The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-10-10

fOOm With noise. IL aWOke NJ urlel
from her lethargy.
"What is that p she asked.
"The wind" replied her mother. "a
storm is raging"
"Is the beacon lishtcd?' came the
quick question. 81
"O6, yes, DEAR answered her mo-
tber.
Muriel started up, stepped to the
window and looked out. She saw at
glance that no light shone from where
the beacon stood 7s
at is not lighted! 1t must be-"
she said firmly.
1--WE cannot reach it now. No boat
could live in such sea, Mr.. Bentley
said. - .
"It must be lighted" Muriel re-
peated resolutely, her eyes flashing.
But Muriel, DEAR" her father urg-
ed more coaxingly, "there is no neces-
sity. 1t is never lighted except when
boats are out at night
Light it, light it," Muriel repeated
again and again. And then she burst
forth more scornfully: "You are
towards all; you will let good men go
to their deaths while you stand idle"
81 tell you, Muriel, that no boasts.
are out" her father said sternly. ..a5
She ignored the remark of her father
and demanded:
"Where is David 2" -....
David, weather beaten old fisher
man, WIS brought to her, and sad and
very much startled he looked when he
saw pale, wild-eyed figure asking
him to light the beacon which stood
within quarter of mile of raging
sea between it and the shore.
cali right, missy; don't 'ee worry,
there ain: no boats out"
You won't go. Then l will 60 my
s,,f Mr.. Vernon, will you come with
me? Truths Beacon must he lighted
tonight " a
Oliver would have welcomed GER
tain death as relief from the horrible
torture of the last two hours. He
looked at David inquiringly.
Il am willing to try sir" the ex
fisherman replied slowly to the un-
spoken query.
"Muriel, we will light the beacon
for you," Oliver said, adding to him
self, "or we shall not come back" a..
Two hours later Oliver and David
returned. Drenched, sore, and utterly
exhausted, they had the qualification
OF knowing that the beacon was light
ed. Oliver had hoped that the news
would rouse Muriel from her terrible
lethargy; but no, she simply thanked
him and relapsed into semi-lifelessness.
All food or stimulants she pushed
aside; she was needless alike of her
ia ther pacing the room still furiously
angry with Oliver, and Of her mother
seated near, anxiously and helplessly
watching the marble-like figure Of
Muriel. The doctor had been sent for
early in the evening, and had not come
yet.
Oliver, despite feeling in the way,
could not withdraw. He waited and
watched and wondered as midnight
came and passed and one clock struck
and then two. The silence within the
room was oppressive and made the
sound Of the wind and the booming of
the waves more terrible, whilst the
brooding sense of impending tragedy
made Oliver curiously nervous.
would morning never GOMEZ" he
groaned to himself And then he half
thought he heard the sound of a bell.
On the instant Muriel started up.
"He has come! He has come!" she
cried, facing the door. "Why don't
you let HIM in?" she added angrily, as
no one stirred,
Mrs. Bentley wrung her hands de-
spairingly. ..
"Oh, my poor dear child!' broke
from Mr.. Bentley.
"He has come! he has come!' Muriel
cried again; and the strange, set look
on her face, broke into smile of well
come, as another and louder peal rang
through the house.
Oliver threw open the door, a SER
want was heard shooting back the bolt
of the front entrance, and the almost
impossible happened-the dead came
back-Cyril's voice was heard. A
moment later Cyril bounded into the
room and NJ uriel, with an inarticulate
cry of welcome, fell unconscious into
his arms.
An hour later when wine and glad
ness were bringing back the color to I