Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1907-03-11
G6e PILLAR
OF LIGHT
By LOUIS TRACY.
Author Of The Wings Of the Morning
Copyright, 1904, by Edward J. clOds

hold in such a sea. The tug must oper-
ate from the nearer base She was
pitching and tossing in a manner cal
culatcd 10 daunt any one but sailor,
and the slightest mistake made by the
skipper. the bury oilskinned man bal
ancing himself on the bridge with his
hand on the engine room telegraph.
would snap any line ever twisted.
So. briefly, this was the procedure
adopted \ stout rope was bent on to
that carried 10 the rock by Stanhope
With this was sent whip. thus estab-
fishing a TO and fro communication
The rope itself. when IL had reached
the rock. was attached to a buoy and
anchored. Thus IL could be picked up
easily II the thin wire hawser next dis
patched should happen to break
A few words may cover a vast
amount Of exertion. Before the sec
ond line. with its running gear was
safely stayed around the body of the
lantern - even the iron railing might
give way-a precious hour had elapsed,
and Stanhope was impatiently stamp
ing about the bridge of the tender,
though none knew better than he that
not an unnecessary moment was being
lost
At last a signaler stationed on the
tug was able TO ask:
What shall we send firstY
And the answer came back:
Water. milk, bread"
All night tinsmiths had labored to in
close food and clothing i'm water tight
cylinders ready for transport, and the
shining packages now began their vOy
aging from the tugs trawl beam to the
lofty gallery, three-fourths of the jour
uey being through the sea. When the
first consignment reached the rock an
other lusty cheer doomed from the
watching vessels.
Stanhope at least could picture the
scene in progress behind the grim gran
tie walls-Constance and Enid, with
others whom he did not know, serving
out generous drafts TO thirsty and fam
ished women and men, helping them
selves last, and hardly able to empty
the eight gallon supply of fresh water
before they were called on to distrib-
ute similar quantity of milk.
And then the bread, the cooked meat
all cut in slices. the timed soups and
meat extracts. the wines - for Trail
had taken charge of the catering, and
his arrangements were lavish-what a
feast for people almost on the verge of
starvation.
The hours flew until the tug signaled
that she must cast loose and back
mo Tho 6
running westward now. Soon the dan
ger would be active, and in any case
the Gulf Rock was saved from the
possibility of famine during the next
forty-eight hours. So the hawser in its
turn was buoyed. and Brands parting
instruction was not to attempt to re
open communication during the dark
hours of the morning tide.
The wisdom of his advice was mani
fest With farewell trumpetings the
~ vessels scurried off to Penzance, anC
the telegraph Office was kept open al
night transmitting the word pictures
OF newspaper correspondents to thrill
the world with full descriptions Of tn
way in which the Gulf Rocks fam
ished denizens had been relieved.
The last two packages ferried to tn
lighthouse contained not only warn
wooden wraps for the women and chi
dren. but a big bundle of letters an
kilograms.
Pyne was the pOstman. There wer
M least twenty notes addressed to tn
girls and several to Brand from friend
ashore.
Mr. Trail. of course. wrote to hi
nephew and Mrs. Vansittart. Natura
~ Pyne carried his own missive to tn
kitchen. where he found that Cor
stance and Enid had managed to was
in distilled water.
They were cutting sandwiches an
endeavoring to read their letters {
the same instant. He bowed with sa
castle politeness.
II see you are ready for the party
be said.
Certainly he offered a deplorable col
trast TO them. His face was incruste
with salt and blackened with dirt an
Precipitation. His hands were lii
those Of a sweep. but smeared with o.
which shOne on his coat sleeves up
both elbows. His clothes were tor
and soiled. his linen collar and cuff
limp as rags. and his waistcoat VS.
ripped open. having remained in tn;
condition since it caught in a bloc
as he descended the mast.
"Oh. you poor fellow cried Co
stance. How you must envy u
Here IS a kettleful of hot water.
can't say much for the towel. but Il
soap is cXcellentp
Refreshed. Pyne opened his uncle
letter. The girls were keeping up
running commentary of gossip.
''Mousie GIrs. Sheppard) says 81
hasn't slept for three nights"
Edith Taylor-Smith says she envi
US"
That letter you are reading now
from Lady Margaret. What does S
EayY