The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1908-10-15
THE SOLE SURVIVOR
By NATHANIEL DICKINSON
Copyright. by shortstory Pub. Coz

How Armstrong had come 10 the
island may be learned from the rec.
ords OF the life saving service. Suf.
ficient for this tale OF his after dolngs
that IL was from the wreck of the
Spartacus. and In that uncomfortable
conveyance known as the brooches.
buoy, which. In Armstrong; case ow-
ing 10 the rolling OF the wrecked
steamer, had been a giant swing. now
dipping him deep In the frothlng
breakers, now whipping him half
hundred feet heavenward, so that,
when he had been extricated from the
breeches. he had been carried TO a
nearby farmhouse and worked over
for nearly an hour before he was
brought painfully back to an exist
ence which had already begun to bore
him at the age OF 2S.
Il was quite In line with Armstrong;
romantic career that there should be
young and beautiful girl connected
with this experience. and that II
should be largely owing TO her efficient
care that he should find himself on
his feet a month after his rescue and
the pneumonia which followed II. II
was out Of keeping with all prece-
dents. however. artistic as II may have
been. that Armstrong should fall quite
In love with the maiden. for hitherto.
In the wisdom Of his youth. he had
denied that the claims OF Cupid we're
anything but selfish and passing.
Now the unbelievable had become
the fact Skeptlcism had gone down
before the undenlablc. II was April.
and Armstrong had quite recovered
his usual good health: boats left the
Island weekly yet he showed no dis.
position 10 leave the coy farmhouse.
sheltered by the rounded hills from
the sweep Of the winds. and but for
the fact that eventually a new check.
book and some clothes he had sent
for we're delivered there might have
been 20 connection al all between the
island and the mainland for him.
Three joys he had In life now-to
eat. as ne had never cared TO eat be
fore. 20 sleep the drcamiess sleep OF
the island. and TO make love in the in
tcrvals 10 Alice Sands or the three
be preferred the latter.
u was through Alice's father that
Armstrong first heard OF the Great
Wild Dog. on the northern end. the
island was broken into succession
Of steep blufs and stormcut gulleys
on the seaside. while inshore, fresh.
water marshes. impenetrable OF foot
and oyergrown with brush growth,
held the islanders az bay Here was
the home OF the animal which was
90 play SO important a part in his life
Two years previous to the one in
which Armstrong had made his debut
on the island. a Danish bark had come
ashore one night IN mld.wlnter on the
east shore
Only one OF the surfmen had seen
aught Of life In the terrible seas. To
come a vision OF an enormous head
and cleaning teeth held above the
froth and borne shoreward on a huge
comber. This breaking and receding
huge dog had staggered up the
beach. shaking the water from him.
For moment Il had stood looking out
toward the wreck as though Ia last
farewell and then Il had trotted slow.
~ away toward the north end OF the
island and straightway lost itself from
the view OF the astonishcd surfmen In
the darkness of the night.
How the animal survived that win
ter none Of the islanders could say.
hut outllyo A he did for In the spfing
he was seen now and then. gaunt and
lean. seeking his food along the wreck.
strewn beach. stunning the presence
of man as though he had never known
~. and retreatlng into the pastures OF
the marsh country with his approach
Then. for a time. he had been for
gotten again. But one morning. an is
lander. whose farm bordered the
marshland. had come across the half
eaten carcass OF a lamb in his pas
lures, and soon from all sides came
the tale OF the short count. for. with
the taste OF blood on him. this huge
Great Dane. for such he was. grew to
slaughter from pure lust OF killing.
and such was his strength and activ-
Ity that his depredations were OF a
serious nature. And so he had come
to be bugbear on the island, a
name to brighten children with and
burden-bearer OF all that was un-
oxplainable.
The wildness OF the sea was In the
air that morning. BY some freak of