The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-09-01

age wind was driving toward the danger
GUS rocks. Before he could do anything
to secure the sail, the mainsheet parted
at the boom. He cast off the halliards,
but the sail was jsmmed and would not
come down.
The Rosabel" was almost upon the
rocks. Selling an oar, Leopold, satisfied
that he could do nothing to save the boat,
worked her away from the rocks, SO that
she would strike upon the narrow beach
he had just left The fierce squat was
hurting her with mad speed upon the
shore. By the most tremendous exertion,
and at the imminent peril of his life, he
succeeded in guiding her to the beach,
upon which she struck with prodigious
force, crushing in her keel and timbers
beneath the shock. Without word of
explanation, he grasped the fair Rossbel
in his arms, and lesped into the angry
surgee, which were driven high upon the
rocks above him. The tide had risen so
that there was hardly room under the
cliff for him to stand; but he bore her TO
this only partial refuge from the fury of
the storm.
The tempest increased in violence, and
the huge pillows rolled in with impetu-
GUS fury upon him. Grasping his fair
burden in his arms, with Rosabel cling
ing to him in mortal terror, he paused a
moment to look at the angry sea. There
was narrow shelf of rock near him,
against which the waves beat with terri
BILE violence. If be could only get beyond
this shelf, which projected out from the
cliffs, he could easily reach the Hole in
the Wall, where Harvey Bsrth had saved
himself in just such storm. He had
borne Rossbel some distance along the
beach, both dreDched by the lashing
spray, and his strength was nearly ex-
hsusted. The projecting shelf was be-
fore him, forbiddiDg for the moment his
I further progress.
Placing his left foot upon rock, his
fair but heavy burden on his knee, clasp
ing her waist with his left hand, while his
right was fastened for support in a
crevice OF the cliff, he paused for an in
slant to recover his breath and watch for
a favorable chance to escape from his
perilous position. Rosabel in her terror,
had thrown her arms around his neck,
clinging to him with all her might. When
he paused, she felt, reposing on his pow
erful muscles, that she was safe-she
confessed it afterwards; though in that
| terrible sea and near those cruel rocks,
the strength of the strongest man was
but weakness. Leopold waited. II the
sea would only recede for en- instant, it
wonld give him the opportunity to reach
the broader beach beyond the shelf, over
which he could pass to the Hole in the
Wall. It was moment of hope, mingled
with mighty fear.
A huge billow, larger than any he had
yet seen, was rolling in upon him, crested
and reeking with foam, and might dash
him and his feeble charge, mangled and
torn, upon the jagged rocks. Still pant
ing from the violence of his exertion, he
braced bis nerves and his stout frame to
meet the terrible shock.
With every muscle strain cd to the ut
most tension, he waited the coming wave
In this attitude, with the helpless maiden
clinging to him for life. with the wreck
OF his fine yacht near, he was noble sub
ject for an inspired artist.
The coming wave buried him and the
fair maiden in its cold embrace. Itbroke,
and shattered itself in torrents of milky
foam upon the hard rocks. But the
larger and higher the wave the farther it
recedes. Leopold stood firm, though he
was shaken in every fibre OF his frame by
the shock. The retiring water-retiripg
only for an instant, to come again with
even gre alter fury-geve him his oppor-
tunity, and he improved it. Swooping,
like strong eagle, beneath the narrow
shelf of rock, he gained the broader sands
| beyond the reach OF the mad pillows. 1t
blew hurricane tor some time. The
stranded yacht was ground into little
pieces by the sharp rookie, but her skip
per and his fair passenger were safe
| OliUer Optic.