The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-08-05
CHAPTER XIV.
THE FOG.

THE FOG.
The moon was up, and it cast a lusty light
over the lowands and the river, though its
setting would not be late. IL was lovely
night; in faith, all nature was possessed Of
q beauty which made the thought Of yield
ing up of life bitter enough. Everything
suggested freedom, from the rolling Of the
distant woodland on Long Island to the
sparkle and dance of the water which lay
between il and me, barring me from liberty
and my Unborn right TO breathe the free air.
The speck that shot across the brilliant
moon path knew to be patrol boat, and a
sudden hatred of the bonds that compassed
me, as exampled in that small floating thing,
brought my muscles into iron bands, and 4
cutched the sill with my fingers until the
casing cracked
turned back TO the others, and we ate
the balance Of our meal in silence, even the
girl feeling the growing nearuess of the end
and glancing furtively at each mans face in
turn.
| think we sat in this state Of depression
for much more than an hour, or long after
we had finished eating, and each face was
wel-nigh lost in the darkness. The window
being open, no light was made, and, as there
was not a breath OF wind, the stiffness was
only broken 10y the sounds OF night life with
out. There was faint simmer OF moon.
light on the Roor which barely gave form to
those at the table, but the only sign OF ami
nation existing within doors was the glow.
ing Of our three pipes as we men sat and
sucked away, each respecting the thoughts
OF the Others
At length Burt spoke 81 am bound to
confess that darkness looms ahead, he be-
gan, "and If make a suggestion, u IS not
10 hint that you should take hopeless
chance in order that ] may be rid OF you.
Could YOU do aught with boatg have one
concealed that might be made ready IN an
hour"
The spell of silence and inactivity was
broken, for the girl left her chair and
stepped softly TO the window as ] replied:
II have thought of boats, but only for the
Hudson side. Could we go far and not be
picked up by another such sneaking devil OF
a patrol as ! saw yonder? Whittier shall we
20? / say we for we it must be. have
cast my lot with the others.
He made no answer. and ] rose and joined
the girl (wEom could hardly yet think oil
as a girl at the window. But now the as
pcct of nature had changed, and the iair
picture | had seen below but a short time
before was blurred az a breath blurs cold
pane With the quick alteration possible IN
this region and at this season, within the
hour the night had grown damp and light,
low fog hung over the river and its banks,
go shallow, so still, and so silvery IN the
clear moonlight that il was as though a
quiet nundation had engulfcd the land and
turned the world into n lake. At the eleva-
ton from which / viewed II, looked down
upon il as one looks down upon the sea from
a low headland. A bllowy fullness lifted
here and there, slow moving and majestic,
but over its vast extent the line betwixt fog
and clear air was sharply drawn. No moon
track cut across this ileecy ocean, no sharp
ripple broke its surface, and breeze would
have wrecked its strange beauty IN second.
The trees rose through the vapor clear az
their tops but invisible at their bases, and
one dead sycamore stood strongly out
against the light like the masts and rigging
OF sunken ship. It's similarity struck me.
Az my eye caught it, like fash OF light
ming an idea shot into my brain and my
pipe snapped OFF at my teeth AS / bit
through the stem in the intensity OF my
feeling With a cry | sprang for Ames, and
gripping him 10y the shoulders with Force
that made him cry out, | said or rather
shouted:
81 have IL! have III Now is the time!
VIII you follow me and take a monstrous
chance? Look, man! Mark the fog! We
will to the boat-drft for the Phantom
cut her cable and trust to the ebb and God
above TO carry us past the fleet"
"The phantom For the love OF God,
what phantomg Are you suddenly DAFT,
Thorndyle, that you see ghosts!" was the
vehmcnt return Of the youth, az with a
violent twist he tried to free himself from
may, man, no ghosti" cried, botwixt a
laugh and a Sob so high was my nervous ex-
element my ship-thc schooner Phan-
toni Have l not told your She lies but a
mile below on a straight drift. See, man,
seep said J. hurrying him to the window.
"The fog will be our guardl Once away,
we are safe. IT'S death 10 bide here when
such a mask stands ready for our usel We
are yet alivel We are not spentl Will you
risk the outcome? Let us not stand here
and see those scarlet devils hem US in like a
ung OF hrei Better strangle in the sweet
brine beneath the vessels keel than be
5erked into the next world by means Of a
ropel Never shall they dance mel How
now Shall we sink or swim together in
the ventures"
| was beside myself with excitement. As
the meaning Of my words, which had been
poured out in disjointed sentences, caught
the youth, he instantly took fire. We were
now all standing, and | had released him
from my held. With bound he gained the
eide Of his sister. who had stood like a
statue a. my plan was unfolding, and taking
her hand. ne said:
"Gertrudel Gcrtrudel do You follow
himg Tia srand opening; 'tis like . call