The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-05-16
RISING SUN, CECIL COUNTY, 1890

CRY animal when his lips are drawn
back. The captain made his way to hel
side and, putting his lips to her ear,
asked If she were afraid. She strove to
reply, but her voice was lost in the
wind.
eff we escape the cliffs of Pom Loy,"
she heard the captain say, but the re-
mainder of his words were lost in the
bowling of the wind. 1t seemed to She
Mai that the ship was driven thus fol
many hours and she wondered why the
morning did not come. In reality
was little past midnight, when looking
ahead she saw great black dome shoot
up and tower to gigantic height befor'
the ship. The sight was overpowering
in it's horror-this enormous monster
rearing it's head in their path-and the
awe that came Upon the girl made the
second of time which passed seem like a
whole lifetime of fear. A great wall of
terror burst from the throats of the sail
ors; then there was fearful crash, and
Sho Mai was thrown violently to the
deck. Her head struck fragment of
the broken rail and she passed into un-
consciousness.
When her eyes opened next she be-
held. the face of the captain close to
hers. Around her she could hear the
boiling of the waters Looking about
her she perceived that she had been
borne up into the rigging, and that
several of the crew had sought the same
refuge. Below her was the vessels deck,
r11,hi oh thn
ment. Before her was the great and
terrible dome which had so suddenly
risen out of the storm.
''The cliffs of Pom Loy," shouted the
captain in her ear. "Before us is the
mouth of the great cave. We have
struck upon sunken ledge, but the
waves will soon drive us over it, and
may cast us into the cave itself. We
shall all perish"
"Then let us die bravely," said Sho
Mai, ''as becomes innocent men,"
Her words, which in reality were due
less to courage than to the strange per-
sistence of the character which she had
assumed during the past few days,
reached the captains ears. He groaned.
Innocent men," he cried. 81 tell you,
boy, that this storm is the voice of the
angry gods of the temple we despoiled,
whose sacred vessels and treasures of
gold were the stolen freight which we
30 feared that you had seen. Our lives
must pay the forfeit, but your inno-
cence may save you"
"And may your repentance save you,"
said Sho Mai.
SIT is too late," he said, and at the
words a great wave lifted the vessel
over the ledge and hurled her forward.
1--WE shall be carried into the haunted
cave" shrieked the sailors, and one by
one they koosed their hands from the
tottering spar and cast themselves head
long into the sea, which instantly swal-
lowed them up. Only the captain re-
mained, holding the trembling form of
Sho Mai in an arm that was like rope
of steel. Clinging thus to the mast they
saw themselves borne towards the great
black mass in whose face now appeared
a mighty rift extending downward to
the water. Straight onward toward this
fearful chasm they drove, and not until
its towering roof was about to close over
their heads did the crash or rended tim
bers tell them that the junk had been
cast upon the rocks. The great mast
bent forward slowly, as it seemed to
Sho Mai, and in its sweep carried them
within the gateway of the cavern.
MAY the Gods preserve your life,"
murmured the captain.
His words were drowned in rush of
waters as the descending mast plunged
both into deep black pool within the
cave. Down, and ever down, sank Sho
Mai, and in her ears the rumbling dwin-
died to a soft, singing murmur, as if the
eternal stiffness of death were preluded
by strange, moaning music. She felt
the arm that had held her loosen it's
hold, and give her a great impulse up