Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-07-18

SCiit u'S WIN u JCSh OA Up6.
am sure he thought the lantern would
be blown away"
"And lie with it! Oh, Connlem
Yes. He believed If that awful
thing took place while we were below
we might escape. can see 1t all now.
had the vaguest sort Of suspicion,
but he hoodwinked me-"
Had we known we would not have
left him" cried Enid passionately.
YES we would Think. of him,
sticking to his post. Was 1t for us to
disobey!"
Overcome by their feelings, they
stood In silence for little while.
Through the thick glass they could
dimly distinguish Brands figure. A
great wave assailed the lantern. and
Enid screamed loudly.
Don't, dear!" cried Constance shrilly.
Father would not remain there IL 1t
were dangerous"
Nevertheless they both breathed more
freely when they saw him again. an
indcterminate shape against the lumi-
nous gloom.
!,
The sound Of her own voice begnt con-
fidence.
II have never really understood dad
until tonight" she said. what an en-
nobling thing is sense Of duty. He
would have died here quite calmly,
Enid, yet he would avoid the least risk
out there. That would be endangering
his trust. Oh. am glad we are here
have never lived before this hour"
Enid stole n wondering glance ut her
sister. The girl seemed to be gazing
into depths Unreasonable. Afterward
the words came back to her mind
.That would be endangering his trust"
Brand faced the gale full five min.
utes. He returned hastily.
''1nerc is big steamer lending this
way-a liner, fancy" he gasped, half
choked with spray. Il fear she is disa-
bled. She is firing rockets. and l sup
pose her siren is going constantly.
though cannot hear It,"
He ran to the room beneath. Flush
ed with this new excitement, the girls
donned their oilskin coats and arrang-
ed their sou'westers. When he hur-
ried up the stairs he was carrying four
rockets. He noted their preparations.
Don't come out until have fired the
alarm signal" he shouted, land tie
your dresses tightly around your
knees"
They heard the loud kissing Of the
rockets, and the four reports Travelled
duly from the sky. Three white star
bursts and one red told the Lands End
coast guards that ship In need of
help was near the Gulf Rock. Proba-
bly, they had already seen the vessels
signals. In any event they would not
miss the display from the lighthouse.
Walking with difficulty, the girls
crept out on to the balcony.
Brand had already gone to the wind
ward side. The first rush of the gale
made them breathless, yet they perse-
vered and reached him. They were
greeted by a climber, but their father,
with hand on their shoulders, pressed
them down, and the spray crashed
against the lantern behind them. He
knew they would take no harm. When
the vessel passed, their boots and stock
ings would be soaked. Then he could
insist that they should go to bed.
AT first they distinguished nothing
save chaotic blend of white and vel
low foam, driving over the reef at an
apparently incredible speed. Over
head the black pail Of the sky seemed
to touch the top Of the lantern Around,
In vast circle carved out of the muir
ky wilderness. the wondrous beam of
the light fought and conquered its un.
wearied foes. Constance caught the
three quick flashes of the Seven Stones
lightship, away to the right. She fan
cied she saw twinkling ahead, but
this was the st. Agnes light. and nei-
ther girl could make out other sight
nor sound until Brand pointed stead
lily toward one spot in the darkness.
Before they could follow his indica-
ton they We're compelled to duck to
avoid another wave. Then, as If 1t had
Just popped up out of the sea, they d.
vined a tiny white spark swinging
slowly across considerable area. 1t
was by that means that Brand had es-
tlmated the size and nearness of the
steamer, and soon they glimpsed the
red and green side lights, though ever
and anon these were hidden by the tor
rents Of water sweeping over her
decks. OF the vessel they could see
nothing whatever.
Steadily she rolled along her fearful
path. Having ONCE found her, there
was no difficulty in estimating the ra.
pidity of her approach. Enid, whose
eyes were strong and farsighted, fan
cied she caught Il fitful vision of big
black hull laboring In the yellow waves.
Though 1t was difficult to speak, she
crcpt close to Brand and screamed:
us she drifting on to the reefW
~ fear So" he answered.
'Tllcn she will be LOST"
Yes, unless they manage to pass to
s'uth'nrd."
Luckily for poor human nature, men,
tai stress and physical effort rarely
unite forces. The mere attempt to re-
sist the wind, the constant watchful-.
ness needed to avoid the ambitious
seas. though these. strange to say, ap-
peared to be diminishing in size and
volume us the tide rose. served to dull
the horror of the threatened tragedy.
Brand quilted them for an instant to
glue his eyes to the lantern after wh,-
ing space on the glass. He must see
If the lamp needed tending. Satisfied
by the scrutiny, he stood behind the
girls, who had shrunk closely together
the moment he retired.
"rhey are trying to steer clear of
the reef" he shouted. "TwIce they
have got her head around. but the sea
Is too strong for them. am afraid she
Is doomed"
Now they unquestionably saw the
great body Of the ship. Her tunnels
showed most clearly. making sharply
defined black daubs on the heaving
desert Of froth. The plunglng whirls
Of the masthead light were enough to
prove how the unfortunate vessel was
labOring In what might prove to be her
final agony.
And tho pity Of 1t! The wind was
dropping. In another hour the weather