The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-09-27
geleet Story.
TRUTHS BEACON.
From Catholic Fireside.


1t was a dull, threatening day, but
there was deeper grayness than the sky s
on the face of the solitary occupant OF a
compartment in the Great Western train
which drew up at Reading, on its way to
Cornwall, on a September morning some
two or three years ago. Since leaving
Paddington he had neglected his newspa
per, ignored novel, and with little obser-
vation and less interest had watched the
passing scene. Now he was looking out
on the busy platform without definite Wis
ion of anything, but with vague percep-
tion of tall, dark object individualizing
itself from the crowd and moving towards
him. Then he became less vaguely aware
of an outstretched hand, smiling face,
and CHEEKY voice saying
"Noll Vernon, of all fellows in the
world How are you, old man You
seem quite disguised without your we'll
known smile
The solitary passenger awoke to inter-
est.
care you coming on by this train 2
Eyes, | am booked for Exeter, and jolly
glad | am to meet YOU [ am fond of
more agreeable company than my own.
And CHEEKY Dick Maynard proceeded to
make himself as comfortable as the COM
partment would permit.
Later, when the train was racing west
ward again he leaned toward Vernon and
said
"What is it, Noll? Yon look as gloomy
as if you were going to your own funeral "
81 hope Dick, replied Vernon, that
I should attend such a function with
lighter heart than have just now.
"What is it? May know ?" Dick
asked, sympathetically.
"Oh, yes, you may know Vernon
answered After slight pause he went
on: "You remember Cyril Grey p
''The ornamental boy; should think l
remember him
"He should have been making this trip
with me. =
"Why isn't hep
s'God knows r'-but the remark was
made quite seriously and reverently-'1
saw him last at Dieppe, three weeks ago.
| have waited for him fortnight.
"And he hasn't turned up?''
''No His yacht did-in double
sense Wreckage came ashore; two dead
bodies have been recovered, but no sign or
words of Cyril
"And you have given up all hope?'
absolutely. | seem to have seen
nothing for a week but his handsome,
graceful figure, lying with the deep, clear
water tossing over him.
'.Do his people know?'
''He hadn' tany.''
"And he WASH married p
''He was to have been married at the
end of the month. y
''Poor old Cyril p
'Your sisters would know the girl
Muriel Bently," Oliver added.
''Poor girl p
'sShe doesn't know it yet wish to
Heaven she did, for | am now on my way
to inform her. -
''Poor old Noll What task p
1t was surely one of the saddest of pos
sible tasks, and Oliver had been vainly
trying to think of some means of lessening
the force of the blow which his message
was bound to give. He was trying still
when he reached his journey end long
after Dick had left the train at Exeter.
A drive of six miles brought Oliver to the
quiet Cornish village of Terruth, near
which the Bentleys lived But he delayed
his going to the house for little while.
He dreaded his task and had not the faint
est idea how best to convey his news. He
turned down to the shore. He had always
loved the sea and perhaps it would teach
him how to tell of its cruelty. But that
day the water maddened him. 1t was so