Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-22
again Call Pierre Noir, and hurry, or our
90 No will mound q hits the beach

again Call Pierre Noir. and hurry, or our
canoe will pound to bits upon the beach.
Gomez
All three went now knee-deep in the surf
and Du Mesne, clinging to the gunwale as
he passed out, was soon waist deep, and
time and again lost his footing in the flood.
Pull he cried at last. Now, en- avant!'
He had flung himself over the stern, and
with his knife cut the hide rope of the
anchor-stone. Overheard again in an In
slant, he joined the others in their rush up
the beach, and the three bore their ship
upon their shoulders above the reach of the
waves.
Myself" said Pierre Noir, shall sleep
beneath the boat tonight for since she sheds
water from below. she may do as well from
above"
Even SO, Pierre Noir," said Du Mesne,
but get you the boat farther toward your
own camp tonight Do you not see that
Monsieur Las is not with u.s."
Eth bien?'
And were he not surely with us at such
time. unless"
"Oh, assurement" replied Pierre Noir
Jean Breboeuf. aid me in taking the boat
back to our camp in the woods
Now came the rain. Not In steady and
even downpour. not with intermittent show
ers, but in a sidelong, terrifying torrent,
drenching. biting, cutting in its violence.
The swift weight Of the rain gave to the
trees more burden than they could bear
AS before the storm, when all was still.
there had come time and again the warn
ing boom Of falling tree, stricken with
mysterious mortal dread Of that which was
to come, now in the riot of that ar
rived danger, first one and then another
wide-armed monarch of the wood crashed
down, adding with its downfall to the tes-
timony Of the assaiiing tempest's strength
and fury. The lightning now came not only
in ragged blazes and long ripping lines Of
light, but in bursts and shocks, and in
bomb-like balls, exploding with elemental
detonations. Balls Of this tense surcharged
essence rolled out over the comb Of the
BLUM, fell upon the shadows of the water
and seemed to bound from crest to white
capped crest, tin at last they split and
burst asunder like some ominous missiles
from engines of wrath and destruction.
And now, suddenly. all grew still again.
The sky took on a lighter, livid tone, one of
pure venom. There came a whisper, muir
MUIR rush as Of mighty waters, signing
as Of an army of the condemned, a shrieking
as of legions Of the lost roaring as of all
the soul-felt tortures Of world From the
forest rose continuous rending crash. The
whiplash of the tempest cracked the tree
trunks as a child beheads row Of daisies.
Piled up, falling, riven asunder, torn out
by the wind, the giant trees Joined the toys
which the cynic storm gathered in its hands
and bore along until such time as it should
please to crush and drop them.
There passed out over the black sea of
Michiganon a vast black wrath; a thing
horrible, tremendous, titanic in organic
power. 1t howled. execrated. menaced;
ing house still stood! Under the sheltered
log some tiny sparks of fire still burned.
omen OF the unquenchable hearthstones
which the land was yet to know!
Holy God! what was it? What was that
which passed?" cried Jean Breboeuf. crawl
ing out from beneath his shelter. Saint
Mary defend us all this night! Twas the
great Canoe OF the Damned, running au