The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-22
"BEATRICE.''
Fl New and Fascinating Story.
BY II. RIDER HHGoHRD.

AT Unau moment Geolfrey Bingham, in the
last agony of doubt, would gladly have ex-
changed dis homes OF life beyond for q Ger
Iaiasy Ct eternal sleep. That f2iah which
enables some OF Us to tread t,,is awful way
VITA an utter confidence is rot wide pre-
rogaiive. and as yet, at any rae, it was not
his, Trough the time might come when he
woS,iG attain il. There are not very many
evei. osaong those without reproach who can
lay them down in the arms OF death, know
ing most certainly that when tile veil IS rent
away the countenance that they shall see
viii be that O. tho blessed Guardian o. man
kind. slasl lie could not be altogether sure,
ard, where doubt exists, hope is but pin
prci1ed bladder. lie sighed heavily, muir
INJURED IL little formula OF prayer that had
been on his lips most nights during thirty
yesrs-ho had learnt IL as a child at his
mothers knea-and tnen, while the tempest
roared around him. gathered I'D his strength
to meet the end VIE 1eemed inevitable. AT
any r,.le he would die like 4 man.
Thea came reaction. His vital forces
rose again. Ee no longer felt feaI:,el, be only
wondered with a strange impersoEal wonder,
as ulan wonders ah5rt the vital affairs of
an5ther. Then from wondering about HIM
self l,e ic-ap Ia wonder shout the girl who
SAY o7llasite 10 hini With tho rain came a
littic iighcing, and by the first fash be saw
her clearly. Her beautiful face was set, and
as she bent forward searching the darkness
with her wide eyes, it wore, he thought, an
almost defiant air.
The canoe twisted round somewhat. He
dug LIS broken paddle into the water. and
once more got her head on TO the sea. Ther
he spoke.
''Are you afraid." he asked of her.
"No, she answered; Il am not afraid"
''Do you know that we shall probably bt
drowHed!'
Yes, know it. They say death is easy
] brought yal bcre. Forgive me that
should nave tried TO row you ashore as Vol
saidn
''Nevcr mind me; man must meet his fat,
some day. Don't think of me. But l cam
keep her head On much longer. You haC
better say your prayers"
She bea5 forward till her head was quit
near his own. The wind had blown some O
her hairl loose, and though he did not seem K
notice it at the time, he remembered after
wards that lock of it struck him on the face
Il cannot pray" she said. II have moth
ing 10 pray to- | am not Christian
seemed SO awful TO think of this proud anc
brilliant woman, now balanced on the verg
of w she believed to be utter humiliation
Even the courage that induced her at such
moment to confess her hopeless state SCENE,
awful
TRY" be said with gasp.
NO. she answered, 81 do not fear to die
Death cannot be worse than life is for mos
of US l have not prayed for Years, no
since-well, never mind. l am nota coward
1t would be cowardly TO pray now, because
may be wrong If there is a God who know
all he will understand that"
Godfrey said no more, but-labored at til
broken paddle CALAMITY and with an ever
failing strength. The lightning had passec
away and the darkness was very great, fol
the hurrying clouds hid the starlight. Pres
entity sound arose above the turmoil of tn
storm, a crashing, thunderous sound, toward
which the send of the sea gradually Dor
them. The sound came from the waves tina
beat upon the Bryngelly reef
''Where are we drifting to?" he cried.
''Into the breakers, where we shall be lost,
she answered calmly Give up padding.
is of no use, and try to take off your coat.
. have loosened my skirt. Perhaps we ca
swim ashore
He thought to himself that in the dark an
breakers such an event was not probable
but he said nothing, and addressed hinsel
to the task OF getting rid of his coat an
waistcoat-no easy one in that confine
space. Meanwhile the canoe was whirlin
round and round like a walnut shell upon
flooded gutter. For some distance befor
the waves broke upon the reef and rock
- they swept in towards them with a stead
foanless swell. On reaching the shallow.
however, they pushed their white shoulder
high into the air, curved up and fell in thur
der on the reef.
The canoe rode toward the breakers, sucke
upon its course by a swelling sea.
''Good-by,n called Godfrey to Beatrice, g
stretching out his wet hand he found her ow
and took it, for companionship makes deaf
little easier
''Good-by," she cried, clinging to his hand
s'Oh, why did l bring you into thisg"
For in their last extremity this woma
Thought rather of her companion in per
than of herself.
One more turn, then suddenly the cano
beneath them was lifted like straw an
tossed high into the air \ mighty mass {
water boiled up beneath it and around il
! Then the foam rushed in, and vaguely Geo
frey knew that they were wrapped in til
curve of a billow
A swift and mighty rush Of water Crash
and his senses left him
CHAPTER ".