Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-07-14

Then passed three hours of silent
apprehension. To the prisoners hud-
died together on the apex Of that
hurriedly built stone-heap, the mo-
ments were marked by growing
dread, as they watched the gray
green water creep up toward them,
gradually submerging boulder after
boulder in its ceaseless course.
Far westward a faint whistle
sounded. A steamer was feeling her
way down through the Muscle Ridge
Channel. Then came a louder.
deeper blast, as White Head Light
Station beloved mournfully in reply:
Hoo-oo-oo! And again at intervals,
regularly recurrent: Hoo-oo-oo!
The dismal notes sounded like dirge
to the men on the pyramid. A flock
of gulls. lying low, winged their way
overhead, their dreary, unmelodious
cries piercing the mist like the creak-
ing o: rusty, unoiled hinges
The sounds died in the distance,
and there was silence, save for the
sucking of the hungry flood through
the interstices of the cairn. The
only remarks exchanged between the
prisoners we're occasional brief COM
ments on the progress of the tide.
1t was now nearly six O'Clock and
approaching dusk made the fog seens
thicker than ever. The wind hadl
died out and it had just begun to
rain, the scattered drops falling;
straight down, pitting the breezelesli
surface with tiny circles. The water
had almost reached the top of the
rocks. Would It never stop rising9
Armstrong knew that the tide would
attain its highest point not far from
seven o'clock and that after the be-
ginning of the ebb they would be
safe until the next morning. But
was the pyramid high enough to en-
able them to Withstand the force of
the current until the ebb began? 1t
was this dreadful uncertainty that
made the next hour so terrible to
all.
Higher and higher rose the tide.
1t rippled gently about the soles of
their shoes. Soon it was swirling
around their ankles and the rock
crests ceased to break the surface.
Higher. higher, higher still, until the
pale-faced and desperately fright
ened watchers stood knee-deep in
the chilling flood. Would it never
stop rising? Under their feet the
loosely built pile quivered before the
strong running Of the tidal currents.
Again and again they seemed to feel
the mass falling to pieces. Should it
topple down, four lives would go
with IL. But, thanks to its builders
skill and forethought, the pyramid
resisted all assaults.
= The water was now above the
knees of the marooned men, and still
rising. Greenougn had the only
watch in the party; his two friends
had left their timepieces at the
clearinghouse, when they put on
their old clothes and Sandy had
never owned one. He knew, how
ever, that it was full food at ten min
utes to seven.
AS the statesmen pressed the spring
that opened the gold case OF his re-
peater, all strained their eyes eager
ly for glimpse of the circle of fig
ures on the little white dial. Twen-
ty-ive minutes to seven!
A quarter-hour moro and the
water would be at its highest points!
If they could but hold out till then!
With its increasing depth the cur
rent had become so strong that it
threatened every instant to sweep
them from their foothold; even
though they had joined arms and re-
sisted with their combined strength.
One ran alone would have been
washed away like log of driftwood.
Oncs they were nearly involved in
a general catastrophe. In changing
his position, Neal slipped and fell
upon his knee, and it took the united
efforts of the three others to lift him
upright and restore the stability of
the party. Armstrong saw, that it
would not do to risk another such &C.
cident. STOPPING until he was up to
his neck in water, he worked for 4
minute at the boulders beneath; then
he straiehtened uD again.
"Ncw take hold of me-" he said.
He had, pulled a heavy rock over
both feet, thus fastening himself to
the pyramid. His position was a
painful one, but it meant safety foI
all. So.
The tide had now reached its high
est point, and soon began to ebb pre-
ceptibly. A few minutes after eight
o'clock the top of the pyramid was
bare once more, rising like Ararat
above the surrounding waters. Just
as the four fishermen were contem-
plating the unpleasant prospect of a
night without shelter in the bay,
they heard the welcome creaking OF
pulley-blocks not far off in the dark
ness. Five minutes later they were
safe on board little smack that was
feeling her way slowly homeward
through the fog to Carver's Harbor,
after a weeks lobstering near Isle
au Ha.ut.-From Youths Companion.
-s.t.
There is great interest among the
farmers and property owners at Sack
ett Lake, N. Y, over discovery OF
a clay that burns as we'll as coal and