The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-05-30
Not on / the Il!
Chart
a Liohthous:;e,.S'''toru
By CLARISSA MACKIE

throb Of his engine. The motorboat
rose on the crest Of big waves and
then Owed down into pitchy b~lackness
for 1t was night. He had lost his bear.
ings an hour ago. when he had left
Hadden harbor for the short trip-down
the coast after q catboats which had
gone adrift, and now he was trying to
find the harbor's mouth once more.
He tried to discern the familiar light
that would set him On the right course,
but the lighthouse seemed blotted out
in the storm.
II ought to be somewhere near the
] harbor's mouth by this time" he pant
, ed after he had recovered from a
drenching ave. He bent forward and
peered ahead as If to pierce the black
ness with his keen eyes.
Seems as If I ought to see the ledge
light unless--unless something's hap
pened to Peter Lapgdon! He inclined
his ear, and close at hand he heard
the roar Of waves breaking N ragged
rocks. "Good Lord. IL it isn't the ledge,
and no light"
The wheel spun around in his strong
hands. and the motorboat put about
until she was headed straight for the
| booming waves. If Joel Webster had
not known the ledge like a book he
might have gone straight to destruc-
ton on the bristling rocks that encom-
passed the lighthouse. But his err was
/ trained to the voice Of the sea. and ut
just the right moment he swung bis
little craft around into. the narrow
opening that gave upon comparatively
quiet water. ,#
1t was a matter of considerable skill
to make a landing in the storm. but at
last he moored the boat safely and
crawled along the platform until he
came to the narrow iron stairway that
led to a door above the highest water
mark.
His repeated battering brought quick
light steps across the floor and the
sound Of a frightened voice from
within.
.Oh. is anybody there's" called the girl.
"Yes!" he shouted back. but the wind
tore the words away. and he had tn
repeat his cry again and again before
she understood that his voice was not
the cry Of frightened gulls or the
scream Of the raging wind. !
The door opened outward. and he
staggered within the warm. coy shell
ter of the sitting room. The girl was
busy locking the door and so she did
not look ut him until he had removed
his dripping sou'wester and pushed
back the tangled hair from his wei
forehead.
"oh. it's you. Joelr!" she faltered.
with a little backward step Of alarm.
"Yes. it's me-" said Joel Webster
crisply. II was out in the storm. and
l noticed the lamp wasn't lighted.
What's the matter?.
Its none of your business what's
the matter" called IAN angry voice
from the adjoining room. Dora. u
that fresh Webster boy In there?".
.Yes. it's me-" repeated Joel for the
second time. He drew near the COM
municahng door and looked in on the
recumbent form OF aGlarge. old man,
who appeared to be suffering great
pain. whats the matter-hurt your
self?'. asked Joel bluntly.
Broke my leg" growled Peter Lang
don ~ungraciously.
where's MarshalIT'
"Went ashore this. morning and
hasn't come back. Drunk as a lord. I
reckon" groaned the lighthouse keep
er. Dora here tried to get the lamp
going. but she couldn't, bless her
hearth
I'm going to light the lamp for you.
and when it's going good I'll come back
and make you comfortable" announced
Joel In a matter Of fact tone.
Peter Lnngdon half raised himself IA
bed AMI shook his fist at the young
man. Don't you dare touch my lamp.
Joel Webster! Didn't I warn you Of
these here. premises q week ago? Didn't
say wouldn't have you around
here??' $
Joel folded his arms and looked the
irate keeper In the eye. Yes. you told
me all that. Mr.. Langdon. but that
hasn't got anything to do with lighting
the lamp tonight "a; ss5f sS
RE- IL HASH stsG. eli SSHsV ~ OeSSssHbH I'm .e4SaaSs
because wbst you said to me then
has got to do with Dora. The only
reason I came tonight was becauseI
saw the light wasaout and thought
you were In trouble Joel spoke 6rnnal-
Nv and without one backward glance at
the girl who stood behind him.
sssYou leave that lampsaIone!!p com
manded Peter wrathfully. Youneedn,t
FRY to play thpe good Samaritan with
me y. IL st 81 q HIM n S Hi Ss&s
'sYou mean you're going toStturns re
out An this storm again?s asked Josl
quietly. II 81. Il %5 Hass SsSs sssg
~ youl could set here youscan get
AWAY. growysled, the keeppser.
.Oh. fath1 scried the Sill. spltsas5si
don't speak like thatt!, Il i 5Rss
You must hate a Bt.SMrsssayaAsna
don. aid Syoei slowly sIf 4 iknsWlttlhi
reason why III bsabsttsr sadls6aad. Z
HI turned ahtaptllyjs4aaNMlAyl aa~ndsopsnsd
thss oorysthatsledt the spiral stairMN99y
SfaGIxM ssFS1ssysaye5lMSH