The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-10-07
CHAPTER XIX.

pSdI, itosS ul iSIStu SllDueu lFCill lilc
seat formed by the clasped hands 5of
the two men. And it was me who
suggested this."
The girl responded with a quiet
laugh OF the most natural effect imag.
| inable-until it ended in Il sigh, and
without the least warning she crum.
pied upon herself, and would have
fallen heavily, j. a. dead faint, but for
!aian's cuickness.
Good Lord" Earcus exclaimed, az
Alan gently lowered the inert body of
tho girl to the sands. And to think
l didn't understand she was so nearly
oil in--chatling her like that! I'd like
to kick myself"
Don't be impatient" Alan advised
grimly: I'm busy just at present, but
+. Meantime, you might fetch
I some water to revive her"
/ 1t was an order by no means easy
to fill; Barcus had only his cupped
! hands for vessel, and little water
/ remained IN them By the time he had
dashed from the shadows back to tho
SPOT. Ehero Rose lay unconscious.
While the few drops he did manage
A to !sognfkle into her face availed moth
ing toward rousing her from the
I t-a2ce-li!.c slumbers of exhaustion into
which she passed from her fainting
fl.
III the end Alan gave up The effort.
She's all right" lie reported, releas'
ing the wrist whose pulse he had been
timing. "She tainted. right enough,
but now she's just asleep-and needs
it God knows! It would be kinder
TO let her rest, ct least until see what
sort OF reception that lighthouse is
| inclined to Offer us."
You'll go, them" Barcus inquired.
I'D just as lief. myself :"
mo; let me-" Alan insisted. Its
not far-rot more than a quarter Of a
mile And she'll be safe enough here.
in your care the LITTLE time I'm gone"
Barcus nodded. His face was drawn
and gray in the moon-glare. Thank
God." he breathed brokenly, you're
able. I'm not"
He sat down suddenly and rested his
head On his knees. Don't be longer
than you can help" he muttered
thickly. '
He had come to the headland Of
the lighthouse itself before the ground
began to shelye more gently to the
beach; and was on the point of adj
dressing himself to tho dark and silent
cottage of the lightkeeper when he
paused, struck b. sight of what till
then had been hidden from him.
The p-omontory, he found. formed
the eastern extremity OF wide-armed
il shallow harbor where rode at moor
inss considerable number OF small
craft-plaaSurc vessels assorted about
equally with fishing boats. And barely
an eighth OF mile on, long-legged
wharves stood knee-deep in the water,
like tentacles flung out from the sleepy
little fishing village that dotted the
rising eround-a community OF per-
hapc two hundred dwellings.
Nor was this ali-oven IS Alan hove
in view OF the village he heard series
of staccato shorts, the harsh tolling OF
q hraZen bell. the rumble OF train
pulling. out from q station. And then
he St4dts jewel-string OF lights fash
athGRlt The landscape and vanish as
its noise died away diminuendo.
Where one train ran another must.
He need only now secure something
to revive Rose, help her somehow up
the beach. and in another hour or two.
of certainty. they would be speed
ing northwards, up the cape. toward
Boston and the land Of law and order.
Such thoughts IS these, at least.
made up the texture of his hopes; the
outcome proved them somewhat too
presumptuous. He logged down
quiet village street and into the rail.
road station just rs the agent was clos.
ing up for the night.
A surly citizen, this agent, ill-pleased
to have his plans disordered by chance
flung strangers. He greeted Alan's
breathless query with q grunt Of in
grained churlishness.
Nah" he avcrrcd, "they amt no
more trains till mornin'. Can't y sec
I'm shuttin' up?"
But surely there must be tele-
graph station"
You bet your life they is-right
here in this depot. An I'm shuttin' it
up. too"
Has the operator gone for tho
night?"
lies going. I'm the op'rator. No
business transacted after Office hours.
Call raound at eight o'clock tomor-
row mornin'. Now if you'll jest step
out OF that door. III say sd might to
YOU"
But must send q telegram" Alan
protested. Il tell you. l must. It's
u matter Of life and death"
Sure, young Teller. 1t always is
after business hours"
won't YOU open up again"
Il tell you, no."
In desperation Alan rammeG a hand
into his trousers pocket. VIII dol
lar influence your better Judgments"
he suggested slrewdly.
Lets see your dollar" the other re-
turned with no less Craft-open in
crSdu!itX informing his countenanco-
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