Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-09-18

The rope auKirred through the air.
their backs turned to what might be
instant death, were brave and stanch
as he who looked it untlinchingly in the
face.
"Heavev' roared Stanhope to the
white visaged second officer standing
in the doorway far above him.
The rope whirred through the air, the
boat rose still higher to meet it, and
the coil struck Stanhope in the face,
lashing him savagely in the final spite
of the baffled gale which puny man
had conquered.
Never Was blow taken with such
Christian charity.
"Back!" he cried, and the oarsmen,
not knowing what had happened, bent
against the tough blades. The tugs
sailors at the drag, though the engines
grinding at half speed were keeping
them grandly against the race not
more than $50 yards in the rear, failed
for an instant to understand what was
going on. But their captain had seen
the cast and read it's significance.
Haul awayr' he beloved in voice
of thunder and, to cheer them on, add
ed other words which showed that he
was no landsman.
Stanhope deftly knotted the light
house line to the loop taken off his
,, waist. He cast the joined cords over
| board. -
"Thank God!" he said, and he looked
up at the great pillar already growing
less in the distance. s., -.
Now from the kitchen, owing to its
height above sea level and the thick
ness of the wall pierced by the win
dow. as soon as the boat came within
fifty yards or so of the lighthouse the
girls could see it no longer.
When it dropped out Of sight for the
last time Constance could not endure
the strain. Though her dry tongue
clicked in her mouth, she forced de-
spairing cry.
Enid" she screamed, "lean out
! through the window! 1t is your place"
'I cannot! Indeed cannot! He will
be killed! Oh, save him, kind Provi-
dence, and take my life in his stead!"
Constance lifted the frenzied girl in
her strong arms This was no moment
for pulling fear.
"If 1 loved a man." she cried, "and
he were about to die for my sake
should count it glory to see him die
The brave words gave Enid some
measure of comprehension. Yes, that
was it. She would watch her lover
while he faced death even though heI
heart stopped beating when the end
came
Helped by her sister, she opened the
window and thrust her head out. TIC
her half dazed brain came the con
sciousness that the sea had lost its
venom. She saw the boat come on
pause, leap forward, the rope thrown
and the knot made.
AS the boat retreated she caught
Stanhope's joyous glance. He saw hel
and waved his hand. Something he
said caused the two rowers for the frs
time to give one quick glance back
ward, for they were now Scudding rap
idly away from the danger zone. She
knew them: she managed to send {
frantic recognition to all three.
Then. i'll an almost overpowering re
action. she drew back from the win
dow ana tears of divine relief streamet
from her eyes.
Constance shn sobbed, ''he ha:
saved us! Look C-st. You will see him
1 cannot"
Yet, all tremuloc; and breathless
she brushed away IL. tears and strovt
to distinguish the boat, once more. i
appeared. a vague blot in the mist tina,
enshrouded her.
Connie" she said again, tell mt
that all Is WE'LL
"Yes, dear. Indeed, indeed. he 1!
safe"
And do you know who came viii
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