Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-05

the confusion of the night this was no very
satisfactory guide. At length, however, q
broad and brilliant fash sprung out across
the sea, almost straight ahead of him. 1t
was the Poise light.
He altered his course little and padded
steadily on. And now the squall was break
ing. Fortunately it was not very heavy
one, or their frail craft must have sunk and
they with it. But it was quite serious
enough to put them in great danger. The
canoe rose to the waves like a feather, but
she was broadside on, and rise as she would
they began to ship little water. And they
had not seen the worst of it. The weather
was still thickenlng.
Still he held on, though his heart sunk
within him, while Beatrice said nothing.
Presently big wave came; he could just
see its white crest cleaning through the
| gloom, then it was on them. The canoe rose
to it gallantly; it seemed to curl right over
her, making her roll till Geofrey thought
that the end bad come. Butshe rode it out,
not however, without shipping more than a
bucket of water. Without saying a word
Beatrice took the cloth cap from her head,
and, leaning forward, began to bale as best
she could, and that was not very we'll.
'This will not do" he called. 81 must
keep her head to the sea or we shall be
swamped."
"Yes," she answered, 'keep her head up.
We are in great danger"
He glanced to his right; another white
sea was heaEing down on him; he could just
see its glittering crest. With all his force
he dug the paddle into the water; the canoe
! answered to it; she came around Just in time
to ride out the wave with safety, but the
paddle snapped. 1t was already sprung,
and the weight he put upon it was more
than it could bear. Right in two it broke,
some nine inches above that blade which at
the moment was buried in the water. He
felt it go, and despair took hold of him.
"Great God," he cried, ''the paddle is
broken"
Beatrice gasped.
"You must use the other blade" she
cried; paddle first on one side and then on
the other, and keep her head or"
'Till we sink" he answered.
"NO, till we are saved-never talk of
sinking"
The girls courage shamed him, and he |
obeyed her instructions as best he could. |
BY dint of continually shifting what re-
mained of the paddle from one side of the |
canoe to the other, he did manage to keep |
her head on to the waves that were now |
rolling in apace. But in their hearts they |
both wondered how long this would last.
"Have you any cartridges?" she said
presently.
''Yes, in my coat pocket" he answered.
.GiVe me two, il you can manage it, she |
said.
In an interval between the coming of two
seas he contrived to slip his hand into
pocket and transfer the cartridges. Appar-
emily she knew something of the working
OF gun, for presently there was flash and
report, quickly followed by another.
"Give me some more cartridges" she
cried. He did so. but nothing followed.
''Tt is no use," she said at length, 'tthe
cartridges are wet cannot get the empty
cases out. But perhaps they may have seen
or heard them. Old Edward is sure to be
watching for me. You had better throw the
rest into the sea if you can manage i" she
added, by way of an afterthought: 'fwe may
have to swim presently"
To Geofrey this seemed very probable,
and whenever he got chance he acted on
the hint till at length he was rid of all his
cartridges. Just then it began to rain in
torrents. Though it was not warm the per-
spiration was streaming from him at every
pore, and the rain beating on his face re-
freshed him somewhat; also with the,rain
the wind dropped little.
But he was getting tired out and he knew
it. Soon he would no longer be able to keep
the canoe straight, and then they must be
swamped, and in all human probability
drowned. So this was to be the end of his
life and its ambitions. Before another hour
had run its course he would be rolling to
and fro in the arms of that angry sea.
What would his wife Honoria say when she
heard the news, he wondered? Perhaps it
would shock her into some show of feeling.
And Efie, his dear little 6-year-old daugh-
ter? Well, thank Godl she was too young
to feel his loss for long. By the time that
she was a woman she would almost have for
gotten that she ever had father. But
how would she get on without him to guide
her? Her mother did not love children,
and a growing girl would continually
remind her of hsr growing years. He
could not tell; he could only hope for the
best. And for himself? What would be-
come of him after the short sharp struggle
for life? Should ne find endless sleep, or
what? He was Christian, and his life had
not been worse than that of other men. In
deed, though he would have been the last to
think it, he had some redeeming virtues.
But now at the end the spiritual horizon
was as dark as it had been at the beginning. |
There before him were the gates of death,
but not yet would they roll aside and show
the traveller what lay beyond their frown-
ing face. How could he tell? Perhaps
they would not open at all. Perhaps he now
bade his last farewell to consciousness, to
earth and sky and sea and love and all lovely
things. Well, that might be better than
some prospects. At that moment Geoffrey
in the last agony of doubt, would I
gladly have exchanged his hopes for life be-
yond for certainty of eternal sleep. That
faith which enables some of US to to tread
this awful way with an utter confidence is
not a wide prerogative, and as yet, at any !
rate, it was not his, though the time might
come when he would attain it. There are
not very many, even among those without
reproach, who can lay them down in the
arms of death, knowing most certainly that !
when the veil is rent away the countenance
that they shall see will be that of the l
blessed guardian of mankind. Alasl he +
could not be altogether sure, and, where I
1oubt exists, hope is but pin-pricked Q
bladder. He sighed heavily, murmured a t
little formula of prayer that had been on = =
lis lips most nights during 80 years-he ]
had learned it as a child at his mothers d
then, while the tempest roared {
Iround him, gathered up his strength to
meet the end which seemed inevitable. At 2
my rate be would die like a man. L
Then came a reaction. His vital forces q
Ose again. He no longer felt fearful, he a
,nly wondered with a strange imperyonal
Tonder, as man wonders about the vital
Iffairs of another. Then from wondering
bout himself he began to wonder about the
,irl who sat opposite to him. With the ,
ain came little lightning, and by the first Z
lash he saw her clearly. Her beautiful face :
vas set, and as she bent forward searching =
he darkness with her wide eyes, it wore, he a
hought, an almost defiant air.
The canoe twisted around somewhat. He g
lug his broken paddle into the water, and d
nee more got her head on to the sea. Then Il
lie spoke, P
Are you afraid?" he asked of her. 3
"No," she answered, II am not AFRAID" Ii
"Do you know that we shall probably be o
rowned?"
eyes, know it. They say death is easy.
brought you here. Forgive me that 1
hould have tried to row you ashore as you tt
aid." 7
''Never mind me; a man must meet his c
ate some day. Don't think of me. But u
ant keep her head on much longer. You ii
ad better say your prayers" h
She bent forward till her head was quite q 4
L = = L 4