Wallowa chieftain. [volume] (Joseph, Union County, Or.) 1884-1909, 1902-05-01
CHATTER NNTu

IHAI Ek ANlLL
The wild scene that meets her sight
strikes terror 10 her hea-r. The mad
roaring -oE the waves that, mountains
high. rush impe,uously inland 10 dash
themselves O. pieces against the granite
ROCKS. the cries Os the women: the hoarse
calls ot the men, the flaming. restless
torches mat ding q weird light upon the
picture: all serve 70 unnerve her.
And now a shout from The beach, A
dark object being dragged forward. a
valiant cheer, p-rnap, meant 70 reach
those miserable sou!- lowering on deaths
brink. and 50 give courage to their failing
hearts, II i the life-boat. and now
tall figure mas suddenly become
prominent, ne seems % tower above all
those around him. He is evidently ad-
dressing them with passionate words, and
now be springs into the boat. and with
renewed eloqueuce seems 70 compel those
present 10 follow him. His voice, in its
yehemsuce. rises even above the storm.
Not that the stricken girl crpuchinS with
in the shelter Ot her rock needs that tes-
timony to know that II IS ne whom her
soul loveth
Vera staEZers 10 her feet and stares
bllndly into the semi-darkuess. 4 hearty
cry goes up from those crowded together
Oh the beach. The mists have cleared
away from the moon, and she can see
as well as those eager watchers that the
nve black spots that were upon the rig
eing are no longer there.
They have been successful, then. so
far. They have taken those five half.
dead creatures into the blessed lireboat
Srrraf- 81 he
such sea in safety, they can return.
a blessed relief comes to her, so sharp
", 50 unpreparedly. that she almost gives
way beneath it. The good ship, indeed,
is gone. Where the black, iudistiact mass
stood a minute since, now all is bare
there Is but sea and sky, and the memory
OF il. But the lfeboat still lives.
Every onward dash OF the tempestuous
waves drives the lifeboat the more sure
ly into shelter, until at last il touches
ground. A hundred eager hands are
stretched out to prevent the returning
wave from carrying il 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 it for
cibly into safety.
Dysart spFinginG TO land, helps out the
rescued men. now exhausted by fear and
exposure-one Of them. indeed. has faint
ed-buc there are kindly arms open 10
receive them and kindly voices u bid
them welcOme-dnd TO praise the God Of
sea and land for their delivery from
death this night.
With hurried wave Of the hand he
turns abruptly away from the cheering
crowd and the dancing torchlights. and
makes MS way through the heavy dark
ness toward the small. pathway that will
lead u the road above. Stumbling, un.
certain. and feeling altogether exhausted.
he nevertheless hnds it, and puts out his
hand tc grope for tle rock that ne knows
stands at the right side Of 1t, where the
beach commences.
Good heavens, what is this? He
starts violently, and then his fingers fast
en- with almost convulsive energy over
the small cold hand that has been thrust
into mis-. 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 to
him with passionate yehemence.
1T is you-you. And you are safe.
Oh Seaton. Oh, thank heaven, thank
heaven"
Whose voice is it? Not Yeras? Vera.
and yet the clinging arms are warm, liv.
ing, and genuine; the sobbing voice is
real; small disheveled head is very close
TO him-very. What has happened? Ha,
he gone mad?
He is ghastly pale, white as the death
from which he has but just now so mar.
rowly escaped, and across his right TEN.
pie there is a slight streak Of blood, still
wet. This adds to his pallor. Vera, see.
ing it, shudders violently, and inrolun.
tarily, almost unconsciously, lifts her
hand. and presses her handkerchief to
the wound.
Speak" says he. and now the word
is command. 1t rings sharply. There
is a very anguish Of doubt in his tone
and his eyes, burning into hers, are 50
full OF desperate question. that they ut.
terly unnerve her.
The strain Of the past terrible hours
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
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, 81 am too
happy. / do not know what to say.
cannot 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.
CThe end)
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