The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-10

on the cliff opposite the great peaked
rock that lay few feet from the main
land? Then she remembered. 1t was the
lantern. She had Known before, without
fully realizing, for what the COW was
needed. The lantern-an old ships Ian
tern which gave a bright light-had been
tied around the cows neck or fastened
securely on her horns, and she left there
as misleading beacon The men would
be down below, awaiting the result of their
work, ready, doubtless, with boats to be
on the spot directly the ship would strike
the rock. AT this tide the rock would be
under water, but only just covered.
If she ran on the rock so much the
worse for her. She might do SO in any
case, If she were already close to land,
making for the harbor; but there was no
reason why the pilot should make a mis-
take as to the position of the harbor.
For Peggy to put out to sea, even if she
could do so undiscovered, would be at
tended with great perls, would take
time, and might be useless for how could
she be sure to reach the ship, and if she
did come alongside no doubt it would be
told her she had better give up that
scheme as madness. But she was not
powerless, quite, The sound of another
signal determined her. She ran back into
the cottage, snatched the hooded cloak
that was hanging on the door, and plung-
ed into the night.
That the ship was in danger already
there was no doubt. but if she could hold
on till the morning, or till there was light,
the worst might be averted. At any rate
there was no longer any doubt in Peggy's
mind that whether or no her efforts were
crowned with success, there was but one
course open TO her. 1t was fortunate that
almost from infancy the place had been
familiar TO her, or her climb would have
been perilous in the extreme as it was
il was fraught with difficulties enough
Sometimes the power of the wind made
1t almost impossible for her to keep her
footing and the rain had rendered the
snort grass very Slippery. But she held
on, sometimes on hands and knees, until
at last she stood high up on the cllff-top
with the storm tossed sea beneath her.
which was one of her own favorite places
in summer, she found the old blind cow,
which was lowing pitifully enough, poor
thing, at thus being exposed to the bleak
night, instead Of being in its shed and
any further movement than a few steps
to and from the seat. The COW herself
would have been Invisible to Peggy, being
brown in color, but the great light ii car
ried was unmistakable. Being compare
lively steady, and thus high up il must
seem like beacon to those on the ship
Peggy tried to unite the knot but Il
was stuff, and her fingers were trembling
However, she usually carried an old knife
in her belt, 1t was not over sharp, but
1t served. She spoke to the beast to re-
assure 1t, and then, holding the rope
she led 1t gently away. The poor creature
was stiff and weary, but perhaps it i'm
agined II was being led homeward, and
so II followed Peggy more swiftly than
when she had fetched it for her grand
father. Now that it was conscious Of
human presence, it seemed to lose its
fear. Not so Peggy. Her lips were set
close together, save when she opened them
to encourage her companion, but her heart
was beating violently as she made her
way down the slippery path. and she start
ed eow and then at an imagined sound
The men, she supposed, and rightly, were
down among the rocks near the harbor
and, therefore, would not be aware that
the light above was no longer there, but
if any of them should by chance be on
the opposite side of the river, and look
up, they would see the wandering light
and any inquiry would bring one or more
of them, perhaps Trevenna himself or
even her grandfather, to see why the
creature which they imagined securely
fastened had strayed away. If ii were
to be turned loose it might still do its
work wandering along the top of the
cliff, but not coming inland. And Ire
VIENNA had purposely made her secure lest
in her blindness she should fall over the
cliff into the sea and be lost to them.
What they would do to her should they
discover her, Peggy scarcely knew Half
kill her, perhaps. in their rage at being
thwarted. At any rate, she would for
ever forfeit the favor of these people
among whom she lived, and could scarce
ly hope for the forgiveness Of her grand /
father. If she thus deliberately set her
self against him. Nevertheless, she went
on steadily; in the day she would have
run down in few minutes, but now
the descent seemed to take hours. How
ever, at last they stood on level ground 1
But not yet was Peggy's work over. 1t
went to her heart to deceive the weary