The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1912-01-10

u.
such as she would have chosen, but
they were books. at any rate, and she
knew them by heart OF the cloth
that he had left, she had fashioned for
herself such simple garments as were
suitable to her situation. rejoicing that
she was no longer compelled to wear
the rough, coarse, chatting grass tunics
Of the past.
The greatest blessing, however. OF
all that had been left to her was the
writing paper. the note books and
pencils. They had given her occupa-
ton after all other things had failed
her. for she had written down the
story Of her life. Not imagining that
they would ever be seen by human
eyes, she had poured her whole soul
out on the pages. Every incident had
been gone over. Not Rousseau him
self had been franker in his Comics
sions," but here was only sweetness
and light. She had restricted her
WFitjng to a certain number Of mo-
ments daily in order to prolong the
occupation as much ss possible, and
she had carefully considered every
thing ere she put 1t down.
Twice daily she had gone to the
heaven-kissing hill high in the center
Of the island where she had laborious-
ly builded another pyre for another
beacon. Morning and evening with
unvarying routine she had scanned the
horizon, this time with an excellent
glass that Langford had left her. Not
once had she sighted q ship. He never
came; no one ever came. Hope grad.
ually died away in her heart
One evening she climbed YEARLY to
the top of the hill and listlessly swept
the horizon, the bare, vacant, un.
broken horizon, which she had sur.
veyed morning and evening all these
years. She expected nothing, but sud
denly there sprang into the objec,
glass of the telescope a dark blur
which she had never seen before. Her
hand trembled so that she almost
dropped the glass. She strove to pick
up that object again and could not dc
1t in her nervous agitation. Finally
she lay down upon the hill and rested
her arms upon a little rise Of ground
and thus steadying the glass, managed
to find it once more. 1t could be moth
ing but the smoke of a ship!
The sky was without a cloud; she
could not be deceived. II was miles
away, of course, yet If the ship was
visible to her, the land would be more
visible on account Of its bulk compare
lively to those aboard of her. Yet the
ship, II It were bound on some trading
voyage, would probably pass by
What should she do? She had sworr
that she would stay on that island
live and die there, unless he came t
fetch her, but the longing to see him
to hear about him, to know what haC
become of him. had grown so grear
that her resolution was trembling II
the balance, and in the smoke Of tina
passing ship II vanished into thin air
She had means of striking a hgh
which Langford had left her. which
methodically and mechanically she al
ways brought with her when sh,
climbed up the crest of the hill to seel
for a sail. She lifted the matches ans
approached the beacon. She remem
bered how once before she had lighted
that beacon; she remembered how h,
had pleaded with her not to do SO
how In doing 1t she had brought tn
world upon her with such terrible con
! sequences to her. Should she do I
/ again? What would happen II she did
She laid the matches down and LITE,
the glass once more. Yes, the shiI
was still there. She was so far ava,
indeed that the short TING which ha'
elapsed would have made no change II
her apparent position.
She looked back to the westward
The sun was setting, There would b
no twilight Darkness would com
swiftly. II she did not light that bes
con the ship would pass In the piahl
II she did light It, the darkness woul,
lend force and efficiency to It. N
ship would disregard such q light Il
such q quarter. Should she do II?
In one swift moment her Fesolutial
was taken. She dropped the glass
turned to the box Of matches v'..-'
she had boarded Tor tAis cry uurpOs,
knsle down.. struck one of then
watched the blue fame develop an
swell out in the still air, paused for
moment hesitant. touched the light I
the innammable mass Of dead wood 9
the base of the pile. In one instan
the flames were roaring amid Ii
larger timbers as they had roared o
that morning nearly two years ag'
For one instant she would have tor
down the pyre and scattered tn
fame, but It was not within her Pow
er. Nothing could stop that ragin
blaze now. ?
AS the flames cracked up thrcug
the wood. roaring and catching. tn
sun sank and the darkness fell. He
last act ere the curtain Of night shr
her in had been to flx her glass upo
the faint blur Of smoke. Now she coul
see nothing. 1t was a m0onless nign
but bright with stars. She move
away from the hFe and sat down 9
she had sat before, sheltered oy ID
peak, to watch the sea, Now that sn
had done what she had sworn not
do, she was eager for the success
her attempt. Indeed, she thought thi
Hyll ship did not see that IRE an
did not come to the island and tai
her on. this time she would really die
she could not stand another disal
pointment.
And so she waited wonderin
through long hours while the aAm'
exhausted themselves and by and :
fell to a heap of glowing ashes. su
denly there leaped out through q
darkness distant twinkle Of hight.
was too low for a star Feeling 4
, the telescope, she found II and vii
difhcuity focused Il on the tiny spar
It was a red light, the light Of 9 shiI
! The vessel had seen the signal Il vi
J nearer, much nearer pow, she kne
about how far such light could
seen, The ship was coming toWal
! her. she almost tainted from the
! Yuision Of feeling from hope to CO
D s.intv from anxiety to Assurance.