,
of whom three were children. The last time
she came up from the water, bearing little
boy and girl with her, just as they gained
high-tide mark, the horse staggered and fell,
| uorn ont for the time He Law in