Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-12-04

dQAuAl q Sill &Aau III u SHUT say oAAAts
a red wool sweater with a red knitted
cap pulled down over her golden hair.
Her lovely face was pale with fear.
and her blue eyes searched the anxious
faces of the group.
"rell me what has happened" she
cried brokenly. 'The light is not burn
ing, and they say that Rufus Weed is
ashore here and intoxicated"
'Then your pas all alone?" asked
Captain Simon. laying a horny hand on
the girls trembling shoulder.
Eyes, he must be. and l am afraid
something has happened to him. The
light was burning an hour ago-I saw
it-and now-now 1t is out, and I'm
afraid, afraid for the steamerr" Her
bright head leaned against Captain
Heatherby's blue sleeve.
Now, see here, sissy. don't you cry"
he comforted her. Your pas most
likely had a dizzy spell. He amt been
real well lately. Some of us men will
go out to the light and see what's the
matter" Then, turning to the group.
which had been augmented by new
ome until the room was crowded,
he added, II want volunteers to go out
to Pillar O. Fire with me-"
Silence followed this rash invitation.
Could a small boat live in the treach-
erous water that surrounded the Pillar
o. Fire?
1t was evident that few believed 1t,
for one by one they edged toward the
door and disappeared into the night
Madison Peters stepped forward, his
black eyes afame with some great re-
solve.
"Ill co. he said quietly. You stay
to home. Cap'n Simon"
"Nobody'Il keep me to home" inter-
rupted the old sailor iercely. My
boys out there ON that steamer with
out a light to guide him into the har-
Dor, and there's other souls aboard of
the Neptune. and there's Mina's pa up
there in the light-there can't nobody
keep me back!' ,
"All right" said Madison. How
about you, Mina?" He was in love
with Nina Wallace. and he knew the
girls intrepid heart.
'T'm going" she said. lifting her
head and smiling at him. "Three of
us can manage the dory. Rufus left it
at the landing steps. Let us hurry"
AS the door closed behind them the
three Liscums looked at each other.
IL don't ever expect to see n of
them three again. said Mrs. Liscum
dismally as she retreated to her pi-
geonholes.
"Now, Ida, don't you be losing
heart" began her husband weakly.
"Shet up!' snapped Ida Liscum
GROSSLY.
Tim Liscum munched some dried
prunes and looked thoughtfully at the
glowing stove.
Funny, amt it?' he asked present
ly. There's Madison Peters riskin' his
life to go out and light Pillar O. Fire
SOS Cap'n Joe Heatherby won't lose
his life.s
II don't see anything funny about
it," reproved his mother. ITS what's
called a noble deed"
"It's funny because Madison's in love
with Nina and everybody knows that
Nlina's going to marry Cap'n Joe?' re-
torted Tim.
>
The harbor was u tossing mass of
black water and flying spume. The
lighthouse dory had vanished from
the landing steps, but Madison Peters
led them to his own stout motorboat,
and in ten minutes the engine was
sputtering briskly and, with her three
passengers covering under the canvas
top, turned her nose into the b~lackness
beyond.
The sturdy little craft rose on the
waves. teetered uncertainty upon the
crest and then plunged down into the
valley of water.
IF twas only clear you could make
the shoals by sightin' One Pine Pint,
a half pint nor'west," gTowled Cap
tain Simon.
'Ill make it." said Madison calmly.
His heart beat quickly. for the near
ness of Nina Wallace unnerved him,
strong man that he was. He knew
that his love was hopeless, and he had
resolved to ship as first mate on a new
schooner which was to ply between
philadelphia and Savannah-that would
take him far away from old, unhappy
associations. But this last deed was
required of him. this last wrench-to
save Captain Joe Heatherby for Nina
Wallace.
At last they emerged from the har-
boris narrow mouth. and the fury of
the storm caught them and tossed
them to and fro. The engine missed
fire, an avalanche of water drenched
the boat from stem to stern. and the
three chung together just as Madison
called hoarsely:
"Stand by. Cap'n Simon; we're
there!'
Nina Wallace never knew how they
made a landing on the black and slip
perry stones, but Madison Peters had
barely left the boat before it was torn