The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-05-15

against the SLY and the black rocks, firing
I'd at the waters edge with white spray.
Beneath was the narrow covelet cleft out
Of the hillside and apparently accessible
only from the sea. In front was the ocean,
whose moan came up TO them mingled
with the shrill cry Of the long neckod birds
that lAbored midway in the burdened air
What is the name OF that pretty bayY"
asked the cir
"PoolNash, " answered Mona.
And what does it mean?' asked the
nttlo one
THE bay of death, " said Mona That's
what they used to call it long ago. but
they call it the Lockjaw now"
And what does that mean?" asked Ru-
by again, with childs tireless curiosity.
"Itmcans, | suppose, that the tide comes
up into it, and then no one can get either
in or out. "
ooh, what a pity Look at the lovely
shells in the shingle, said Ruby.
Just then n step was heard on the path
below, and in a moment Bill Kisseck came
up beside them He looked suspiciously at
Mona and passed without word
"That gel of Kinvigs is sniffn round,'
Ne said to his wife when he reached home
She wouldn't be partikler what she'd do
If she got peep and skute into any
thing"
Didn't Sou say no one could get up or
down the Lockiaw when the tide is upy"
asked Ruby as she trippcd home at Mona's
side
Yes" said Mona, except from the
sea. "
and isn't the tide up nowP" said Ruby,
Mona did not answer.
That night the storm that Danny had
predicted from the aspect Of the "cat's
tail" and the skate" broke over Peel with
terrific violence When morning dawned,
it was found that barns had been unroofed
and that luggers in the harbor had been
torn from their mornings The worst dam
age done was TO the old wooden pier and
the little wooden lighthouse. These had
been torn entirely away, and nothing re-
manned but the huge stone foundations
which were visible now at the bottom of
the ebb tide The morning was clear and
fine, the wind had dropped, and only the
swelling pillows in the bay and the timbers
floating on every side remained to tell Of
last nights tempest.
Little Ruby was early stirring, and be-
fore Mona and her mother were awake she
ran down the hill toward Peel An hour
passed and the little one had not returned
Two hours went by, and iona could see
no sign of the child from the corner of the
road Then she became anxious, and went
in search of her.
"Gerr out of this and take the boat
round to the Lockjaw, dye hear, shouted
Bill Kisseck, land see if any harms been
done down there! Take a rope or two and
that tarpaulin and cover up anything
that s wet. "
Danny lifted the tarpaulin and went
quietly out of the house.
I'm never make nothin of that lad, u
said Kisseck "He hasn't word to chuck
at dog.
Danny walked down to the harbor
throw the tarpaulin and two ropes into the
boat, got into it himself took the oar and
began to scull toward the sea. As he passed
the ruined end of the pier a voice hailed
him He looked up. 1t was Christian
Mylrea.
: IF you are going round the head, II
9 like to go with you, said Christian 81
want to see what mischief the sea has don,
to the west wall of the castle, Five year.
ago a storm like this swept away ten yard
of it at least.
Danny touched his cap and pulled up t.
j the pier Christian dropped, hand undel
hand, down a fixed wooden ladder and int
: the boat Then they sculled away. Whel
j. they reached the west of the island and hat
: with difficulty brought to against tn
G rocks Christian landed and found the OIL
= boundary wall overlooking the traditional
q Giants cave torn down to the depth O
0 several feet His interest was so strongl
q aroused that he would have staid lOnge
than Danny's business allowed. Leave m
: here and call as you return, he said, ALT
: then with characteristic irresolutiOn, h
v added, mo, take me with you"
The morning was fine, but cold, and t
/ keep up a comfortable warmth Christian
.t took an oar, and they rowed.
"This pestilential hole--I hate it, " sal
II Christian as they swept into the Lockjaw
10 "How high the tide is here!" he added i
d another tone
:. They ran the boat up the shingle an
jumped ashore. AS they did so their eaI
70 became sensible of feeble moan. Turr
ing about they saw something lying o
70 the stones 1t was child, Christian RI
"a to it and picked it up 1t was little RUBY
Is She was cold and apparently insensibl,
Christians face was livid, and his eye
seemed to start from his head
"Merciful Godr' he cried. what ca
have happenedY
< Then torrent of emotion came ovC
ID him, and bending on one knee, with ii
u child in his arms, the tears coursed dow
OF his checks de Rugged the little one I
Ia his breast to warm it. He chafed its lit
~ hands and kissed its pale lips and criet
'd RUBY, Ruby, my darling, my darling
W Danny stood by with amazement write
ry on his face Rising to his feet, Christia
w bore his burden to the boat and called G
m Danny to push off and away. The lad d
ed so without a word. He felt as if somethir
ny was choking him. and he could not speal
u, Christian stripped off his coat and wra
ID ped it about the child. Presently the lit
lie ones eyes opened, and she whispers
CO "How coldr' and cried piteously. WhC
IS the tears had ceased to flow, but still stoC
st in big drops on the little face Ruby loo
to ed up at Christian and then toward Dam
lu where nc sculled at the stern.
ge she wants to go to you, )" said Chri
lis tian, after a pause and with a great gu
ok in his throat. Danny dropped the oar al
Ut lifted the child very tenderly in his b