Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-10-28
CHAPTER V.
DEEPGANG,

DEEPGANG.
Out upon the jutting cliffs and desc
taken up his solitary abode, the
storm ragged even more ferctly, seem
ing to revel in total abandonment to
its fury.
GOOD help all poor souls at sea this
night" cried the old dame, as she
shivered, and heaped more wood
upon the fire, and swept in the
ashes scattered by the blast.
"Many storm ha' seen in these
parts" she muttered to herself, "but
meier such one as this-ne'er such a
one as this"
She turned some clothes, that were
airing at the fire, in apparent eXpec-
tation of some outdoor wanderers
return, and was in the act of putting
a pair of shoes upon the hearth, when
the whole room was lighted up by the
vivid flash that blazed around it, and
was followed by a crash SO appalling,
it seemed as if the rocks were split
asunder, aud the whole universe were
tumbling into the abyss.
ners!" cried the poor, terrified crea-
ture, as she dropped into o chair and
hid her face IN hor hands.
There was a pause, and very faint
ly came the splash of something fall
fng into the waters below; then all was
STILL the easement WAS closed and
made fast.
Whether at the keenness of the pen
etrating blast, or that, deaf as she
was, she had distinguished the sound,
the old woman gave herself a nervous
shake, and then, busying herself about
the room, now and again muttering
TO herself aloud, in her querulous way,
and after the habit Of persons who
are accustomed to be much alone.
tDorcasp'
She did not hear till the call had
been repeated twice from the stairs,
then she hurried to the door and open
ed it.
44ShoW q light here, said the deep,
stern voice of Saul Meghorn.
She did as desired, and then entered.
lie had evidently been changing his
wet clothes upstairs, for the linen he
had on was fresh; he wore no coat,
the left sleeve of the shirt was turned
back to the shoulder, the arm had
been hurriedly bound in a silk hand
kerchief, which was stained through
with blood, and he held it supported
In the other hand
"Here! bring your needles and
thread, and doctoring stuffs; | got a
scratch on the rocks down below, and
want botching up bit. Quick, nowl
I mnst be going"
His long black hair was thrust back
from his brows; therain had drenched
it, and the moisture dripped upon his
shoulders and on to the floor behind
him.
'fHas Yawmans been IMP" he asked
abruptly.
She replied in the negative.
@'Nor Gramplin, from the Peep-o'-
day."
"Nay! no ones been nigh the whole
blessed night; and I'd like to be skeer-
ed out O. what little wits | have lett,
what wi the thunder and the wind"
''It's gone past now, the worst OF it, F"
he said, as he rose from his knee, and
she broke off her thread from the
bandage.
But, ere the words had passed his
lips, another broad flash and swiftly
following peal gave a denial to what
he said
''The wind is changing, it will be clear
at daybreak," he said, confidently as
he threw on rough coat, a tarpaulin,
and hat, seaWorthy.
S'Bring the light, Dorcas, and bolt
this door behind me-"
She followed him, but at the stair
foot he stopped abruptly.
s'Wipe that mess off, y pointing with
his finger to the stair, where a bright
red stain or two was deepening into
the wood; "this confounded scratch
was bleeding as | came, | could not
stop it: wipe it off at once"
He went out into the ground-half
garden. half unreclaimed doWn-which
skirted the dwelling, and disappeared.
But the old woman had shut to the
door close upon his exit, and barred
and bolted it fast.
Then she set about scrubbing out
the eyesores on the stairs, tracing
them at intervals to the door Off Saul S
chamber.
eDeary me! deary me! it's an aw-
some life thisn' grunnbled the old wom-
an, as she crept back to her kitchen.
<'Eh. that be a bad place, in truth,
and it's more than a scratch on the
rock. They'll ha' been falling in WI,
the coast-guard, surely-well, well; l
do hope yon fellows got the worst on t.
I owe them no blessing. They took
nay lad from me- and is Saul do go
longths-well, we'll; what can body
do? 1 mum lay the old bones some
where" So she nodded and grumbled
IN her chair, while the wood fire flick