The Press., 1893-02-23
CHAPTER III.

Staggered to the Di7JdGW tUith his load.
 He strode back to his boarding place and spent the night writing. Opening his window in the chill gray dawn he heard the dull, distant roar of the sea- heard it, he thought, nearer, wilder than ever before. A group of men in oilskin suits were plodding silently along. For syth recognized them-they were from the life saving station. What were they doing? There was no storm, no wind. And while he thought about it the sound of terror, of theremorseless waves coming higher, nearer, seemed to thun- der Danger! Dangerl''
 Forsyth caught his mackintosh from hook, sprang through the raised win dow, which was on the ground floor, and hurried after the men.
 What's up, Olmstead?" he asked of one of them whom he knew.
 ''There's devil of high tider'
 Have the boats been washed away?'
 Boats! The whole beach'll be washed away, I'm thinking"
 Are the cottages in danger?"
 ''That's what we are going to see about"
 Forsyth asked no more. Craig cot tage and the Eliots' villa were quarter of mile apart, and both were very near the beach. There were no men but the servants in either.
 The light grew stronger moment by moment and the noise fairly deafening as they approached the sea.
 "How long before f1ood?" asked For syth uneasily.
 'Still an hour" and while the man was speaking the party paused at the sight before them-a gray wave with curling streamers of spray lowered above the distant sand dune and broke hissing beyond 1.-the first.
 A shudder ran through the little party.
 I've had better divide" suggested Forsyth. Count me as one of you This is the nearer way to Mrs. Eliot's The waves must be up to their lawn Let us make haste"
 A moment later and they could see the villa, and as they sighted it a group of people were rushing from it with cries that were drowned byt the tumult of the waves. 1r:.. .>.
 "They have escapedt, and none too soon," muttered Phil Olmstead.
 Forsyth was pressing in advance 1t is not the family--it is the. servants" he groaned as the ha1ffclad men and women ran beckoning fra1itfcaliy toward them.
 Waiting for nothing, they passed on, but not so fast as the high tide. A great crash of shattered glass told them that the windows were giving way. Forsyth ran now like a man possessed. The beau tiful villa was creaking like vessel among the tossing waves. Already ar ticleso of furniture were floating about
 '"These are. the chambers" he shouted and began the ascent of a ladder which stood-it did not occur to him to wonder how it came .there-under Miss Arma- dale's window.
 In the gray light. amid the deafening roar of wind and waves, he leaped into the girls chamber A man was before him. This man stood by the bedside. ".Hopeg' he shrieked as he lifted the unawakened girl and huddling the sheets about her staggered to the win dow with his load. Forsyth had paused. Hope awoke now, and paralyZed with fear struggled from the arms of her saviour, and the three confronted one another-Alan Craig, Forsyth and the woman they both loved. .
 The water into which they descended was knee deep. Olmstead bound the little party together and fairly hauled the women to spot of safety.
 Their lives were saved, and as they flew from the scene the wild waves were sweeping through the pretty rooms, through the presses filled with dainty garments, scattering the contents of toi- let cases and jewel boxes.