The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-01-26
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BY MT CALDOR.
BY .M.TCALDOR.

CHAPTER vII.-fCoxrINUED.l J

and lent forward too far. Perhaps
was right, and yen all get away to lib
erty as well as me. Ye'd better light
fire on the cliff at night If you make ou
the sail. Poor little Ellie, don't cry SO
Toms dreadful sorry to leave ye all SC
lonesome here, but we mustn't rebe
ag'in the Lord, you know"
Immediately he ran off into a ram
bling, incoherent talk, that showed his
mind was away in the little hamlet Of
his native town. He laughed once
and spoke his sisters name in quick
glad way, like one who has come to a
happy meeting. Only once more he
spoke-this time with something of his
old CHEEKY heartiness.
That's comforting" said he. "Oh.
Mr.. Vernon, how glad am we've come
to love the Bible better'n them rhyming
Jocks. Read that again, please, sir, If
ye can see for the dark"
HE thinks we are at our evening
reading" whispered the awed, scarcely
breathing Walter.
Mr. Vernon looked piteously at the
ashy face, and filmed, unseeing eye, and
then conquering his emotion repeated
solemnly the psalm THE Lord Is nv
Shepherd" The words seemed tC reach
the dying ears. for contented smile
played round the pallid lips. Closer
and closer drew the sorrowing group.
The CLASSY eye was fixed now; the limbs
~ fou,rr.,. o,,ti,,arnd. orIv q faint fhr0h-
bing at the throat told of life, III a
few moments that had ceased too. In
shuddering horror Walter and Eleanor
flung themselves in Mr.. Vernon's arms
Folding them closely in his arms he
groaned:
God have mercy upon us-we three
are left alone"
y The scene that followed is too har-
rowing to be pictured. Anywhere, at
any time, death is sad and awful
enough, but there on that lonely island
the strongest and stoutest taken from
their little number-no tongue can de-
scribe the terrible loneliness, the
wretched gloom that followed.
They made his grave beyond the
spring, beneath the Hibiscus tree, and
never was mound more tenderly
smoothed or sorrowfully bedewed with
tears than the lonely island grave Of
Tom Harris. 1t was not until the sec
ond dismal day after his death that the
suggestion Of Tom came to Mr.. YER
mons mind. The sail 80 had seen
what had become Of it? Was it still in
view?
Walter had been Toms pupil in those
athletic exercises that become sailors
second nature, and was, moreover, nat
urally active and agile. He yolun-
teered at once to ascend the flagstaff,
although his cheek blanched and his
eye studiously avoided the spot where
poor Tom had fallen. Eleanor was
nearly frantic at the proposal, but his
father after a few earnest words Of
caution, consented that he should make
the attempt 1t was now three days |
since the accident. and there had been
no breeze on shore, and they had cher |
ished the forlorn hope that II vessel
had actually been near them she could |
not yet have drifted from sight. Wal
ter's face was gloomy enough as he de- |
scended There was faint speck on |
the water as far as he could see, but he
did not believe 1t was ship.
Mr. Vernon suddenly startled to con-
of the insecurity of his own
life, had become morbidly anxious to
leave the island. Without Toms
CHEEKY, self-reliant nature to sustain
him, he felt incapable Of protecting the
youthful beings Providence had left in
his charge. Moreover, he had long
been aware Of an inward malady slowly
but certainly eating away his strength
For himself he asked nothing better
than a grave beside his faithful COM
panion. For the children's sake the
life on tho lonesome island seemed in
1T will do no harm," said he
'let US kindle a fire on the
cliff every night TOR week or more"
With dismal alacrity Walter and
Eleanor gathered the dry underbrush
and moss, and reared the pile on their
pretty white coral throne and as soon as
dusk arrived. with eyes that burned
feverishly enough to have kindled the
pyre, Mr. Vernon piled the tinder and
Iint,and in few moments the ruddy Y
beam shot up, flashing yellow path far
off into the sea, and rosy glow against
he darkened sky Those three anxious,
terriDly earnest faces and striking 4
'orms stood out distinctly and wildly
n the iiaring light. Even in the MIDST
Of his own narrowing suspense Wal
.ers artist eye took in the grand sub
unity Of the scene, and made a mental
memoranda that was thereafter to 1--we
n undying colors. The tears were 81
emily streaming over Eleanor's check;
Walter turned and drew her fondly 10
lis side. 1t was not the time now to
hink Of formal prudence or to refuse
he sympathy SO much needed.
"0h. Walter, we are fearfully in earn
'st now. 1t seems as if we must all
lerish If no ship is near Toms death
las made our island life intolerable
Think how horrible it will be to be the
asst onew And, shuddering, she clung
to his arm.
He stroked softly the trembling