Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-02-04
G6e PILLAR
OF LIGHT
BY LOUIS TRACY.
Author Of The Wings Of the Morning"


noes. Mamie was a year younger.
sApart from the nasty bruise on Elsie's
Aeft arm and shoulder. the children
had escaped from the horrors of the
wreck almost unscathed in body and
certainly untroubled In mind.
Mamie came to my room for break
Vast" explained Elsie at last. "We'se
wfuI hungry. an when we axed for /
nother bixit Mrs. Taylor she began to
rrv. An when ! said we'd go an find
mamma she cried some more"
YES. We'se awful hungry" agreed |
Mamie. AN, please where's nam
Hma|
Pyne needed no further explanation. !
The little ones had. lost their mother.
Her disfgured body, broken out of all
recognition. was tossing about some
where In the undercurrents Of the
channel. None Of the women dared to
tell the children the truth. and 1t was
heartreudng task TO deny them food.
So they were permitted to leave their
refuge. with the kindly belief that they
would come to no harm and perchance
obtain a further supply from one OF
those sweet faced girls who explained
SO gently that the rations must run
short for the common good.
Pyue glanced up at the lantern. Out
side he could see Brand hauling down
the signal lie spraug TO the tray and
secured his half biscuit and teacup.
Come along. Elsie" he said. crook
ine his left arm for her. Follow close.
Mamie Mind you don't fall"
Your mamma is asleep" he assured
them i'm whisper on the next landing.
"She Just can't be woke up for quite a
long time"
Then he navigated them to the door
OF the second bedroom. where Mrs.
Taylor was. He broke the hard biscuit
In two pieces and gave one to each
child.
Here, Mamie, you carry the cup and
90 shares in the tea"
Il don't like tea" protested Mamie.
'If | can't have coffee / want some
milk"
We'll. now. you wait little bit. and
you'll he ticl'ed to death to see what
III bring you But drink the tea. It's
good and hot Skip inside, both of
you"
lie held tie door partly open, and
they vanished. He heard Mrs Taylor
say:
Didn't l tell you those two little
dears would do their own business
bestf'
He regained the service room to find
Brand stepping the remains of his bis
cult in an almost empty cup. The
lighthouse keeper greeted his young
friend with smile.
Il suppose that you, like the rest o
US. never had such an appetite in al
your days" he said.
"Oh. I'm pretty well fixed" sait
Pyne. with a responsive grin.
Then you are fortunate. There
usually a wretched little fiend lurkin
In n mans inner consciousness whic
prompts him to desire the unattaini
BILE Now, am poor eater, as rul'
yet this morning | feel l could tack
the toughest steak ever cut off 81
perannuated cow"
'I don't deny" admitted Pyne, "th'
the idea of a steak sounds good. Thu
is. you know" he went on languidl
lit might sort of appeal to me abo
A O'Clock"
II should have thought you could
with one now, especially after the hs
night we have gone through. Perha
YOU are a believer in the French sy
TEN and prefer a light breakfast"
Brand finished the last morsel of b
cult and drank the cup dry.
IN
you are accustomed to it," said Pyl
But talking about eating when Their
little to eat is a poor business anyws
Don't you find thatT
Il do indeed"
Brand rose and tapped the baron
ter. adjusting the sliding scale to re
the tenths.
slightly better" he announced.
only the wind would go down or eN
change to the norrard!'
What good would a change of W
dog inquired Pyne, greatly relie'
himself by the change of topic.
1T would beat down the sea to so
extent, and then they might be able
drift a buoy, with a rope attach
close enough to the rock at low tide
enable us to reach it with a cast o
graphing iron"
do you mean that we could be
ried to the steamer by that means?
THAT is absolutely out of the a
ton until the weather moderates
far greater extent than | dare hope
present. But. once we had the line,
could RIG up a running tackle and
tain some stores"
us it as bad as all that?" said
younger man after pause.
They looked at each other.
knowledge that all true men have
their kind leaped from eye to eye.
quite that bad" answered BraI
Pyne mOistened his lips He pro
&c a case containing two cigars.
held il out.
Let US go shares in consolation,