Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-01-19
CHAPTER x.
Hearts Awakened.
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CHAPTER X.
Hearts Awakened.
For the moment she forgot where
he was and fancied herself back on
he ship or more naturally tossing
Ibout in that small boat after that
ong, eventful voyage. Yet no motion
o which she had ever been subjected
lot even the widest pitch of the
torn which had finally cast her away,
Produced in her such strange emo
ions as she experienced then. For
he earth itself was trembling, quiv-
ring, rocking. The cave wall above
Ter, seen dimly by the filtering light
4 very early dawn which came
trough the opening, partook of the
md she realized that 1t was an earth
quake. The air seemed filled with
peculiar ringing sound of storm.
4 Her bed, OF course. was the soft
sand over which grass had been
Itrewn. She lay. therefore, on the
door and could not be thrown down,
but she was rolled from side to side
b a. way which paralyzed her senses.
Never in all her experience had she
known such a sick feeling of terror.
When the foundations of things are
ihaken, when not merely the great
leep but the solid earth is broken up,
humanity stands as If in the presence
" the power of God. She lay resist
less, staring. praying, wondering
whether the shaking rock over her
head would fall and crush her.
In q moment the instinct of life
iuickened her to action. She rose to
ler knees, staggered to her feet and
Tried to make her way to the en-
france. Walking was terrible. The
sarth seemed to have shaken for
hours, and yet the duration of the
shock was really less than minute.
Its violence was terrific. Just before
she reached the opening, 1t stopped
with one tremendous shock as sudden
ly as 1t had begun. The next second,
with roar that SOUNDED like thou
sand pieces of artillery, the gray ha-
~ light in front Of her was blotted
but by falling mass of rock which
lust escaped her. The face of the cliff
had given away. In deeper, intenser
terror than before she threw herself
against the barrier. 1t was as hard
and as unyielding as the other walls.
No light came to her even. She was
imprisoned alive in this rocky sepul-
cher. She sank down on her knees
and buried her face in her hands. She
nurmured words of prayer.
Her mind few to the other side of
he island, to the man. Was he, too,
entombed? Was this the end of her
labors? Outside she could hear the
wind roar and the waves laundering
With awful violence on the shore. Be-
.ore the earthquake had come the
storm. There was still some connec-
hon between the cave and the outer
air, 1t seemed, for she was now con-.
,cious of lightning flashes. After the
storm, came the fire. Her mind went
back to what she had read from the
Bible a few days before of Elijah's
iespafr. Therefore In like case she
listened with all her heart fort still
5oice OF comfort to her awestruck
soul. 1t did not seem to come. She
was doomed; she would never see
aim again. If indeed he We're yet alive.
She knew her feeling for him now.
She slipped forward and fell fainting
on the sandy floor of the cave. And
still the voice was there. Presently
It came to her, as the voice of God
Usually comes to humanity, through
The lips Of man.
After a space. how long after she
could not tell. she was conscious of
human cry through the wild clamor
If the storm. A voice that she knew
md loved was calling her by name.
Was 1t some wraithlike fancy of the
storm? She rose to her knees, sick
and faint, and listened. No, it was
! human voice. his voice, her name.
The cry was fraught with frantic ap-
peal. 1t thrilled and vibrated with
passion 1t told her in that awful mo.
ment story which she had not read.
It revealed to her imaginations of
which she had not dreamed. She was
fascinated with what she heard. She
forgot for the moment to answer. All
the woman in her, the eternal remi-
aine in her, listened. Her bosom rose
and fell, her heart throbbed, her
pulses beat. Alone with that wild,
passionate, appealing. frantic cry. nhe
forgot the earthquake, she forgot the
prison. she forgot the storm, she for
got the world. She only realized that
there out in the dawn, man, the mar
OF all the world, who loved her wa.
calling her name. The old call O
manhood to womanhood, OF mate Il
mate.
She rose instantly to her feet. Thi.
time 1t was the beating of her hear
that pitched and tossed her body. Sht
leaned against the rock wall and theI
she called his name
Man." she cried, ARE you safe?"
Yes" was the answer. "Ant
you?"
Entirely so, save for this prison.
Thank God!" came family to he
from beyond the wall Thank God,
hear your voice. shall have you out
never fear"
She pressed her ear close to tn,
heap of huge loose stones which tillet
the opening. She could hear hin
working outside. a.
Don't be afraid" he said at last.
Il fear nothing" she answered, Il
you are there:"s
In one instant the situations of lif
had been reversed. He was the mas
ter now and she hung upon his word
and actions even as he had done il
days gone by.
She had no knowledge of what tasl
was before him, but she could hea
the progress that he was making. I
was evident that he was working furl
ously. and yet he stopped once il
every little while to reassure hlmsel
as to her presence
Woman" he cried. "are you still
there?"
Here and waiting" was the an