Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-08-04

n 90 olA1l ACACs SAS "~
that the short time which had
would have made no change in
her apparent position.
She looked back TO the westward
The sun was setting. There would be
no twilight. Darkness would come
If she did not light that bea-
con the ship would pass in the night.
she did light it, the darkness would
lend force and efficiency to it. NO
ship would disregard such a light IN
such a quarter. Should she do it?
In one swift moment her resolution
was taken. She dropped the glass,
turned to the box of matches which
she had boarded for this very purpose,
knelt down, struck one of them,
watched the blue flame develop and
swell out in the still air, paused for a
moment hesitant, touched the light to
the iniammable mass of dead wood at
the base of the pile.
As the flames cracked up through
the wood, roaring and catching, the
sun sank and the darkness fell. Her
last act ere the curtain of night smut
her in had been to fix her glass upon
the faint blur of smoke. Now she could
see nothing. 1t was a moonless night,
but bright with stars. She o
away from the fire and sat down as
she had sat before, sheltered by the
peak, to watch the sea. Now that she
had done what she had sworn not to
do. she was eager for the success OF
her attempt.
And so she waited wondering
through long hours while the flames
| exhausted themselves and by and by
fell to a heap of glowing ashes. Sud
denly there leaped out through the
| darkness a distant twinkle OF light. 1t
was too low for a star. Feeling Tor
the telescope, she found 1t and with
| difficulty focused it on the tiny spark
| It was a red light, the light of a ship!
The vessel had seer the signal. 1t was
nearer, much nearer now. She knew
| about how far such a light could be
| seen. The ship was coming toward
her. She almost tainted from the re-
yulsion of feeling from hope to GER
tainty, from anxiety to assurance.
1t was close at hand now. She must
go down to the beach to meet it. She
rose to her feet and started down the
hill. She went slowly, cautiously at
first, but finally she broke into a
reckless run. She strayed from the
path in her excitement, her foot caught
in a projecting root. A sharp, excru
ciating pain shot through her. Some
thing seemed to break in her ankle
She pitched forward on her face and
lay still.
When she came to her use light
was shining in her eyes. Men stooc
about her holding ships lanterns
Some one bent wei her as some one
had bent over her five years before
when she lay senseless on the sand
A voice she knew called to her; ARM
to whose touch she thrilled gathered
her up; she felt a heart beat agains
her own. He had come back. He wa
there.
Woman" said the man, II hav
come back to you"
MAN." returned the woman, oblivi
GUS of those who stood around, hold
ing the lights, to whom she gave n
single thought-indeed they wer
those who knew her well-"Man," sh
asked, true to her resolution, "do yo'
love me as much as on that night"
more, a thousand times!"
> "And do you think me worthy?
, "Do not ask! 1t is l who am III
= worthy of you"
: 81 can die now" said the woma
: softly, lasping into unconsciousnes
again.
. Great God!" cried the man, strait
u ing her to his breast again, "have
! found her only to lose her!"
= LET me look" said the surgeon
! whom by good chance they had pickle
! up at San Francisco. "She didn
. look like a dying oma a momer
since. Lay her down, man, and stan
i back"
g Whitaker and the chaplain pulle
d Charnock aside. The surgeon took h
place by the PROSTATE figure.
q Lights here!" he cried. He mao
e such rapid examination as he coul
seeing in a moment n foot lying
Il ert, out of place, and helpless. She
only tainted" he said. TITS her ankl
u She's broken 1t in the darkness COZ
! ing to meet us. We will take her
> the ship"
IS NO." said the man, "she must con
Of her own free will. Send to the sh
y for b~andages and whatever you +
. quire."
u VERY WELL" said the surgeon, risil
y and comforting hastily with Mr.. VIII
taker. Meanwhile, your handke
le chiefs, gentlemen, and som co
u water"