Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-06-10
..That's good. She's heavy loadcd.

plotting IL terrible crime. and he re.
allied that if they caught him caves
dropping they would not scruplc to
kill him. 1t was certain that the Dry
Rock light must burn. and equally
certain that the false light at Shell
Cove must not.
Scvarc determined to effect both. IL
possible.
Finally, the men having perfected
their plans, walked away, and the
watcher pecping after them saw that
their coats were heavy and coarse,
their boards shaggy. and their faces
flushed and fierce.
Clouds were gathering rapidly in
the south. and the wind came in
quick, sudden putls, the sure fore-run-
q of Il tempest.
The hoy seized his fish and lines.
and descended to the beach. carefully
looking tiiis way and that. and then
SIT oil with Il queer, hobbling pace.
toward the western end of the island.
When he cam" out i'm sight of Dry
Rock. Il broad, fiat stone that rose
like Il table out OF the water Il half
dozen rods from the beach and was
seldom ovcrilowcd ut high tide, hcsaw
that it had been nearly stripped of
iircwood. The place had been used
as IL base for the bonfire. it being the
extreme point of the island. and the
beacon light from its level surface
had guided many Il ship into harbor.
III waS in Il sense IL natural light
house.
The tide had passed the cbb. and
already little cddics of incoming wa
ter were whirling on the sandy beach
between shore and the isolated rock.
He hurried across the space and piled
together what few pieces of wood
were remaining. 1t was as the fish
erman had said-thcY would not burn
Il quarter of an hour. The grove of
cottonwood and magnolia trees where
the wood was gathered was nearly
half a mile away, but Sevare trudged
off bravcly to bring Il load of branches
for his fire. Never had the road
seemed so long, and when he reached
the grove he was nearly wcaried out.
Gathering all the limbs he could
carry. he set of for the rock, but it
was a we're task. The wind was
blowing Il gale from the gulf, and his
twisted limbs could scarcely carry him
forward.
The water was higher around the
rock, and when he threw the wood on
the huge stone there was such IL pitt
full l%ittlencss in the pile that he sank
down discouraged. How could he
build Il beacon fire with that small
portion?
AS he raised his eyes and looked
down the island toward the city there
twinklcd over the dark roof of the
revenue Office Il red light. 1t was the
lantern ordering Il fire on the rock.
Then it was true that Il ship was
coming.
At first Scvare thought he would
strike oni for the CITY, but hc could
not reach the revenue Office i'm three
hours, if at all, and then ii might be
too late. The Dry Rock light must
burn.
III WAS already growing dark, and
the hcwildcrcd hoy. with the heavy
responsibility ON his shoulders, scarcely
knew what 10 do. He wadcd through
the rising watcrand gained the beach.
The wind nearly took him of his
feet: never had he seen so wild "a
night.
Going to the little cabin he sat for
Il moment on the low doorstep.
suddenly Il thought came to him
that pointed Il way out of the diff
cultv. '.l'll do it," he said aloud and
IL new yigor seemed to come to the
crippled body.
Selling the ax with which his
grandfather cut wood for the light he
gave the hardest blow in his power at
the door of the cabin. Down it
crashed at his feet. Picking it up he
half walked half crawled to the beach
and then IN to the rock. Another
trip and he bore the cheap table on
which the two had eaten their meals.
Chairs, Il cupboard and finally the
loose doorstep followed until the pile
of dry material had grown to consid-
cradle proportions. The dark. lower
ing sky was now and then pierced
with lightning. and the noise of the
water was like that of IL hundred
horses laundering along the beach.
Ten o'clock they said the ship
would come" pondered the hoy. IL
will have time enough to go to Shell
Cove before l light the fire."
The tide was more than waist deep
as he returned to the island ard the
beach was covered so that he had to
scramble over the rocks higher up.
Struggling, leaping, falling, bruised
by the sharp points of the rocks and
frightened by the noise of the sea,
the cripple made his way across the
island, takinga short cut to the cove.
AS he came to the cliffs surround.
ing it he pecrcd ovar. half expecting
to see beacon fire blazing away he.
low him. But no. TIE men had moi
yet appeared. They doubtless con.
sidercd that it would be better t.
show their fire later.
Cautiously he crept down the de
clivity and searched here and there
for the supplies. At length he found
them on Il little promontoy juttinl
out into the water. Their, was !;
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