Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1899-07-20
CHAPTER XNIII.
TIL IIIt 4 Ilrs III trIII, CrnIl ~

tllAI ER ANIL.
IN TIE HEART or THE STORM
But, barring the storm, OF these matters
knew nothing then nor for some time after
their occurrence. Now ! stood and strained
at the wheel, squeezing the vessel INTO the
wind Is close Il, she would 90, having an I'M
reasonable objection to making the least
southlng IN the course. And yet ! was UNI
certain as TO the exact point to which ! was
steering, possessing no compass save the
teltdIc which Was sat into the cabin cell
ing and out of reach OF my eye. If escaped
the pitlless and trcacherous sands of the
coast OF Long Island | would be well con.
tent, and by holding to the present tack |
had little fear of disaster from that quarter.
figured that we had made half the length
Of Long Island up 10 the time we had been
overhaulcd and the calm set in, and that in
a wind for he most part light. Ii this was
So, id the rate which we were now going
hoped to enter Vineyard sound by noon on
the morrow barring disaster and p hours
from the present would see me at my own
helrhs'onc The thought of it warmed me,
and great was my need of warmth Of some
KIND for | was as empty as 4 drum, tagged
by excitement and lack Of sleep, and had not
Known comfort for so long that my memory
Of it WAS misty.
But by midnight even the fceting comfort
Of thinking was gone. and soon after IN feel
ing was little better than block of stone.
That which | had gone through might not
be rcckoned by time alone it seemed the
experience of years. In my half.dazed state
felt that | had been an outlaw for years;
for years | had been fleeing and each day
fenced with death; for years known and pro-
tccted the girl and her brother; and for
years, it appeared, must stand and face
this bowling wind which bore against me
like living thing
The tempest which had come in the teeth
Of a smiling day, was marked "a wen by
capriciousncss as hy violence. As the ghast-
illness of early dawn broke in the cast and
| gradually awollc to the fact that morning
was at hand, the wind fell as though
chopped off or as if we had suddenly shot
into the lee of a vast wall In a half sense
less fashion, like a man under q drug, | tried
with fmitess efforts to shake Off the feel
ing of utter carelcssness which had fastened
to nv senses. With the calmncs- Of ahso.
lutte Indifference marked the sudden drop.
ping Of the wind. though knew full well
that IL portcndad 0n increase Of the gale,
nut WHICH, LOT now lbti+s from w liNt 'INdl ttt
or with what force, the Almighty alone
knew; as for me, | cared not ii it blew the
vessel out OF water With the same dull in
difference | marked our now danger and
every detail attending it. With the sudden
calm we were at the mercy of the long,
green foam.capped pillows which charged
toward us ike moving hills They came not,
like rollers, with the regular swing Of the
ground swell, but every surge was the head
waters of mighty dam broken loose, its
ctcst made up Of a mad throbbing mass Of
liquid torn into shreds and cross seas by its
own weight and violent motion Tie face
Of the world was vast tunut 81 ycaSty
ash-colorcd madness cut by the darkness Of
its hollows; a terror (f ! could have felt III,
not a horror; more sublime than grand,
more awful than sublime.
In five minutes we were III the trough Of
it, Without a zephyr to steady her, the
schooner walowed like crazy ling. The
roll, the sidclong heave and urch. the jerk
ing pitch and recovery were terib'e tests
to the stanchncss Of the vessel Alternately