The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-13


she slipped out of the cottage and down
to the quay.
Dan might be nothing to her now. but the
habit of a lifetime was strong in her.
Never, since he had been going TO the fish
ing. had she passed through storm such
as this without a vigil on that quay. and
never had the boats come in after a night
of peril unless she had been the first on
the beach to welcome him.
Her fine gentleman lover was forgotten
In this first hour of stress. when the
thunder rolled and the wind ragged, and
Dan. her Dan, was out at the mercy of that
black. heaving sea.
Don't zee stand there in the teeth of the
lightning said the last of the women to
take shelter. But Phoebe neither needed
nor answered her.
At last her conscience was awakening.
The storm was teaching her heart the
lesson 1t could learn only by painful ordeal
What was it Mr.. Russell had said about
the bitterness OF her life if she married
Dan? Why, the bitterness would be if she
married anyone elsei
How could she go through storms like
this safely inside fine house, and remem-
Der that Dan was at the fishing, and that
she must not pray for or even think OF him?
Her life was here. indissolubly bound up
In this mighty, merciless sea, and away
from it, turned into a grand lady. she
should pine and die! How wicked she had
been to Dan! And how he had pleaded for
reconciliation! The very first thing in
the morning she would go and break II all
off with Mr.. Russell, and she and Dan
would never again be parted.
All! But perhaps now it was too late.
Perhaps Dan
What was that?
Above the shrek of the gale and the.
roar of the waves sounded the clang, clang,
clang of a deep-toned bell, and Phoebe
flung up her arms with wild cry.
at is the Astarte bell! 1t is the Astarte
bell!'' she screamed aloud. Dan will be
drowned, and then what shall dor
An arm was flung around her in the
| darkness and Guy Russelrs voice ex-
claimed.
phoebe! You here in this awful
weather! And talking about Dan! What
does it mean?"
She chung to him sobbing and trembling.
''Oh. Mr.. Russell. 1t is the Astarte bell!
Don't ZEE hear it? And Dan will be
| drowned and I shall go mad. I shall!'
Hush, hush, dearT' he said. There is
no bell. 1t is only your imagination. And
besides. you remember you told me the
other day it only tolls the knell Of the
best beloved. and not yours?'
mo, no! 1 must have been mad all
along. 1 never loved zee half nor quarter
so well as Dan. 1t is Dan 1 love, and him
1 mean to marry, if so be as heaven spares
M ,oio
| And please, Mr. Russell. don't ee never
| again speak another word of love to me,
for it is like 1 told told zee first along,
| it isn't proper at ALL"
| A flash of lightning sudden and fierce.
above the blackness of the waters. showed
him the girls face, pale and SET and for
the first time in his life Guy Russell felt
a thrill of something approaching COM
junction for his careless. selfish triling
with his fellow creatures affections and
| happiness.
VERY well, Phoebe" he said, humbly;
I'VE will let it end on this
And through those long hours Of gale
| and tempest he stood beside her, until at
| last the dawn began to break over the
storm-ridden sea, the thunder died down
to distant mutterings, and the women
| grouped themselves again on the beach
and in the lighthouse tower, watching the
narrow mouth of the little harbor with
straining eyes; and by and by tan-saied
boat hove round the Death-stone Point
| and a glad shout arose.
| There is one of them!"
| Then appeared another and yet another
and another, and soon all the fleet was
counted up, and in across the waves, still
angry and seething. they tackled to the
quay.
! Are zee all right?" was the cry from the
shore.
AYE. aye; all safe and sound. every
mothers son of u.s." came the answer, and
Phoebe burst into flood of glad tears.
'And 1 heard the Astarte bell, as plain
as plain could be-" she sobbed. 'I'll never
believe in such old tales no more"
A few OF the women looked at her IN
surprise.
"She can't forget Dan, after ALL" they
said to each other. But they were still
more surprised when the stalwart young
fisherman stepped ashore and the girl who
had Tilted him rushed forward and threw
herself into his arms.
"Why, Phoebe" he gasped.
"It is all right" said Guy Russell, with a
smile. 1.-The storm has done you a good
turn, my lad. Phoebe discovered last night
| that it was you, and not me- she loves,
| after all, and that she cannot live without
| you so if you are a sensible fellow you will
make it all up at once and accept my apol-
| ogy for poaching your preserves"
| 81 thought sure heard the Astarte bell,
Dan," she sobbed "And thought should
| never see zee again.
| Dan bent and kissed her before them all
Cornish fishing village is not much more
than one big family, after all.
| please heaven you'll never hear the AS
| tarte bell my DEAR he said. 'And wen be
married come Michaelmas, like us said all
| along"
Guy Russell dropped his hand on his
| shoulder.
That's a good chap" he said. And If
you will allow me 1 will give you a fishing
! smack of your own for a wedding present"
And so he did before he went back TO
| London and the old Bohemian life. In the
| Dan and Phoebe Dan Polwhele makes his
nightly trips, and his devoted wife has
never again imagined that she heard 1.-THE
| Astarte bell"
copyright. 1927
|
A Diagnosis.
| Washington Star.
-