The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-11-16

Of that he was fully conscious. Even
before the girls reached his side he felt
q curious lifting movement Of the
whole frame of the lantern. Steel and
glass alike were yielding to the sus-
tanned violence of the wind pressure.
Well were they nodded, by men whose
conscience need harbor no reproach of
dishonest craftsmanship. They were
being tested now almost beyond en-
durance.
Some natures would have found relief
in prayer. Gladly would Constance
and Enid have sunk on their knees and
besought the Master of the winds to
spare them and those at sea. But
Brand, believing that a catastrophe
was imminent, decided that in order
to save the girls lives he must neither
alarm them nor lose an unnecessary
instant.
To desert the light-that was impos-
sible personally. If given the least
warning he would spring toward the
iron rail that curved by the side of the
stairs to the service room and take his
chance; otherwise he would go with
the lamp. There was no other alterna-
tive; the girls must leave him at once
The laugh with which he greeted
their appearance gave him time to
scheme.
IT ought to scold you, but l won't"
he cried. Are you plucky enough to
descend to the kitchen and make three
nice cups of cocoa?'
Just think what it cost him to speak
in this bantering way. careless Of
words, though each additional syllable
might mean death to all three.
His request had the exact effect he
calculated. For once Constance was
deceived and looked her surprise.
Enid, more volatile, smiled through
her tears. So 1t was not quite as bad
as they imagined, this gale. Their ia
Their could never be SO matter Of fact
In the face of real peril to all of them.
Cocoa! Fancy man giving his
thoughts to cocoa while they were ex-
pecting the lighthouse to be hurled into
the English channel!
He turned again to manipulate the
brass screws.
"Now, do not stand there shivering,"
he said, "but harden your hearts and
go. Use the oil stove. BY the time 1t
is ready
"Shivering. indeed"
Constance, of the viking breed, weald
let him see that he had no monopoly Of
the family motto, "Audeo." She, too,
could dare.
Down you go, Enidw she cried.
HE shall have his cocoa, poor man!'
He looked over his shoulder and
caught his daughter glancing at him
from the well of the stairs.
bad nightv' he shouted cheerfully,
and he cheated her quick intelligence
second time.
They were gone. Perchance ii was
his last sight of them in this life. Three
times the stalwart framework creaked.
Once it moved so perceptibly that the
curtain rings jngled. Then he remem-
bered the words of Isaiah:
"For thou hast been strength to the
poor, strength to the nesdy in his dist
tress, a refuge from the storm, shad- =
ow from the heat, when the blast of
the terrible ones is as a storm against
the wall"
The blast OF the terrible ones! What
a vivid pen picture of the awesome
forces of nature! How long would this
tornado continue? Already il must
have strewed its path with havoc at
sea and on land. His physical senses
were elevated to the supernatural. He
seemed to acquire abnormal powers OF
sight and hearing. He could see the
trees bending before the wrathful
wind, hear the crashing tiles and bricRl
work as houses were demolished and
people hurled TO death. But there was
no ecstasy of soul. no mental altitude
Continued on page seven.)