The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1903-10-21
The =
Curse :, Darlington
BY X. TEMPLE MOORE.
kakkssM q * kS skskgs ssi
BY X. TEMPLE MOORE.

against force mightier than my
strength | distrust him fear him!
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 tell
| you who he is. He is your grand
fathers stepson-Cuthbert Bracken."
| Her" in startled dismay.
She remembered how her grandfath-
er had written of him--his scorn his
hatred. She rose up, shlvering strange
ly.
II 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"
A faint wind had risen, and was stir
ring her heavy draperies She stood
with clasped hands and dreamy eyes,
and looked far away to where the
black sea kissed the blacker sky.
1T was filed with papa!" she went
on. softly. 1t was such a glad life
such good life! He was all the world
to me. and--I lost HIM"
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
ooh, no! Not his place! No one
could ever take that to met"
She drew her soft wraps round her
and prepared to go below.
He is very wealthy" the captain
volunteered, after pause HE win
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
sharp snap.
"She inherit! Not while live, by
heaven!"
A swift, fiery fash tore across the
sky. He shrank back little as the
captain and his charge brushed by
him.
Once in her cabin Laurie Lisle flung
off her shawl and bonnet and went up
to little woman who sat reading by
the light of a swinging lamp.
did you think | was never coming
down? Capt. Merrick was so kind 70
me, and think the air. the little there
was Of it. 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 wrapper-a
soft, white, flowing wrapper of finest
cashmere-and sat down to read the
tedious hours away. All her beautiful
hair was unbound and rippled over her
shoulders, FURNISHED and billowy.
Ten! How fierce the storm was
growing! The lightning glared about
the room like the eyes of hungry
F, wolves; the thunder muttered and
roared; hoarse and more hoarse grew
| the howl Of the waters; higher and
higher the great white waves leaped.
| Eleven! Oh, God, what night! for
the sea and the sky were leagued-
| leagued against man! And whenever
| here came lula merciful breath
less pause-out leaped the whips of the
wind and dashed the storm anew
In the narrow. sitting cabin, Laurie
Lisle stood erect, and listened to the
| turmoil overhead, to the cries and
sounds that toid her or the brave souls
burning, the brave hands toiling, the
brave hearts struggling life!
Her eyes were dilated and black
with fear, but the soft, girlish lips
were compressed into one soft and
rigid line.
| Could they hold out much longer,
those earnest workers above? Oh,
where was He of Galilee. to whisper
Peace. be still!"
Every timber in the ship was creak-
| ing.
The wind was shrieking like thing
in pain. Up, down: up, down-from
billow to 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, boundless,
fetterless, shoreless.
"Fire!"
Fire! Fire at midnight-fire at sea!
Above the crash of the ceaseless thup-
der, above the roar of the hungry
ocean. above the wall of the mad
dened wind. that cry arose and out
shrilled--
Fire. fire, nre!"
CHAPTER ~.