Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1903-10-22
I The : = :
! Curse ., Carrington
7 BY X. TEMPLE MOORE.

BY X. TEMPLE MOORE.

StECu5tu. 4 uiSlEuSl uiM-A lSdI HiAh.
Who is he?"
The captain laughed cheerily.
Now, to prove To you how needless
ly nervous you have been, and that he
of whom you speak is more worthy
| your confidence than doubt. ! will tel,
you who he is. He is your grand
fathers stepson-Cuthbert Bracken."
Ter" in startled dismay.
She remembered how her grandfath-
er had written OF him-his scorn, his
hatred. She rose up, shivering strange
ly.
Il am afraid my forebodings were
right, after all. He is part of my new
life-of my yelled and shrouded new
life. All, the old was sweet-so
sweet"
Al faint wind bad risen, and was stir
ring her heavy draperies. She stood
with clasped hands and dreamy eyes,
and locked far away to where the
black sea kissed the blacker sky.
1T was filed with papa!@ she went
on. softly. II was such a glad life
such a good life! He was all the world
to me. and-I lost himl'
There was strange pathos in the
very simplicity of her grief.
Your grandfather will take his
! place." the captain began kindly.
But she lifted one slender hand in
swift resentment.
"Oh, no. Not his place. No one
could ever take that to mel"
She drew her soft wraps round her
and prepared to so below.
HE is very wealthy" the captain
volunteered, after a pause. He viii
make you his heiress."
Yes; / believe he wrote something
Of the sort to my father"
The man in the shadow behind
them brought his teeth together with
q sharp snap.
"she inheritl Not while | live, by
heaven!"
A swift, fiery fash tore across the
sky. He shrank back a little as the
captain and his charge brushed by
him.
Once in her cabin Laurie Isle flung
of her shawl and bonnet and went up
to a little woman who sat reading by
the light OF q swinging lamp.
did you think | was never coming
down? Capt. Merrick was so kind to
me. and I think the afr, the little there
was of IL. did me good"
The small, keen-eyed, rosy-cheeked.
gray-haired lady before her shook her
head In sad disbelief.
You are absolutely colorless, my
dear: you must try and have a good
sleep. Hark!"
A crash Of thunder rolled across the
waters. hoarse and ominous. Laurie
changed her dress for a wrapper-a
soft. white, flowing wrapper OF finest
cas~hmere-and sat down to read the
tedious hours away. All her beautiful
hair was unbound and rippied over her
shoulders, FURNISHED and billowy.
Ten! How fierce the storm was
growingi The lightning glared about
the room like the eyes Of hungry
, wolves; the thunder muttered and
roared; hoarse and more hoarse grew
the howl OF the waters; higher and
higher the great white waves leaped.
Eleveni oh. God, what a night. for
the sea and the sky were ~leagued-
leagued against mani And whenever
here came q lula merciful, breath
less pause-out leaped the whips Of the
wind and dashed the storm anew.
In the narrow, Sliding cabin, Laurie
Lisle stood efecr, and listened to the
turmoil overhead, TO the cries and
sounds that told her Of the brave souls
burning. the brave hands toiling, the
brave hearts struggling-fcr life.
Her eyes were dilated and black
with fear, but the soft, girlish lips
were compressed into one soft and
rigid line.
Gould they hold out much longer,
those earnest workers. above? Oh.
where was He OF Galpee. to whisper
peace, be still!"
Every timber in the ship was creak-
Ing.
The wind was shrieking like a thing
In pain. Up. down; up, downtown
billow 10 billow the vessel was dashed,
like the toys Of a child.
Midnight Hark! that wall of de-
spair! 1t sobbed through the dense
and starless night; 1t rang out TO the
ragged and stormy sky; 1t shivered
over the world OF waters. boundiess,
fetterless, shoreless.
"Firel"
Fire! Fire at midnight-fre at seal
Above the crash OF the ceaseiess shun-
der. above the o OF the hungry
ocean. above the wall Of the mad
dened wind. that cry arose and out
shrilled--
Fire. IRE. fret.
-
CHAPTER vi.