The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1908-03-05
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no boat put off. he tried to hire a crew,
shook their heats as they watched the
surf
",Fhcre's tic devil C. an unlertow
settin' along this beach," they told
hiG.. and The Yates tan cold t.
drownd in comfortable" So he laid
firm hands upon his impatict'r.
Every dag meant many dollars t.
the watcher. and yet it seemed that
nature was reSolute in thwarting him.
for that night the wind freshened. and
daylight saw the ship hugging. Ihe lee
of Sledge island. mile west
ward. while the surf. iling
milk. doomed and L sainst
the shore
Word had gone street
that Bill Wheato with q
writ or a subpoe or what
ever was.neces> the "kibosh"
on " Ira, so public excitement
g AcNamara boarded his gold in
!, - Alaska bank, and 1t was taken for
granted that there would lie the scene
of the struggle. No one supposed for
an instant that the usurper would part
with the treasure peaceably.
On the third morning the ship lay
abreast Of the town again, and a life
boat was seen to make or from her.
whereupon the idle population stream
ed toward the beach.
She'll make 1t to the surf all right,
but then watch out"
Wed better make ready to haul 'em
out" said another. Its mighty dan
gerous." And, sure enough, as the
skiff came rushing in through the
breakers she was caught.
She had made 1t past the first line.
soaring over the bar on q foamy roller
crest Ike storm driven gull winging
In toward the land. The wiry figure
Of Bill Wheaton crouched In the stern.
while two sailors fought with their
oars. As they gathered for their rush
through the last zone Of froth great
comber rose out Of the sea behind
them, rearing high above their heads.
The crowd on he surrs edge shouted.
The boat wavered, sucked back into
the oceans angry nav. and with a
crash the deluge engulfed them. There
remained nothing but swirling flood
through which the lifeboat emerged
bottom up, amid tangle Of oars, graf
ings ard gear.
Men rushed into the water. and the
next roller pounded them back upon
the marble hard sand. There came the
sound Of splitting wood. and then a
group swarmed In waist deep and bore
out dripping figure. 1t was a hemp
en- headed seaman, who shook the wa
ter from his name and grinned when
his breath had come.
A step farther down the beach the
bystanders seized limp form which
the tide rolled to them. 1t was the
second sailor, his scalp split from a
blow Of the gunwale. Nowhere was
Wheaton.
Glenister had plunged to the rescue
first, heaving line about his middle.
and, although buffeted about he had
reached the wreck, only to miss sight
of the lawyer utterly. He had time
for but a glance when he was drawn
outward by the undertow till the line
at his waist grew taut, then the water
surged over him and he was hurled
high up on the beach again. He stag
gered dizzily back to the struggle,
when suddenly a wave lifted the cap
sized cutter and rlghted it, and out
from beneath shot the form Of Whea-
ton. grlmly clutching the life ropes.
They brought him in choking and
breathless.
II got It." he said, slapping bis
streaming breast. "It's all right, Glen
lister. l knew what delay meant, so l
took long chance with the SURF" The
terrific ordeal be had undergone had
blanched him to the lips. his legs wab-
bled uncertainty, and he would have
fallen but for the young man, who
thrust an arm about his waist and led
him up into the town.
II went before the circuit court pf
appeals In Frisco" he explained later,
"and they issued orders allowing an
appeal from this court and gave me
writ Of supersedeas directed against
old Judge Stillman. That takes the
litigation out Of his hands altogether
and directs Mcnamara to turn over
the Midas and all the gold he's got.
What do you think Of that? I did bet
ter than expected"
Glenister wrung his hand silently,
while a great satisfaction came upon
him. At last this waiting was over
and his peaceful yielding to injustice
had borne frult-had proved the better
course after all, as the girl had prophe-
sled. He could go to her now with
clean hands. The mine was bis again.
He would lay it at her feet telling her
once more of his love and the change
1t was working in him. he would
make her see it-make her see that be-
meath the harshness his years In the
wild had given him his love for her
was gentle and true and all absorbing.