The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-24
PART Nv.

Before Frank Shirley had swan a
stones throw from the Hedge he felt
his strength failing. He knew that he
would never cover half the distance
between Gull Rock and Compass Is
land. If only his own life had been at
stake he would have ceased to struggle.
But for the sake of the girl whom his
folly had led into deadly peril, he re-
solved that he would never yield while
his power to move on hand or foot re-
manned with him.
The time had come when he, too,
looked beyond the visible laws of tide
and wave to Him who had made them.
Had he fought for his own life only he
might not have dared expect mercy
from the sea, which is the most cruel
of GODS creatures. But in an effort
which he knew was good, he felt that
there should be power on his side.
Even within the ordinary course of
things it would be possible that he
should find some bit of driftwood that
would sustain him while he struggled
on. But his hands encountered moth
irg but the water, and from the top
of each succeeding wave his eager
ees saw nothing but white crests and
Jet black pillows.
He lost account of time and distance.
He knew only that the time seemed
long to memory and short to hope.
Whether he had won a hundred yards
! of half mile was q mere guess. His
course he directed vaguely by the wind
| and sea, but what did it matter? Still
he knew that it was besst to work a
| little to the right of the direct line of
the waves, for Compass Island was not
| quite truly leeweard of Gull Rock.
1t is wonderful how many strokes a
| swimmer can take after that one which
seems the very last of which he is
capable. Shirley swan on and on,
though his arms had come to such a
degree of weariness and cold that he
had no feeling of where they were. The
effort of each stroke was made in his
brain, and he had no sensation of COM
pliance with the impulses of his own
| WILL
Then suddenly he was conscious of
something vast and black towering be-
side him. A warning in his ears took
a definite form. He recognized the
noise of waves dashing upon rocks. His
hand touched a smooth wall, and he
was hurled along it by the send of the
sea. Again and again! He could get
/
weed entangled itself in his hand
He closed upon it with the drowning
mans frantic clutch. 1t was wrenched
from the rock. The reaction threw him
upon his side. A wave rolled him over
and over, and he sank, believing in his
soul that he would rise no more. In
terminable moments passed. Then he
felt his foot shoot up in the air. The
waves. no longer broke around him
Swimming wes easy there. He took a
great stroke, and another. He saw in
front of him a faint white crescent, ano
he knew what it was. A moment later
he was sprawliug on a smooth sand
beach, out of the waves and sheltered
from the wind.
Shirley needed only a moment of rest
The joy of triumph revived him. He
had accomplished the impossible. He
whispered to the beach on which hC
lay--hurriedly, over and over again
Il have done it! l have done it," In
his excited fancy the long struggle with
the waves was condensed into a single
effort. He did not doubt that there
was ample time to return and save his
friends.
Springing to his feet, he looked Gag,
erly around. The little sand beach lay
in a niche between steep rocks fifty
feet or more in height. At the. head OF
the beach there was a crumbling wal
of rock which Shirley presently scaled
Struggling spruce trees fringed the low
cliff, and beyond them the land seemed
to slope gently downward.
Though Shirley did not recognize tn,
spot, he judged that it must be abou
midway of the north shore of Com
pass Island. The two houses on tn,
island stood close together at the heaC
of a cove in the eastern shore. Tive
brothers named Rodman, with theii
families, lived there, farming the rocky
soil of the island and fishing in the al
most deserted waters round about.
Shirley supposed that a run OF {
1 quarter of a mile would bring him L
the houses; so, with good will h,
plunged among the trees, reckless o.
the rough ground and the darkness