Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1900-02-28
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euat ning a weird light upon the
picture; all serve to unnerve her.
AND now . shout from the beach! A
cark object being dragged forward, a
tanant cheer, perhaps meant to reach
nose miserable souls lowering on deaths
orink' and 80 give courage to their failing
hearts; It IL the life boat, and now
A tail figure has suddenly become
prominent: he seems to tower above all
cnose around him. He is evidently ad-
aressing them with passionate words, and
now he springs into the boat, and with
renewed eloQuence seems to compel those
present to follow him. His voice, in its
yehepepce. rises even ADORE the. storm.
Not that the stricken girl crouching with
IN the shelter of her rock needs that tes-
timony to know that 1t Is he whom her
| soul loveth.
Vera staggers to her feet and stares
ohndly into the semi-darkness A hearty
cry goes up from those crowded together
on the beach. The mists have cleared
away from the moon. and she can SCI
as well as those eager watchers that the
nve black spots that were upon the rig
ging are no longer there.
They have been successful, then, sc
far. They have taken those FIVE half
dead creatures into the blessed lifeboat
Surely. if the rescuers could go through
such sea in safety, they can return.
A blessed relief comes to her, so sharp
ly, 30 unpreparedly. that she almost gives
way beneath it. The good ship. indeed,
Is gone! Where the black, indistinct mass
stood a minute since, now all is bare
there is but sea and sky, and the memory
Of 1t! But the lifeboat still lives.
7 J.
waves drives the lifeboat the more sure
ly into shelter, until at last it touches
ground. A hundred eager hands arr
stretched out to prevent the returning
wave from carrying it backward, some Of
the men, more adventurous than the rest,
rush into the surging tide up to their
waists and seize the boat and drag il for
chilly into safety.
Dysart, springing to land, helps out the
! rescued men, now exhausted by fear and
| exposure-one Of them. indeed, has faint.
I, ed-but there are kindly arms open to
receive them and kindly voices to bio
them welcome-and to praise the God OF
sea and land for their delivery from
death this night.
With a hurried wave Of the hand he
turns abruptly away from the cheering
crowd and the dancing torchlights. and
{ makes his way through the heavy dark.
I ness toward the small pathway that viii
lead to the road above. Stumbling, un-
certain, and feeling altogether exhausted
he nevertheless finds 1t, and puts ont hia
hand to grope for the rock that he knows
stands at the right side Of it, where the
beach commences.
Good heavens, what is this? He
J starts violently, and then his fingers fast.
| en- with almost convulsive energy over
| the small cold hand that has been thrust
! into his. A sharp little cry breaks
| through the darkness, and then the cold
! hand Is hurriedly withdrawn, and two
| arms are thrown round him, and cling tc
| him with passionate vehemence.
| "It is you-you! And you are safe.
| Oh, Seaton, Oh, thank heaven, thank
| leaven"
Whose voice Is It? Not ra's? Vera.
/ and yet the clinging arms :. g warm, liv.
! !ng, and genuine; the sobbing voice h
, zeal; a small disheveled head Is very close
TO him-very! What has happened? Has
| ae gone mad?
| He is ghastly pale. white as the death
! from which he has but just now so mar.
| .owly escaped, and across his right tenn.
| Die there Is a slight streak of blood, still
vet. This adds to his pallor. Vera, see
| ng 1t, shudders violently. and involun-
,arily. almost unconsciously, lifts hei
hand. and presses her handkerchief te
| he wound.
Speak says he, and now the word
| Is a command. 1t rings sharply. There
| is a very anguish of doubt in his tone
/ and his eyes, burning into hers. are &C
! full of desperate question, that they ut
terIy uuuerye her
The strain Of the past terrible hour
has been too severe, and now she sinks
beneath it. She bursts into tears.
"Oh, yes, yes, yes!" she cries. giving
him thus vaguely the answer he requires.
In a moment his arms are round her,
crushing her against his heart. To him
J those incoherent words are full Of sweet
est meaning. Yes, she loves him. Who
shall tell the joy this knowledge brings
him-joy that Is almost pain!
Darling, darling!" whispers he, softly
And then after a little while, Il am toe
happy. 1 do not know what to say.
.annot speak" And then again. MAY
[ kiss your
He does not wait for permission. but
presses his lips to hers-dear lips, that
kiss him back again. with honest. heart
felt gladness.
The end)