Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-09-06
A SACl7TARIUS WOMAN
By OLARIOE IRENE OLIHGHAI.
copyright. 1893. by the Authorl

By OLARIOE IRENE 0LIHGHAH.
copyright. isss. by the Authorl
tcoNTINUKD.
Meanwhile the perpetrator q s0eee
dire evils sat comfortably ensconoed In
q little hollow Of the rock. expatiating
to General Stanhope Of the Importance
Of founding college Of solar biology.
From their position on the narrow shelf
Of rock they watched the advancing tide
which bounded sullsnly against the re-
sisting wall OF stone. Tho booming Of
the waves dr owned another sound which
came warn;ngly now and then-the
mutterings OF thunder. So. facing . se-
rene horizon sheltered In part from the
wind and deafened by the sound Of the
sea to the artillery Of the sky. the two
elderly men whiled away the afternoon
chatting aud smoking. The first intims.
tion that came to them Of the storm was
the angry aspect Of the ocean and the
rapidity with which the late afternoon
dropped into dusk.
"Shouldn' wonder II we were going
70 have Storm. remarked the gener.
al, rising. "Do you see how wild the
sea isy''
Before the professor could reply
glare Of lightning split the sky, follow
ed by crash Of thunder which seemed
70 bring heaven and earth together
The general. being taller and more agile
was the first to ascend to point where
he might spy out the land He stopped
short, aud his calm. intellectual face
assumed such an expression that the
professor. who had paused below to take
breath, was fain to inquire what the
matter was
"A good deal is the matter. should
say. We're on an island.
Professor Swithin clambered labori.
ously up to level with bis companion,
and bis face blanched and then paled.
Stretching out before them, landward,
for nearly mile was an angry waste
Of waters. which. infuriated by the ris-
ing storm. was already tossing spray mp
into their very faces. and the tide was
rising. Above loomed an awful sky.
torn up by flashes of vivid fire and
roaring with the sullen rage Of beast
Of prey. Already 1t was dark. and big
splashes Of rain cut their faces now and
then
"Can you swimi" asked the professor
In hushed voice
"No Who could gain the shore
through such sen Us that anyway! It's
awkward. We may have TO remain here
all night
NO" said the professor In hollow
voice; I'VE shall never remain here all
night"
"how de- you know" asked the gen.
eral unoasily.
Because this rock is entirely covered
al high tide.
"Merciful heavensl How calm you
arei" cried the general "IIere we've
been sitting all the afternoon like .
pair Of turtlcdoves, and | never had
any idea Of such o trick. Why didn't
you tell ;ne?"
II gave you my word Of honor I for.
got all about it," said the professor,
wiping the cold moisture from his
brow. my mind was on other things,
don { you knowl Yes. that was the way
it was.
The two men gazed at each other with
that awful sincerity that sudden ca
lamity calls forth. An observer would
have noticed that the horror Of the mo.
ment had intensified the natural pecul-
isrities Of each. The general looked
taller. thinner. paler and more shrunk-
en-, while the professor had apparently
grown shorter. stouter and redder In the
face.
"Well, we'll. something must be
done. said tine general at last, rousing
himself Here is the tide mp to our
feet already Our only chance Is to at.
tract attention from the shore. It's too
dark for them to see Us. Let me see-I
think have 1t. Have You match?"
The professor held one ont In clammy
fingers. The general took of his coat,
touched the match to IL, and then, fling
ing the blazing garment over his walk
ing stick. waved it to and fro until o
dash Of rain extinguished the flames
The storm was now full upon them.
Embracing narrow point OF rock, and
buffeted by the storm In one direction
and !ashed by the sea In another. they
were prone to be silent for many min-
utes At last the generals voice could
be heard uplifted in anathemas upon
the peninsula and everybody on 1t; next
he blamed himself for having come
there; then with rising infection and
stronger expletives he spoke OF solar
biology in terms which left the pro-
fessor no room for hope that even II
they escaped any Of his fortune would
be given for the extension Of learning
along this line. Meanwhile the tide
crept up. They were half submerged
Presently the generals voice was heard
again.
1T isn't that I'm afraid to die. he
shrieked above the storm; "it's the alb.
surd situation-men at our time Of life
falling into . trap like thia A man
who has faced shot and shell as have
drowned like o ratl It's simply fool
ishr'
Death has no-terrors for me,
gasped the professor, who was shiveriug
with cold and fright, "but I've always
had objections to being d-drowned-
yes. a sin -gular thing"
A cry Of joy from the general inter
rupted him. "A boat--a boat" be
cried. "Saw IL BY fash Of lightning
Hellol Hellol There it 10 again-looks
like my nephew.
Hello! Hold onl" cried clear voice
above the storm. The little boat tossed
like leaf In the wind. came nearer.
"It 10 my nephew, God bless himP
Nfezax,