The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-13
THE RED MARSHES

on and on, until the gray fog closed
, about her He knew she was safe. for
just beyond was the causeway. but IL
seemed to him that SO would life
some day shut her away from him.
That night the wind blew away the
fog but IL also blew -ifaeH- into a
strong gale. which Increased as the
day advanced, until. at sunset, sky and
water showed the blaekness Of a
storm.
1t Was not until midnight. however.
that the people Of the town began to
be afraid, Then 1t was learned that
a half dozen of the boats that had
gone out early in the morning had
not come back. The men from the
life-savinE station we're on the watch.
and sires we're lighted and bells were
rung.
Up and down the beach went tina
| people whose sons and husbands and
fathers were at sea. Mothers wept
for their boys children for their pa
rents.
hut nobody wep. for Sim. Only
Marta. straining her eyes through tho
blackness. prayed that he might ba
safe-that he might come back to
her.
A shout went Up. as somewhere.
out in the ieaping biackness thers
shone light like a star. The life
boat. working Its way against wind
and wave. brought back five men.
Everybody Is safe" said some one
near Marta.
Marta searching the hronzed faces.
asked. did you--did you find sfm
Gregory"
we saw him. just as the storm
broke" said one of the men. We
shouted. but he was too far away to
hear us-we haven't seen him since
All night long the life guards pa
troled the bath. All night long Marta
strained her eyes cot to sea. When
dawn came the wind died. and the
sun came up. rosy red above tho
horizon. And as II rose II showed
far out on the tossing waters a black
speck.
It's a boat" said Marta.
And there's man in II, miss"
said one Of the guards.
Then Marta fed homeward to hear
the reproaches OF her mother. "Peo-
pie will say you are crazy. staying
out like that to watch for Black
Gregory"
Well. II there had been any one
else to watch for him." Marta an
swered. Il might have left the beach.
But surely q man has a right to have
one heart cry out for him when he's
at the mercy OF the wind and waves"
1t was nearly noon when Marta
went across the red marshes with her
fathers e.laacsa. Her. it..ie boat made.
its way slowly. for there were stu
traces Of the storm in the rough wa.
tiers.
When she met Sim Gregory she
dared not look up.
Marta" he called. and brought his
boat close to hers. and his voice was
eager as he spoke. they told me. on
the beach. that you waited all night
for news OF me-"
She answered him as she had an
swered her mother Surely = man.
has right to have one heart cry out ]
for him when he's at the mercy OF
the wind and waves"
did your heart cry. Marta?''
In spite e Aer circumstances,
she told him the truth. III you had
died my heart would have died with
you, Sim.'
No ono could have called him
Black Gregory" II they could have
seen him At that moment. His face
was melted into tenderness.
II think ! came back because you
called me. Marta he said. There
was lost hope, but something seem
ed to urge 'Marta's waiting and 40
II came"
The news went around the town.
some days later. that Black Gregory
had sold his cottage. 1t was said.
breathlessly. that he had received for
the ground = phenomenal sum, that
he had bought big sailing vessel I
and would start q fishing business Of
his own.
And they say he has $4,000 left
In the bank" said the gossips. Mar
ta's marrying q rich man. Who would
have thought that strip OF rocky
coast would have fetched 30 much?
The people who bought It are going
to put up = big hotel. and they call
II tho finest view along the coast"
But though Sim sold his land he
kept the cottage. and had 1t moved
to where there was view OF the red
marshes, and It was there he lived
with Marta. except when they sailed
the seas together in the summer
weather, when the storms were few,
and when sapphire sea met sapphire
sky in days Of calm content.