The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1896-07-03
SHE'S ALL THE
WORLD TO ME-.

CHAPTER XVIII

10 sea Inc gentle breeze filled the can
vas, and for half an hour the lib lay over
the side, while the fishing boat scudded
along like IL startled bird
The sun rose over the land. thin gauze
Discerning it The red light flashed and
died away a. II the wind were the sun
shine The haggard faces of the men caught
at moments lurid glow from it. In the
west "a mass Of blush cloud rested little
while on the horizon and then passed into
nimbus of gray raincloud that fioatcd
above II. Such was the dawn and sun.
rise of fateful day.
They were sailing north. They had no
haven in their view. But Peel was behind
them Think what home is to the fisher
man who goes down into the great deep.
Then know that to them home could be all
this no longer. The silvery voices of girls,
the innocent prattle of little children, the
welcome of wife, the glowing hearth
these were theirs no more. Then belly out,
brave sail, and back off with noise like
thun9of. Let the blocks creak and the
ropes strain. Anywhere, anywhere away
from the whitening rcproach of the crime
of one and the guilt Of all
But they were standing only two miles
off Jurby point when once more the wind
fell to dead calm The men looked into
each others faces Here was tie work of
fate. There was to be no flying away God
meant them to die on these waters. The
sail tapped idly. They furled it, and the
boat drifted south
Then one after one sat down on deck,
helpless and hopeless Hours went by
The day wore on A passing breath some
cit, I
around was dumb dead, pulseless peace
Hearing only the faint flap of the ripping
tide, they drifted, driftcd drifted
Then they thought of home once more,
and now with other feelings Death was
before them-slow, sure, relentless death
There was to be no jugglery. let it be
death at home rather than death on this
desert sea Anything, anything but this
blind end-this dumb end-this dying bit
by bit on still waters. To see the dark
ness come again and the sun rise afrcsh,
and once more the sun sink and the dark
ness Deepen and still to lie there with
nothing around but the changeless sea,
and nothing above but the empty sky, and
only the eye of God upon them, while the
winds and the waters lay in his avenging
hand Let 1t rather be death-swift death,
just doath--there where their crime was
attempted and one black deed was done
Thus despair took hold of them and
drove all fear away. Each hard man, with
despair seated on his rugged face, longed,
like sick child, to lay his head in the
lap of home.
What's it saying9" muttered the old
man Quilleash. A green hill when far
away; bare, bare when it is near.
1t was some vague sense of their hope
lessness that was floating through the old
mans mind as he recalled the pathetic
Manx proyerb The others looked down
at the deck with stony stare.
Danny still lay forward When the
speck that had glidcd along the waters
could be seen no more, he had turned and
gazed in silence toward the eastern light
and the distant shores of morning If
madness be the symbol on earth of the
fortunes of the damned, Danny had then
a few hours blessed respite He saw calm
ly what he had done and why he had done
it. "Surely God Is just" he thought.
Surely he will not condemn me. Surely,
surely not" Then, amid surging inward
tears which his eyes refused to shed, the
simple lad tried to recall the good words
that he had heard in the course of his poor,
neglected, battered life. One after one
they came back to Inn, most of them from
some faraway and hazy dream world,
strangely bright with tho vision of face
that looked fondly upon him and even
kissed him tcnderly Gentle Jesus" and
Now lay me down to sleep"-he could
remember them both pretty well, and their
simple words went up with the supplica-
tory ardor of his great grown heart to the
sky on which his longing eyes were bent.
The thought of Mona intertwined itself
with the yearning hope of pardon and
peace 1t sustained him now to think OF
her She became part of his scheme OF
penitence, His love for her was to re-
deem him in the Fathers eye. He was to
take it to the foot of Gods white throne,
and when his guilt came up for Judgment
he was to lay it meekly there and look up
into the good Fathers face. God had sent
him his great love. and it was not for his
harm that he had sent it,
Then film overspread his sight, and
when he awoke he knew that he had slept.
He had seen Mona in dream. There was
happy thought in her face. She loved
and was beloved, Everything about her
spoke of peace. All her. troubles were
gone forever. No, not that either. In her
eyes was the reflection of his own face
and sometimes it made them sad. AT the
memory of this the dried up well of Dan
ny's own eyes moistened at last to tears.
The cold, thick winter day, was far worr
toward sunset. Not breath of wind was
stirring. Gilded by the suns rays the
waters to the west made floor Of blearet
red The fishing boat had drifted nearly
ten miles to the south. If she should drift
two miles more she must float into thu
southeasterly current that flows under
Contrary head. The crew lay half frozer
on the deck No one cared to go below.
All was still around them, and silence wa:
in their midst. At last a man lifted his
head and asked if any one could say what
had become of Christian. No one knew
Old Quilleash thought he must have com,
by some mischief and perhaps be captured
or even dead. 1t was only the genera
hopelessncss of their hearts that gave &
ready consent to this view of the possibili
ties. Then they talked of Christian as Il
he were no longer living man.
He didn't want to be in IL, didn't to,
young maSther, said one.
Did you see how he was for crisScrossiT
and putin up obstacles mt every turnY
said another
That was nothin to the way he was