Wallowa County chieftain. [volume] (Enterprise, Or.) 1909-1911, 1909-08-19

half standing. half STOPPING in the
Stern sheets. the ends OF q cape flying
pas, him in the gale
When ! could see again the long boat
was mzkins ready for the dash into the
roaring surf. The Oarsmsn-there Were
some twelve-wers laboring 10 keep the
bow straight Oh The tall man was stand
ing up 10 see where he should go. and |
cEught sight OF his white and stOrm-dis-
rorted face. could not move, | could
10; utter cry; stood transfxed, scarce
breathing. my body raut, waiting to see
what would happen next
Seconds passed In the darkness, then
fash. and ! saw that the boat had
westhered the worst OF the surf. and was
grinding on the shore -Four OF the men
had lszped out and were hauling hard
az the sides; the steersman. gaunt and
black still clutched the tillsr. half
crouching. and was shouting Succeeding
darkness gave me- a chance TO wonder
whs, manner Of men were these making
for Alssrair. deserting their ship on the
coast. and landing where there was no
harhOr. and only a shingle beach. Light
sgain, and l stood dumfounded. trans
fixed, for l saw a little procession march
ing up the beach 10 the pines east Of me
fiTst the tall man in the long. black, flap
ping cloak. then TWO men bearing a good
sized bO1 between them. and then two
others. carrying what looked TO me
ike shOvels. Darkness. a terrible roar
~ -krrrha- and 4 r1fv.,hnI L
sure that | Was awake.
struck match and held il behind my
hand in order that no signal should be
given. My watch told me the hour was
half past one. / found that | was shiy-
ering from the cold. and slipped into my
coat. At every flash OF light / was back
at the window. raking the beach with my
eyes. / saw nothing but the grounded
boat. with number Of men standing by,
and far of the tossing hulk Of the schOon-
er.
l did not even dare step into the hall
TO call Charles. so afraid was l of losing
something Of this remarkable sight. Min
utes passed l kept my watch in my
hand Flash succeeded flash ar greater
intervals. but the scene was still the
same the boat evidently waiting. the far
ther reaches of the beach empty.
Half en- hour had gone when nv pa-
thence was rewarded The same process
sion appeared from the pines. minus only
so far as / could see-the box that two
Of them bad carried There was a long
interval Of blackness, and then l saw the
long boat plunging again through the
breakers, and the crew struggling 10 keen
her righted with their oars | could see
the boat was sharp at either end. and the
men no novicss at the dangerous work
Of beaching. They were gone. going back
10 their schooner. and I felt that the
spirit OF mystery was lifting from Alas
tsir
Still l waited. and in time the scene
lighted. and | saw that the boat had left
sOmsthing: the tall. cloOked man still
stood upon the beach. gazing seaward as
though TO catch the last OF his mates
remember that even in that brief in
stant | felt there was something strange
about him. something fantastic. some
thing out Of keeping with the New Eng
land shore.
Darkness shut in. the roar of thunder
iessened. the lightning passed the outer
world only sent me the deep. distant
booming Of the sea upon the cliff.
stumbled back 10 bed and pulled the
clothes about me, full of wonder at wha,
my eyes had seen
l lay there for a long time. thinking
conjec'uring what all this strange mat
Ter meant Somehow. my quiet beach had
been transformed; the space between the
cliffs now shadOwed forth a mystery. and
yet, prePosterous as the idea seemed
feit IN some way that had ALWAYS ex-
Pected a remarkable something 10 hapnan
my dreams IN some way to come true for
Aiasialr was no common place and was
ht for some surprising history.
In time l dropped asleep, to. dream Of
queer things.