The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-02-08

1TtI WtA
Isle vanished entirely behind the wall
Of waters, but she could catch q
glimpse of the dear old lighthouse and
Its round top above the talle3t wave
and the sight strengthened and nerved
her for the Eve mile Journey to St.
Michel.
Suddenly, when scarcely half mile
out the boat seemed to strike new
current. Babette caught her breath
sharply as she felt the strong, resist
less power sweep her from her course,
and she bent over the oars with set.
close lips and tense muscles, but II
was useless. The deep swelling rush
of waters carried her northward,
straight on to the middle channel OF
the strait. The wind had come up
again and ragged over the lake like a
wild beast Then, without warning,
there rose before her the jagged, cruel
line OF the ice foe, and the next mo
ment the waves had thrown the boat
as IL n had been n leaf full upon II.
Instinctlvely Babette had risen at that
last awful instant. As the boat crash
cd into the ice with a shock that made
It leap and tremble she sprang for
ward and gained footing on the ice
foe, slight, perllous one, to be sure,
but one that meant safety, for the mo-
ment at least.
Already the little boat had disap-
reared In the whirlpool OF dashing wa
ters, and Babette's heart beat fast as
she looked about her on her new craft.
II was large. 1t seemed as large as
Presque Isle itself and at FIRST II ap.
peared stationary. But when she had
reached its center she could feel the
slow, steady motion as It swept on to-
ward Lake Huron.
And now came the division of the
channel, and Babette's heart almost
stopped its frightened beating as she
thought of what would happen II the
foe drifted north of Algonac island
and out on the great, pitlless waters OF
the lake.
With hushed breath she waited. The
foe was heaving so that she could
hardly retain her place, but at last the
pine crests of Algonac showed on her
left, and she knew she would pass St
Michel. with fingers stiffened by the
cold, she united the red scarf from
about her head and let the wind blow
It like a danger signal above her as
she caught glimpse of the lighthouse
on the west pier. SO near It seemed
,H,a hnn 10 n N
shouted. but her voice sounded like a
reedbird's pipe in the noise of the
rushing waters.
She was opposite the town now. She
could see the waves break on the pier
and yet there was no sign OF help.
with n fearlessness born Of dcspera-
tion she struggled TO her feet and
waved the scarf wildly, and suddenly
a figure appeared on the lighthouse
ladder. Again she waved and tried to
call The figure signaled back and ran
along the pier toward town.
It was Landry Dubois. He burst into
the warm back room at old Nine. Por-
teau's breathless and hatless.
"It Is Pete's Babettew he cried to the
crowd Of fishermen and sailors hud.
died about the big wood stove. "She
is on the ice, drifting out to the lake"
In FIVE minutes the news had spread,
and the shore was crowded, while
the strongest boat in the place was
manned, with Landry at the rudder,
and stout arms pulled away to the
rescue Of Pete's Babette And when
they brought her back half frozen
and half dead and gave her into Nine.
Porteau's care she told her eTrand in
the warm back room-told how Pete
lay dying without food or medicine
and how unless help was sent there
would be no light shining from
Presque Isle that night.
1.-THE light shall shine" promised
Landry, and the waves that had
laughed at Babette's little boat bowed
| before the masterful stroke of ten
pairs Of st. Michels strongest arms as
| they manned the boat that bore Ba-
bette and provisions and medicine
back TO Presque Isle.
"Thou hast saved his life, little one"
said Landry when they stood in the
| kltchen Whefe Mere Nj rie still prayed
But Babette only smiled and nodded
her head, and she went on TO the light
house.
The winter twilight was falling
swiftly, and the wind had gone down
like one tired with its mad play. Far
to the west she could see boat strug-
Cling slowly up the strait, its lights
cleaning now and then like Jewels.
She liz the lamp with fingers that
trembled, and the broad path Of light
streamed out over the point. Babette's
birds could fly in safety tonight, and
below Landry Dubois held aloft red
scarf and told its story, even as 1t is
told today around the islands Of the
strait-the story Of Pete's Babette