Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-11-06

il safe, and who would blame her about
Rosa-Rosa who sat there trembling
and moaning, and wishing ''Ralf were
here" Madge set her teeth over the
wicked thoughts that would rise. Ralf
mnst love her, thought she, and for his
sale-his sake. So she rowed ON.
lyon are not going back?' protested
Rosa weakly.
''Of course am going back" said
Madge, and started.
Rosa crept guilty into the house.
ut ism I my fault-it isn't my fault"
she kept saying.
'You were not at dinner" said Ralt
"No"
Nor Miss Madgs."
"No."
"Where is she?"
"How should know"
"You were together. thought?"
"What of that?'
"Your manner is strange. You are
| feverish-what is it?"
Here Rosa broke down. "Oh, Ralf,
Madge has gone to the haunted island!
She should have been back long ago"
A few fierce, quick words and Ralf
understood. His face grew gray.
what are you going to do?" moaned
Rosa.
MAKE the Shadows or die trying"
he answered through his teeth. A
moment after his horse set the road to
echoing.
Madge rowed hard. Her hands were
blistered and her arms aching. The
moon shone brightly now. As she
! slowly neared her former landing
it seemed to her that her
boat was fastened from the
run" word about the "run."
From the rough landing place bridge
of two planks was carried out on a
rickety and high framework to the
channel. Fisherman could thus get in
at any tide. The bridge was not two
planks all the way; the middle length
of i. was only one plank wide. 1t
seemed downright cruel that her boat
should thus have been changed from
! the shore mooring, at which she had
left it. twas just about midway the
center length of the bridge, too. Madge
had the choice of rowing to the shore
and from the landing making her way
| to the center of the bridge or of stop.
| ping at the water end of the bridge,
leaving her borrowed boat there and
! walking the length of the bridge to
| shore, taking up the boat as she went
At least this plan involved the least
| rowing.
Madge YEARLY made her way to the
ladder that hung from the end of the
! planking, fastened the terrible old tub
that had brought her, and prepared to
climb the ladder up to the planking.
| 1t was a steep ladder. Somehow, it all
seemed dreadfully lonely and ghostly;
the rounds of the ladder were clammy
and wet, the seaweed made them slip
| perry, the stiffness almost seemed to
shrek, the moonlight wavercd on the
water as IL alive. A long, white hand
reached in front of her. She looked
! up, her blood thicltening a little. The
face Of the old man from whom she had
had her grudging permission to take
q boat hung over her from the plank
above.
ZS"oh. thank you." said Madge, CULVER
ingly. 81 can get up better without
help thank you. wish you had not
/ moved the boat. though, ="
She was up now dizzily balanced on
I the slender planking and in need of a
steadying hand The old man was
gone,-gone, Ahead Of her stretched
the silent length of bridge: the moon
light brought every stick and stone into
+ clear view along the shore. recent
football upon the slender boards Of the
bridge must have set them TO tremb-
ling They were motionless. Only
silence, desolation and the moonlit
+ night were there Yet she had seen
him. She had seen him. his face yell
low in the moonlight. his beard stream
. ing down the ladder. his long. dreadful
f hand had been within reach. Madee
turned faint Then she shut her
teeth
''Nonsensel II he isn't here now he
wasn't here at all. of course. have
got to get that boat and have no time
TO faint" Madge spoke aloud. and the
sound of her own voice gave her cour-
age. She began the journey along the
plank. few feet from the water and
the whole bridge began to swing with
each step She seemed in midair; the
water far below glinted and ran with
the tide. IL seemed 10 carry her with
it. She thought Of turning back, but
IT was easier to 90 on than to turn
She stood still aud slipped of her little
slippers II would p easier TO keep
steady foothoId without the heels
Now the double planks were passed
and the single one hung before her. It's
own wsight made II bear dewa at the
middle Her srst step set IL 70 sway
ing under her feet She stretched her
hands out on either side for balance.
and Der shadow lay upon the water. .
dresaful threatening thing below her.
u cant stand IL AnS mora" she